Latest news with #NarcisoLópez
The Independent
3 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
American tourist dies after drinking hallucinogenic herbal tea in Amazon rainforest
An American tourist has reportedly died after drinking hallucinogenic herbal tea during an ayahuasca session in Peru. The 41-year-old man, said to be from Alabama, died in Santa María de Ojeal in the Loreto region of the Amazon Rainforest on 2 June, reported local outlet Canal N Peru. Narciso López, coordinator of the Forensic Medicine Department in Loreto, told Canal N that the American suffered multiple organ failure with complications including pleural effusion and acute pancreatitis shortly after consuming the psychoactive brew. Autopsy testing at the central morgue in Iquitos will determine the official cause of death, said Lopez. According to Canal N, the tourist had not reported taking antibiotics at the time of ingesting ayahuasca. It is thought that mixing ayahuasca with antibiotics can create an adverse reaction. The outlet added that the ayahuasca ceremony took place at a spiritual hostel in Santa María de Ojeal. Ayahuasca is a psychoactive brew prepared from the bark of the Banisteriopsis caapi vine and a plant containing dimethyltryptamine (DMT), traditionally used by indigenous communities in the Amazon. The psychoactive substance is illegal to consume in several countries, including the US. Many tourists try the drug in South America, often marketed to travellers as a 'ceremonial' or 'spiritual cleanser'. In January 2025, the US Embassy in Peru issued a health alert warning tourists not to 'ingest or use traditional hallucinogens, often referred to as ayahuasca or kambo'. It said: 'Ayahuasca can cause several negative health effects, including nausea, vomiting, increased heart rate, and even death. Some of the long-term effects include psychosis, difficulty sleeping, neurological diseases, and ongoing hallucinations. 'In 2024, several U.S. citizens died or experienced severe illness, including mental health episodes, following consumption of ayahuasca.'
News18
5 days ago
- Health
- News18
Trippy Tea Turns Deadly: American Tourist Dies After Drinking Ayahuasca In Amazon
Last Updated: An American tourist died after drinking a powerful hallucinogenic tea during a spiritual retreat in Peru's Amazon. An American tourist's quest for spiritual enlightenment in the Peruvian Amazon ended tragically when he died after consuming ayahuasca, a potent hallucinogenic brew traditionally used in indigenous rituals in parts of Central and South America. 41-year-old Alabama resident Aaron Wayne Castranova participated in a shamanic ceremony at La Casa de Guillermo ICONA, a hostel in Loreto known for offering 'spiritual tourism" experiences. During the ritual, he ingested ayahuasca, which led to a multi-organ failure resulting in his death last Sunday. Located deep in Peru's northeastern Amazon basin, Loreto is a remote jungle region accessible only by air or river. Its capital, Iquitos, is the largest city in the world unreachable by road and the quickest way to get there from Lima is via a nearly two-hour flight. The region's isolation has made it a magnet for spiritual tourism. Forensic pathologist Dr. Narciso López told British news outlet Daily Mail that Castranova suffered from multiple organ failure, pleural effusion, and acute pancreatitis. It is believed that the interaction between ayahuasca and antibiotics he was taking, information he allegedly did not disclose, may have contributed to the fatal outcome. Ayahuasca is a traditional South American brew made from the Banisteriopsis caapi vine and the Psychotria viridis leaf. The latter contains dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a powerful hallucinogen. While DMT is classified as a Schedule I drug under the United Nations 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances, the plants used to make ayahuasca are not regulated under this convention. However, many countries have national laws that control or prohibit the use of DMT and ayahuasca, according to A blogpost by the ClevelandClinic said that though some individuals seek ayahuasca for its purported mental health benefits, such as alleviating depression and PTSD, the brew carries significant risks. Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, increased heart rate and hallucinations. More severe reactions can involve anxiety, paranoia and in rare cases, death. A survey cited in the blog pointed out that while only 2.3% of users required medical attention for physical side effects, about 56% reported negative mental health impacts in the weeks following consumption. The Alabaman's case reminds one of earlier tragedies in Peru involving foreign tourists. In 2012, 18-year-old Kyle Nolan from California died after taking ayahuasca at a shamanic retreat; his body was secretly buried by the shaman. Two years later, British teenager Henry Miller died in Colombia after a similar ritual involving yagé, a variant of the brew. First Published: June 07, 2025, 20:19 IST
