Frontiers in Pharmacology
June 3, 2026
Burton J. Tabaac, Robin Carhart-Harris, Teresa Yung
Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can result in prolonged post-concussive syndrome and chronic hypoxic-ischemic brain injury (HIBI) sequelae remains therapeutically challenging with the persistence of significant neurological and cognitive impairments. While conventional treatments often provide limited relief, emerging research explores alternative therapeutic interventions, including...
American Journal of Therapeutics
February 20, 2026
Burton J. Tabaac, Kenneth Shinozuka, Anne Weisman et al.
Emerging evidence supports 5-MeO-DMT as a promising, ultra-short-acting psychedelic for treatment-resistant depression and other psychiatric conditions, warranting larger RCTs.
Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience
September 2, 2024
Shiven Chaudhry, Anne Weisman, Molly M. Hagen et al.
INTRODUCTION: This study evaluates the impact of a two-hour team-based learning (TBL) curriculum on medical students' knowledge, comprehension, ethical understanding, and attitudes towards psychedelic therapies. METHODS: Sixty-three pre-surveys and fifty post-surveys assessed students' perceived knowledge and attitudes using Likert scales. Forty-eight matched pre/post-knowledge tests with...
American Journal of Therapeutics
March 1, 2024
Kirsten Cherian, Kenneth Shinozuka, Burton J. Tabaac et al.
9 citations
BACKGROUND: Ibogaine is a plant-derived alkaloid that has been used for thousands of years in rites of passage and spiritual ceremonies in West-Central Africa. In the West, it has primarily been used and studied for its anti-addictive properties and more recently for other neuropsychiatric indications, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and traumatic brain injury....
December 27, 2023
Owen S. Muir, Kenneth Shinozuka, Bryce D. Beutler et al.
preprint
The reviews in this special edition have presented a primer on the state of the literature for six different psychedelic compounds and their plausible role in medicine. In a common format underscoring strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats (SWOT), this article addresses how psychedelic compounds fit into the broader healthcare landscape for indicated conditions. Historically,...
December 26, 2023
Burton J. Tabaac, Kenneth Shinozuka, Alejandro Arenas et al.
preprint
Background: Psychedelic drugs have recently emerged as plausibly effective pharmacological agents for the management of depression, anxiety, and other neuropsychiatric conditions, including conditions that have not benefited from prior interventions. The latter half of the twentieth century marked a revolution in the treatment of depression, anxiety, and psychosis, exemplified by the...
December 26, 2023
Burton J. Tabaac, Kenneth Shinozuka, Alejandro Arenas et al.
preprint
Background: The primary psychoactive drug in magic mushrooms, psilocybin induces profound alterations in consciousness through its action at the 5-HT2A receptor. This comprehensive review consolidates current research findings to elucidate the pharmacology, safety profile, and clinical applications of psilocybin.Areas of Uncertainty: Despite initial concerns that psilocybin could cause...
December 26, 2023
Kirsten Cherian, Kenneth Shinozuka, Burton J. Tabaac et al.
preprint
Background: Ibogaine is a plant-derived alkaloid that has been used for thousands of years in rites of passage and spiritual ceremonies in West-Central Africa. In the West, it has primarily been used and studied for its anti-addictive properties and more recently for other neuropsychiatric indications, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, and traumatic brain...
Frontiers in Psychiatry
June 27, 2023
Irene Li, Rodney Fong, Molly M. Hagen et al.
25 citations
Introduction Although certain psychedelic agents may soon gain federal approval for use in treating specific psychiatric conditions, the utilization of such therapies in clinical practice will depend largely on the attitudes of healthcare providers. Therefore, this study assesses the current attitudes, knowledge, exposure, and acceptance of psychedelics and psychedelic-assisted therapies...
American Journal of Therapeutics
Burton J. Tabaac, Kenneth Shinozuka, Alejandro Arenas et al.
14 citations
The primary psychoactive drug in magic mushrooms, psilocybin, induces profound alterations in consciousness through the 5-HT2A receptor. This review consolidates current research findings to elucidate the pharmacology, safety profile, and clinical applications of psilocybin. Despite initial concerns that psilocybin could cause psychosis, contemporary research has demonstrated that psilocybin is...
American Journal of Therapeutics
Burton J. Tabaac, Kenneth Shinozuka, Alejandro Arenas et al.
12 citations
Psychedelic drugs have recently emerged as plausibly effective pharmacological agents for the management of depression, anxiety, and other neuropsychiatric conditions, including those that are treatment-resistent. The latter half of the 20th century marked a revolution in the treatment of mental illnesses, exemplified by the introduction of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and other...
American Journal of Therapeutics
Kenneth Shinozuka, Burton J. Tabaac, Alejandro Arenas et al.
12 citations
N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a naturally occurring serotonergic psychedelic found in natural plants around the globe. As the main psychoactive component in ayahuasca, which also contains monoamine oxidase inhibitors, DMT has been consumed as plant-based brew by indigenous peoples for centuries. Further research is required to delineate the therapeutic utility of DMT. Although previous...
