The LSD blotter tab is on the US 1/4 coin. A psychedelic LSD-based drug appears to alleviate depression and anxiety in mice, but has no hallucinogenic side effects.
Paul J. Richards/AFP via Getty Images
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Paul J. Richards/AFP via Getty Images
The LSD blotter tab is on the US 1/4 coin. A psychedelic LSD-based drug appears to alleviate depression and anxiety in mice, but has no hallucinogenic side effects.
Paul J. Richards/AFP via Getty Images
Drugs such as magic mushrooms and LSD act as strong, long-lasting antidepressants. However, they also tend to produce mind-bending side effects that limit their use.
well, scientist report in the journal Nature They created an LSD-based drug that appears to alleviate anxiety and depression in mice without inducing the usual hallucinations.
“We found that our compound had essentially the same antidepressant activity as psychedelic drugs. Dr. Brian Ross, author of the study and professor of pharmacology at UNC Chapel Hill College of Medicine. However, he says, “there was absolutely no psychedelic drug-like behavior.”
This discovery could ultimately lead to more effective, faster acting, fewer side effects and longer lasting treatments for depression and anxiety.
Successes are just the latest, including triplex versions of psychedelic drugs.the one before effort Iboga is made from the root bark of a shrub plant native to Central Africa known as the iboga tree.
“It’s very encouraging to see multiple groups approaching this problem in different ways and coming up with very similar solutions,” he says. David E. OlsonChemical neuroscientist at the University of California, Davis, who led the ibogaine project.
an unexpected discovery
This new drug was developed by a large team of scientists rather than starting the search for an antidepressant.
They had built a virtual library of 75 million molecules containing unusual structures found in many drugs, including the psychedelic psilocybin and the migraine drug LSD (Ergotamine), and anticancer drugs Vincristine.
The team decided to look at molecules that affect the brain’s serotonin system, which is involved in regulating people’s moods. But they weren’t looking for antidepressants yet.
Roth recalls that at one meeting someone asked, “What are you looking for here anyway?”
But as their research progressed, the team realized that other researchers had shown that the psychedelic drug psilocybin could alleviate depression in people. , probably because the drug helped rewire the brain in a way that made it less prone to depression.
“There [were] “We have very interesting reports of excellent results after just a few doses.” Brian Shoisheauthor of the study and professor in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of California, San Francisco.
So the team refined its search to start finding molecules in the library that might perform similarly.
In the end they chose two.
“They had the best characteristics,” says Schaeuche. “They were the most potent and entered the brain at the highest concentration when given to mice.”
The two molecules were also “very effective” in alleviating symptoms of depression in mice, Roth said.
How to tell when a mouse stumbles
Scientists have shown that depressed mice tend to give up quickly when placed in uncomfortable situations, such as hanging from their tails. When put on antidepressants, he continues to struggle.
Even when the experimental molecule was obtained, the mice continued to struggle.
But they showed no signs of a psychedelic experience, which usually causes mice to twitch their noses in a peculiar way. “We were surprised to see that,” Roth said. says.
The team says these new molecules need to be refined before they can be tested in humans. One reason is that it appears to mimic LSD’s ability to increase heart rate and blood pressure.
But if this approach works, it could overcome a major obstacle to using psychedelic drugs to treat depression.
Currently, psychedelic therapy requires medical supervision and a therapist to guide the patient through the hallucinogenic experience.
It’s an unrealistic way to treat millions of people with depression, says Shoishet.
“Society wants a molecule that can be taken by prescription and that doesn’t require a guided tour to travel,” he says.
Another advantage of the new approach is that antidepressant effects can be seen within hours of taking the drug and can last up to a year or longer. It is common and must be taken daily.
Psychedelic-based drugs “rather than simply treat the symptoms of the disease, they bring us one step closer to a cure,” says Olsen.
