Where does it come from?

The harmalin alkaloid was first extracted from the seeds of the plant in 1841., in 1852 Westerners recorded for the first time data about the psychoactive effects of the plant Banisteriopsis caapi which grows  in the Amazon Basin. In the early twentieth century a video showing the traditional ceremonial use of ayahuasca was shot and shown to the American Pharmaceutical Association.

Ayahuasca became popular among Europeans and North Americans through the media in the late twentieth century. Then its users developed a special type of tourism with destination South America. In the late 90s the brew became available on the streets in some South American cities.