American Journal of Therapeutics
Bryce D. Beutler, Kenneth Shinozuka, Burton J. Tabaac et al.
11 citations
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a hallucinogenic agent. In the mid-20th century, it was used to augment psychoanalysis and to treat alcohol use disorder. However, LSD was banned in 1970 in part because of concerns that it could bring about or exacerbate mental illness. Its therapeutic potential remains incompletely understood. While uncontrolled recreational use of LSD can, in rare...
American Journal of Therapeutics
Viviana D. Evans, Alejandro Arenas, Kenneth Shinozuka et al.
10 citations
Ketamine, an arylcyclohexylamine dissociative anesthetic agent, has evolved into a versatile therapeutic. It has a rapid-onset, well-understood cardiovascular effects and a favorable safety profile in clinical use. Its enantiomeric compound, esketamine, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2019 for both treatment-resistant depression and major depressive disorder with suicidal...
American Journal of Therapeutics
Amna M. Aslam, Kenneth Shinozuka, Owen S. Muir et al.
5 citations
Ketamine has emerged as a novel treatment for psychiatric disorders, particularly treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Although intravenous (IV) ketamine is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for TRD, esketamine, an FDA-approved therapeutic, has contributed to the widespread clinical use of off-label IV ketamine across the United States. This scoping review highlights...
American Journal of Therapeutics
Owen S. Muir, Kenneth Shinozuka, Bryce D. Beutler et al.
5 citations
The reviews in this special edition have presented a primer on the state of the literature for 7 different psychedelic compounds and their plausible roles in medicine. In a common format underscoring strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats (SWOT), this article addresses how psychedelic compounds fit into the broader health care landscape for indicated conditions. Historically,...
American Journal of Therapeutics
Burton J. Tabaac, Kenneth Shinozuka, Mahdi Fadel et al.
Mescaline (3,4,5-trimethoxyphenethylamine) is a classic serotonergic psychedelic with a history of indigenous ceremonial use. There is renewed scientific interest in mescaline because of the potential psychiatric benefits of psychedelic-assisted therapy. Mescaline primarily exerts its psychoactive effects through serotonin-2A (5-HT 2A ) receptor agonism. There is a lack of controlled clinical...
American Journal of Therapeutics
Kenneth Shinozuka, Burton J. Tabaac, Alejandro Arenas et al.
After becoming notorious for its use as a party drug in the 1980s, 3,4-methylenedioxy-methampetamine (MDMA), also known by its street names "molly" and "ecstasy," has emerged as a powerful treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There are extensive data about the risk profile of MDMA. However, the literature is significantly biased. Animal models demonstrating neurotoxic or adverse...
Burton J. Tabaac, Kenneth Shinozuka, Anne Weisman et al.
preprint
Background: 5-Methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT), also officially known as Mebufotenin, is a naturally occurring serotonergic psychedelic alkaloid found in the venom of the Sonoran Desert toad (Incilius alvarius) and various plant species. Areas of Uncertainty: Trace levels of 5-MeO-DMT may be produced endogenously in humans, but its physiological role remains unclear. Safety profiles...
Viviana D. Evans, Alejandro Arenas, Kenneth Shinozuka et al.
preprint
Background: Ketamine, an arylcyclohexylamine dissociative anesthetic agent, has evolved into a versatile therapeutic. It has a rapid onset, well-understood cardiovascular effects, and a favorable safety profile in clinical use. Its enantiomeric compound, esketamine, was approved by the FDA in 2019 for both treatment-resistant depression as well as major depressive disorder (MDD) with suicidal...
Kenneth Shinozuka, Burton J. Tabaac, Alejandro Arenas et al.
preprint
Background: After becoming notorious for its use as a party drug in the 1980s, 3,4-methylenedioxy-methampetamine (MDMA), also known by its street names “molly” and “ecstasy,” has emerged as a powerful treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Areas of uncertainty: There is extensive data about the risk profile of MDMA. However, the literature is significantly biased. Animal models...
Kenneth Shinozuka, Burton J. Tabaac, Alejandro Arenas et al.
preprint
Background: N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is a naturally-occurring serotonergic psychedelic found in natural plants around the globe. As the main psychoactive component in ayahuasca, which also contains monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, DMT has been consumed as plant-based brew by indigenous peoples for centuries. Further research is required to delineate the therapeutic utility of DMT.Areas...
Bryce D. Beutler, Kenneth Shinozuka, Burton J. Tabaac et al.
preprint
Background: Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is a hallucinogenic agent. In the mid-20th century, it was used to augment psychoanalysis and to treat alcohol use disorder. However, LSD was banned in 1970 in part due to concerns that it could bring about or exacerbate mental illness. Its therapeutic potential remains incompletely understood.Areas of Uncertainty: While uncontrolled recreational use...