Psilocybin from ‘magic mushrooms’ may help treat depression, study finds
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Scientists have found that treatment with psilocybin (a substance found in hallucinogenic mushrooms) combined with psychotherapy reduces depressive symptoms in adult patients with cancer and major depression.
This is evidenced by the results of the II phase clinical study, but these are not yet final conclusions, because there are still several stages of testing ahead, reports MedicalXpress.
Psilocybin is a hallucinogenic chemical found in certain mushrooms of the genus Psilocybe. People call them “magic mushrooms”.
Study participants who received psilocybin experienced a reduction in depressive symptoms and positively evaluated psychotherapy.
“I’ve been an oncologist for many years and felt frustrated that I couldn’t provide therapies that treat the whole person, not just the tumor.
This was a small, open-label study and more research needs to be done, but the potential is great and it could help millions of cancer patients who are also struggling with the mental impact of the disease.”said lead study author Manish Agrawal, MD, of Sunstone Therapies.
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| Illustration: katerynakon/Depositphotos |
The study was conducted by Sunstone Therapies in Rockville, Maryland, and the results were published in the journal Cancer.
The second phase of the trial involved 30 adults with cancer and major depression.
Each participant received a single dose of synthetic psilocybin (25 mg), an individual session with a psychotherapist, and group therapy.
Before treatment, the study participants suffered from moderate to severe depression. After eight weeks of treatment, the level of depression decreased by an average of 19.1 points.
In addition, 80% of participants had a sustained response to treatment, and 50% had a complete remission of depressive symptoms after one week, which was maintained for eight weeks.
Participants generally reported mild side effects, including nausea and headache.
Overall, they described a positive experience and indicated that participating in the group sessions reduced their fears and increased their sense of readiness for therapy. Patients felt that connecting with the group “deepened and enriched” their experience.
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| Photo: Zerbor/Depositphotos |
Researchers say that psilocybin can cause changes in a person’s mood, cognition and perception by binding to a specific subtype of serotonin receptors in the brain.
Psilocybin is currently classified as a Schedule I drug in the US – it has no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.
It is also not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clinical use.
However, multiple randomized trials have demonstrated the potential efficacy of psychotherapy in combination with psilocybin for the treatment of major depressive disorder.
Research into the use of psilocybin for the treatment of anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder is also ongoing.
We will remind you that the II phase of clinical trials is the first experience of using the drug in patients for whom the researchers developed it.
Then Phase III is mandatory, which is necessary to confirm the efficacy and safety of the drug before any drug can be licensed.
During the IV phase, scientists will also be able to obtain more detailed information about the use of the drug – sometimes it is carried out already after licensing.
Read also: Blood test can identify biomarkers of suicidal thoughts – study
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