Can a single dose of ayahuasca quiet seizures that Aren't epileptic?
NCT ID NCT07747324
First seen Aug 05, 2026 · Last updated Aug 06, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This early-stage trial is testing whether a single oral dose of ayahuasca can reduce the frequency of psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) in adults aged 18 to 60. Participants must have PNES confirmed by video-EEG and will taper off psychiatric medications before the dose. The study will track seizure frequency to see if this traditional brew might offer a new way to manage this challenging condition.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Ayahuasca (a plant-based brew containing DMT and harmala alkaloids), given as a single oral dose
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward a new treatment option for psychogenic non-epileptic seizures, a condition with few effective therapies.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase, open-label trial, so results may not be conclusive. Ayahuasca can cause intense psychological effects and requires tapering off psychiatric medications, which carries risks.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 1/2
Runs two stages together: safety and dose first, then whether the treatment works.
- Participants
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About 15 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jul 2026
- Expected to finish
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Aug 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 60 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients aged 18 to 60 with documented PNES (confirmed via VEEG), without a diagnosis of comorbid epilepsy, and currently receiving follow-up care at outpatient clinics. To enroll in the study, patients must undergo a gradual reduction and discontinuation of any psychotropic medications (antidepressants, antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, or mood stabilizers/anticonvulsants) they are currently taking, in order to avoid drug interactions with-or influence on-the effects of ayahuasca. Exclusion Criteria: * Patients who have not experienced psychogenic seizures in the last 3 months; patients diagnosed with epilepsy; patients who refuse to reduce or discontinue their current psychotropic medications; patients with a history of prior ayahuasca use; patients with a history of substance use disorder; patients who refuse to sign the Informed Consent Form; patients with schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders and/or impaired reality testing; and pregnant or breastfeeding women.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Ribeirão Preto Medical School
RECRUITINGRibeirão Preto, São Paulo, 14048900, Brazil
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