[Ayahuasca, which originates from the Amazon Basin, is a psychoactive brew of two components. Its active agents are betacarboline and tryptamine derivatives. Near the spring of the Amazon River this brew is still a central component of many healing and tribal rituals. During the past few decades, the substance has become known among both laymen and scientistss and nowadays its use is spreading all over in Europe. In the present paper we give an overview of the scientific research and describe ayahuasca's main features, the main questions raised over its use, the risk factors and potential benefits. A growing number of scientific results seem to support the psychotherapeutic potential of ayahuasca, which has a strong serotonergic effect, whereas studies on its effect on the immune system also raise the possibility that certain ethno-medical observations can be scientifically proved.]

[INTRODUCTION - This study aims to analyse interrelations of stress load, mental state and work related symptoms with health risk behaviour of medical, dental and pharmacy school students. SAMPLE AND METHODS - 473 fourthyear students participated, 73.4% of medical, 10.1% of dental and 16.5% of pharmacy school. Measuring stress, we used the validated version of Anderson's questionnaire for mental, physical and work related divisions. Those with high level of stress on the score system entered the risk groups in the relevant divisions. Among health risks, tobacco smoking, alcohol consume, illegal drugs and psychoactive pharmaceuticals were measured. RESULTS - 15.2% of students perceived mental and 7.8% physical complaints. Work related symptoms were in 26.0% indicated. The overall prevalence of health risks were found to be 12.1% for smoking, 36.2% for drinking, 30.9% for drug use and 9.1% for taking pharmaceuticals. There was a significant (p<0.001) association between taking pharmaceuticals and all the three risk divisions. CONCLUSIONS - The prevalence of smoking is low in all student groups, but three out of ten students are regularly consuming alcohol and some kind of illegal drugs, yet there is no significant association between these health risks and the stress phenomena. Using pharmaceuticals is relatively less frequent, but it must be concerned that these drugs are taken primarily to manage stress related problems.]