Psychedelics as Novel Therapeutics for Chronic Pain in Veterinary Medicine: A Hypothesis-Driven Protocol Using Low-Dose 1-Cyclopropionyl-D-lysergic Acid Diethylamide (1cp-LSD) in Canine Osteoarthritis.
Elisa Hernández-Álvarez, Andrea Acosta-Dacal, Octavio P Luzardo, Luis Alberto Henríquez-Hernández
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI December 19, 2025 DOI: 10.3390/ani16010003 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized placebo-controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 24 |
| Population | Privately owned dogs with osteoarthritis |
| Intervention | 1-cyclopropionyl-D-lysergic acid diethylamide (1cp-LSD) |
| Dose | sub-perceptual, intermittent doses |
| Duration | 30-day period |
| Topics | LSD Microdosing |
| Keywords | 1cp-LSD Analgesic Caregiver expectations Chronic pain Osteoarthritis Pain management Psychedelics Veterinary therapeutics |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key findings | The study anticipates a reduction in pain scores among dogs treated with low-dose 1cp-LSD, potentially modulated by caregiver expectations. |
Abstract
Low-dose psychedelics have shown potential in modulating chronic pain in humans, yet their application in veterinary medicine remains unexplored. This study protocol proposes to investigate the therapeutic potential of low-dose oral administration of 1-cyclopropionyl-D-lysergic acid diethylamide (1cp-LSD), a legal LSD analogue in certain countries, for the management of chronic pain in privately owned dogs with osteoarthritis. The study will employ a randomized, placebo-controlled design with caregivers blinded to treatment allocation. A cohort of about 24 dogs previously diagnosed with osteoarthritis, will orally receive sub-perceptual, intermittent doses of 1cp-LSD over a 30-day period, while maintaining their standard analgesic regimens to safeguard animal welfare. Outcome measures will include the Canine Brief Pain Inventory and caregiver-reported assessments, including the Treatment Expectation Questionnaire (TEX-Q), to evaluate both pharmacological efficacy and the influence of caregiver expectations as an indirect indicator of placebo effects as a secondary aim. The study anticipates a reduction in pain scores among treated dogs, potentially modulated by caregiver expectations. However, the sustained effect of 1cp-LSD in osteoarthritis remains uncertain due to interactions with inflammatory mediators. Limitations include the lack of established dose-response relationships, small cohort size, and variability in caregiver perceptions, which will be analyzed descriptively. The protocol establishes a comprehensive and methodologically framework to evaluate both the pharmacological therapeutic effects of low-dose psychedelics in managing chronic osteoarthritic pain and the psychological factors that may influence perceived outcomes.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on LSD, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safety and Efficacy of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide-Assisted Psychotherapy for Anxiety Associated With Life-threatening Diseases Patients with anxiety associated with life-threatening diseases | 2014 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 12 |
| Dose-Response Study of N,N-Dimethyltryptamine in Humans Experienced hallucinogen users | 1994 | Double-blind, saline placebo-controlled, randomized study | n = 12 |
| Acute Effects of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide in Healthy Subjects Healthy subjects (8 women, 8 men) | 2014 | Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study | n = 16 |
| Changes in global and thalamic brain connectivity in LSD-induced altered states of consciousness are attributable to the 5-HT2A receptor Healthy human participants | 2018 | Double-blind, randomized, counterbalanced, cross-over study | n = 24 |
| LSD-induced entropic brain activity predicts subsequent personality change. Healthy adults | 2016 | Balanced-order, placebo-controlled study | n = 19 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Attitudes toward psychedelic therapy among medical and nursing students: A cross-sectional survey study. PLoS One 2026
- Understanding treatment expectations toward emerging therapies in veterinary medicine: the role of knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs toward psychedelic-assisted interventions Frontiers in Veterinary Science July 28, 2026
Cites 15
- The entropic brain: a theory of conscious states informed by neuroimaging research with psychedelic drugs Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2014
- The Therapeutic Potential of Psychedelic Drugs: Past, Present, and Future. Neuropsychopharmacology April 26, 2017
- Psychedelics as Medicines: An Emerging New Paradigm Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics November 4, 2016
- A Method of Conducting Therapeutic Sessions with MDMA Journal of Psychoactive Drugs December 1, 1998
- Study of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide as an Analgesic Agent Anesthesia & Analgesia May 1, 1964
and 10 more in the library