Pharmacology and Therapeutic Effects of Psilocybin
Xuehan Du
Highlights in Science Engineering and Technology August 29, 2023 DOI: 10.54097/hset.v65i.11331 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Addiction LSD Mescaline Psilocybin Serotonin |
| Keywords | Hallucinogen Mechanism biology Pharmacology Psychosis |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | Psilocybin has therapeutic potential for psychological illnesses such as depression, addiction, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, with low toxicity and no side effects. |
Abstract
Psilocybin, a psychoactive alkaloid with hallucinogenic properties, exists in a variety of hallucinogenic mushrooms. As a study tool to imitate psychosis, psilocybin has aroused a lot of interest in the biological community due to its various possible therapeutic benefits. It is also a very popular and widely misused natural hallucinogens with distinct metabolism pathways and toxicity. In this paper, the metabolism and mechanism of psilocybin were summarized, and the toxicology and pharmacology of psilocybin were discussed in detail, and the positive effects of psilocybin on psychological illnesses like depression, addiction, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder were gathered and sorted out, and the drug's therapeutic potential for mental and psychological illnesses was systematically clarified. Understanding the mechanism and therapeutic ability of psilocybin is of great significance to its potential development. As a hallucinogenic agent with low toxicity and no side effects, its effective application in the treatment of psychological and mental diseases can provide new ideas for the treatment of various diseases.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on LSD for addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, mystical experience, and brain network function. General population | 2019 | Integrative review | |
| Psychedelic Drugs in Biomedicine | 2017 | Review | |
| The Past and Future of Psychedelic Science: An Introduction to This Issue | 2019 | Review | |
| Dark Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) | 2018 | Review | |
| Psychedelics: Alternative and Potential Therapeutic Options for Treating Mood and Anxiety Disorders | 2022 | Review |