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Ayahuasca is a term most commonly used to describe a combination of plants and/or chemicals usually consisting of at least some harmala alkaloids and some N,N-DMT. The word 'ayahuasca' is from the Quechuan language and is used for both the harmala-containing vine Banisteriopsis caapi and the medicinal/divinatory brew made from it. The brew is a traditional South American preparation most commonly combining the Banisteriopsis caapi vine (harmaline/harmine as MAOI) and Psychotria viridis leaves (DMT). This combination is important because N,N-DMT is broken down quickly in the body by the Mono Amine Oxidase (MAO) enzyme and so it is not orally psychoactive unless combined with an MAO-Inihibitor, such as the harmala alkaloids.

Ayahuasca is traditionally prepared by boiling or soaking the stems of B. caapi along with various admixture plants, most commonly the N,N-DMT containing leaves of the Psychotria viridis bush. The traditional brews can also contain many other plants including tobacco, brugmansia, datura, and a long list of others. Outside the amazon basin, in cities around the world, ayahuasca is prepared with a wide variety of ingredients including pure chemicals (sometimes called 'pharmahuasca') or the root bark from mimosa hostilis/tenuiflora (sometimes called 'mimosahuasca'), and often the seeds of Perganum harmala (Syrian Rue) as a source of MAO-inhibiting harmala alkaloids. Ayahuasca is known for its tendency to induce vomiting in many users, its rich & complex visual effects, its reported healing spiritual healing properties, and its powerful mind-changing entheogenic effects.