Potential Therapeutic Effects of Psilocybin: A Systematic Review.
Cureus October 1, 2022 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.30214 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Open-label Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Psilocybin |
| Topics | Addiction Anxiety Depression Psilocybin Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Cancer Mental health Psilocybin research Depression treatment Addiction recovery |
| Citations | 24 |
| Post-publication review | 2 comments on PubPeer (opens in new tab) · last active July 2026 |
| Key findings | Psilocybin may reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety in cancer-related psychological distress for at least six months after a single dose, and shows promise for treatment-resistant depression and addiction. |
Abstract
Psilocybin is a plant alkaloid that is derived from precursors of tryptamine and is present in many different types of mushrooms. It has been utilized by indigenous peoples of Central and South America for centuries in a ceremonial setting to promote spiritual experiences. Indigenous societies have long employed psilocybin and other 5-HT 2A agonist classic psychedelics in their rites. They were a focus in psychiatry in the middle of the 20th century as both experimental medicines and tools for studying brain function. Due to the fact that traditional psychedelics were being used for purposes other than medical research and in connection with the burgeoning counterculture by the late 1960s and early 1970s, these scientific investigations fell out of favor. However, thanks to a number of encouraging studies that validated the earlier research, interest in traditional psychedelics has surged among scientists in the 21st century. In this review, we examine therapeutic studies on psilocybin, the traditional psychedelic that has received the lion's share of recent attention. According to three controlled studies, psilocybin may reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety in the context of cancer-related psychological discomfort for at least six months after a single acute treatment for mood and anxiety disorders. Three months after two acute doses, individuals in a small, open-label study with treatment-resistant depression reported fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms. Small, open-label pilot studies on addiction have demonstrated encouraging success rates for alcohol and cigarette addiction. The review also briefly discusses the synthesis, mechanism of action, effects, molecular pharmacology, adverse effects, and contraindications of psilocybin.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on psilocybin 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 | |
| Psychedelics as anti-inflammatory agents Animal models and cellular studies | 2018 | Review | |
| Psychedelic Drugs in Biomedicine | 2017 | Review | |
| DARK Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: Psilocybin | 2018 | Review | |
| Psilocybin for treating substance use disorders? | 2016 | Narrative review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 22
- Acute Adverse Effects of Therapeutic Doses of Psilocybin JAMA Network Open April 10, 2024
- Psilocybin, an Effective Treatment for Major Depressive Disorder in Adults - A Systematic Review Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience October 16, 2023
- Clinical pharmacological innovation in the treatment of depression. Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology April 1, 2023
- The safety of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy: A systematic review Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry December 13, 2024
- Predictors of Medical Students' Perceptions of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy for Use in Medical Practice. Cureus April 1, 2023
and 17 more in the library
Cites 26
- The Therapeutic Potential of Psychedelic Drugs: Past, Present, and Future. Neuropsychopharmacology April 26, 2017
- Global Street Food: la cocina de la calle Diseño interior 2009
- Psychedelics as Medicines: An Emerging New Paradigm Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics November 4, 2016
- Hallucinogens and Serotonin 5-HT2A Receptor-Mediated Signaling Pathways Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences 2017
- Potential Therapeutic Effects of Psilocybin. Neurotherapeutics July 1, 2017
and 21 more in the library