Psilocybin Prevents Chemotherapy Nerve Damage in Mice for 6 Cycles
Updated
Updated · Scientific American · Sep 3
Psilocybin Prevents Chemotherapy Nerve Damage in Mice for 6 Cycles
1 articles · Updated · Scientific American · Sep 3
Summary
Two doses of psilocybin shielded mice from chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy through as many as six treatment cycles, according to a Science paper published Thursday.
Researchers at UT MD Anderson said the drug preserved mitochondrial movement along nerve-cell microtubules, a transport system chemotherapy typically disrupts and that can lead to lasting tingling, numbness and pain.
The team called it the first use of psilocybin as a neuroprotective agent and said repeated tests across tumor and non-tumor models and different chemotherapies consistently prevented neuropathy.
Human evidence is still limited to anecdotes from patients in other psilocybin trials, but a clinical study is planned within about a month in colorectal, breast, and head-and-neck cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.
Could a compound in magic mushrooms hold the secret to stopping permanent nerve damage from chemotherapy before it begins?
If non-hallucinogenic psilocybin analogs work equally well, will future cancer patients receive nerve protection without experiencing any psychedelic effects?