Skip to content

Vaporized mebufotenin leads to improvement in treatment‐resistant depression

The Brown University Psychopharmacology Update June 28, 2026 DOI: 10.1002/pu.31471 (opens in new tab)

Relevant Not relevant

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed
Population Adults with treatment-resistant depression
Duration 7-day study
Topics Anxiety Depression
Keywords Depression economics Adverse effect Dosing Regimen Clinical trial Depressive symptoms Placebo response Alkaloids
Key findings An individualized one-day dosing regimen of vaporized 5-MeO-DMT was more effective than placebo in improving depressive symptoms.

Abstract

An individualized one‐day dosing regimen of a vaporized formulation of the psychedelic mebufotenin (5‐methoxy‐ N,N ‐dimethyltryptamine; 5‐MeO‐DMT) was more effective than placebo in improving depressive symptoms in adults with treatment‐resistant depression, a Phase 2b trial has found. No serious treatment‐emergent adverse events were reported during the 7‐day study. Results were published online March 2, 2026 in JAMA Psychiatry .

Comparable studies

Other randomized controlled trials on depression, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
A Randomized Trial of an N-methyl-D-aspartate Antagonist in Treatment-Resistant Major Depression Subjects with DSM-IV major depression (treatment resistant) 2006 Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover study n = 18
Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients 2000 Randomized controlled trial n = 145
Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial Cancer patients with life-threatening diagnoses and symptoms of depression and/or anxiety 2016 Randomized controlled trial n = 51
Rapid and sustained symptom reduction following psilocybin treatment for anxiety and depression in patients with life-threatening cancer: a randomized controlled trial Patients with cancer-related anxiety and depression 2016 Double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial n = 29
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients 2004 Randomized controlled trial n = 73

Related reading

Explore topics

Anxiety Depression 5-MeO-DMT DMT