Magic mushrooms could be the new oxycodone.
New research published in journal current biology They found that injections of psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, may provide long-term relief from chronic pain.
Scientists at the University of Michigan injected formaldehyde into the feet of rats to simulate the effects of chronic inflammation.
The rats were divided into three different groups. The first group was given a low dose of psilocybin, the second group was given a high dose of psilocybin, and the third group was given a saline placebo.
Scientists measured the reactions by pricking the rats' feet with needles and applying hot plates to them.
Rats given psilocybin were found to be less sensitive to pain from foot stings than rats not given psilocybin.
However, exposing the rats to the heat of a hot plate showed no improvement.
Research results suggest that psilocybin may change and reshape pathways in the brain, as chronic pain is thought to be a result of the brain and spinal cord rather than any particular body. , it may be possible to treat not only the pain itself but also the causes of chronic pain. In part, the author writes:
More research is needed to fully understand the medical benefits of psilocybin for chronic pain, but this is not the only study that has led to possible future use of therapeutic psychedelics such as ketamine, ayahuasca, LSD, and MDMA. .
The Food and Drug Administration announced last week that it would consider approving MDMA as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a statement from the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). public interest corporation (PBC).
MDMA, also known as ecstasy or molly, is a popular drug in rave culture, where people take it to connect with the music and dance all night.
However, a 2021 clinical trial from the nonprofit Interdisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Research found that of 90 people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, those who took MDMA in combination with psychotherapy were less likely to receive psychotherapy. They were shown to be twice as likely to recover compared to those who used the combination. placebo, According to Nature magazine.
Since the 2021 trial, MAPS has conducted and completed a second, larger trial with positive results and believes it will be a smooth process toward approval from the FDA.
MDMA is thought to weaken the flight-or-fight response, allowing people to confront their trauma. Unlike PTSD treatment, which requires patients to recount traumatic events and potentially re-traumatize them, MDMA should elicit positive emotions and give patients a connection that might not have been apparent otherwise. .
