Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology
June 7, 2025
Simon A Beck, Caine Barlow, Liam Engel et al.
4 citations
Psilocybin-containing mushrooms have long been used for their psychoactive effects, but emerging evidence suggests that certain lignicolous ("wood-loving") species may also induce a distinct toxidrome known as "wood-lover paralysis" (WLP). WLP is characterised by transient weakness following mushroom ingestion, but its aetiology and prevalence remain poorly understood. In this paper, we present...
Forensic Chemistry
March 25, 2025
Pragna Gaur, Liam Engel, Damian Robert Hall et al.
1 citation
Commencements of clinical trials of psychedelic therapies for intractable forms of mental illnesses have drawn increased public attention to plants containing psychedelic substances. Whilst the psychoactive alkaloid mescaline has limited clinical trials, the San Pedro ( Trichocereus spp.) cacti from which it is found have a long history of Indigenous medical and spiritual use. Traditional use...
Contemporary Drug Problems
February 10, 2025
Liam Engel, Mitchell Low
1 citation
Using autoethnography, this article considers conflict surrounding the psychedelic, mescaline cacti, San Pedro, and Peyote. We reflect on themes emergent in the lead authors’ lived experiences with growing, researching and working with mescaline cacti; Indigenous culture, psychopharmacotherapy research, psychedelic markets and ecology. These themes are considered relative to varied San Pedro...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
July 17, 2024
Liam Engel, Sascha Thal, Stephen Bright et al.
4 citations
Abstract Background and aims Online communities provide insights into psychedelic consumption, assisting in identification of trends, informing both harm reduction provisions and clinical research. This study extracts forum data on psychedelic substances, dosages, and administration routes, categorising and analysing self-reported consumption to inform care services and guide clinical work with...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
August 19, 2023
Liam Engel, Monica J Barratt, Jason Ferris et al.
7 citations
Abstract Background and Aims Both Peyote and San Pedro cacti contain mescaline, a classical psychedelic eliciting mystical and visual effects, but only Peyote is a vulnerable species. We sought to address the questions 1; do people who use Peyote substitute with San Pedro, and vice versa, and; 2. how popular is the use of wild harvested mescaline cactus compared with the use of cultivated...
Contemporary Drug Problems
August 29, 2022
Liam Engel, Sascha Thal, Stephen Bright
29 citations
Background: There is limited research on the provision of harm reduction services to people who use psychedelics. Little is known about provision of care to people consuming psychedelics outside of clinical trials. Methods: We investigated how people who used psychedelics discussed their preferences for care (or “trip sitting”) on two online forums: The Shroomery and DMT Nexus. A thematic...
Addiction Research & Theory
May 6, 2022
Sascha Thal, Liam Engel, Stephen Bright
Abstract Contemporary clinical research into the psychotherapeutic administration of psychedelics has primarily emphasized the importance of therapeutic interpersonal interactions to assist clients prepare for and integrate the acute effects of psychedelics. Alternative therapeutic frameworks have encouraged active talk therapy between therapists and clients during the administration phase. We...
Journal of Evolutionary Psychology
September 21, 2020
Emily Blatchford, Stephen Bright, Liam Engel
27 citations
Abstract There is increasing evidence that psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is effective for a range of psychological conditions. There are likely numerous mechanisms of action that contribute to these clinical effects. One such mechanism of action might involve psychedelics increasing levels of empathic functioning. This paper synthesises research concerning the relationship between...