Efficacy and Safety of Psychoactive Tryptamines in Addiction: A Systematic Review
Pim B. van der Meer, Nout Schukking, Miranda G. Dik, Aumer van Reemst, Juan José Fuentes, Ad A. Kaptein, Jan W. Schoones, Sebastiaan O Verboeket, Marleen M. de Waal, Anna E. Goudriaan, Cornelis Kramers, Arnt Schellekens, Matthijs G. Bossong, Metten Somers, Albert Batalla
Psychedelic Medicine October 8, 2025 DOI: 10.1177/28314425251364182 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Randomized Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 176 |
| Population | Patients with alcohol use disorder |
| Interventions | dipropyltryptamine diethyltryptamine |
| Duration | Up to 26 weeks of follow-up |
| Topics | Addiction Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Tryptamines Hallucinogen Psychoactive drug Adverse effect Randomized controlled trial Clinical trial Abstinence Pharmacology Meta-analysis Psychoactive substance Cochrane library |
| Key findings | Psychoactive tryptamines other than psilocybin and ibogaine showed limited evidence for effectiveness in treating alcohol use disorder, with abstinence rates ranging from 10% to 38% and no difference in severity of alcohol use compared to controls. |
Abstract
Background: Psychedelics such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin have shown a beneficial effect on substance use disorder (SUD) symptoms. In this systematic review, we aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of psychoactive tryptamines in patients with an SUD or non-substance-related disorder (i.e., gambling disorder) in order to provide a comprehensive overview of the available evidence and identify potential research gaps.
Methods: A systematic literature search was performed in eight different databases up to February 2024. Clinical trials were included that assessed the efficacy and safety of psychoactive tryptamines other than psilocybin and ibogaine. A quality assessment of the included trials was done based on the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tools.
Results: A total of four clinical trials (three randomized controlled trials and one single-arm clinical trial; n = 176 patients) were included, all in patients with alcohol use disorder. Dipropyltryptamine and diethyltryptamine were the two investigated psychoactive tryptamines. Abstinence ranged from 10% (duration of follow-up unknown) to 38% at 26 weeks of follow-up, and severity of alcohol use did not differ between the psychoactive tryptamine group and the control groups. Adverse effects were not well reported in the trials.
Conclusion: Studies assessing the efficacy of psychoactive tryptamines other than psilocybin and ibogaine in addiction are scarce and show limited evidence for effectiveness in the treatment of addictive disorders.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on psilocybin for addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Therapeutic effect of psilocybin in addiction: A systematic review Patients with alcohol use disorder or tobacco use disorder | 2023 | Systematic review | n = 151 |
| Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy: A Review of a Novel Treatment for Psychiatric Disorders Patients with psychiatric disorders related to anxiety, depression, and substance use | 2017 | Systematic review | n = 7 |
| The intensity of the psychedelic experience is reliably associated with clinical improvements: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Patients treated with classical psychedelics | 2025 | Meta-analysis | |
| Psychedelic‐assisted treatment for substance use disorder: A narrative systematic review Participants in studies of psychedelic-assisted treatment for alcohol, tobacco, and... | 2025 | Systematic review | n = 2,035 |
| Psychedelic Treatments for Substance Use Disorder and Substance Misuse: A Mixed Methods Systematic Review Adults with substance use disorder or substance misuse | 2023 | Systematic review |