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Safety pharmacology of acute mescaline administration in healthy participants.

Aaron Klaiber, Mélusine Humbert‐droz, Laura Ley, Yasmin Schmid, Matthias E. Liechti

British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology November 25, 2024 DOI: 10.1111/bcp.16349 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Pooled analysis of two double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled studies Peer reviewed
Sample size 48
Population Healthy participants
Intervention Mescaline
Dose 100-800 mg
Topics Mescaline
Keywords Blood pressure Body temperature Flashback Heart rate Subjective effects Psychedelics hallucinogens Entheogens Therapeutic safety Clinical safety Cardiovascular effects Autonomic effects
Citations 6
Key points Single oral doses of mescaline up to 800 mg are safe in a controlled clinical setting with regard to acute psychological and physical harm in healthy participants.

Abstract

Psychedelics, including mescaline, may serve as novel treatments for depression and anxiety. However, data is scarce on the safety of mescaline. The present pooled analysis included two double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled studies with a total of 48 participants and 96 mescaline administrations. Single oral-dose administrations (n = 16/dose) of mescaline at doses of 100-800 mg were used. Acute subjective and autonomic effects and acute and subacute adverse effects were recorded. Liver and kidney function, blood cell counts, and "flashbacks" were documented at the end of the studies. Positive subjective effects dose-dependently increased and were higher than negative subjective effects for all mescaline doses. Autonomic effects increased moderately. Systolic blood pressure remained 100 mmHg was measured in 6%, heart rate > 100 beats/min was measured in 3% and body temperature > 38 °C was measured in 5%. The total number of acute adverse effects was 51, 12, 179, 143, 165 and 180 at 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 and 800 mg doses of mescaline, respectively. Nausea was dose-limiting. Kidney and liver function and blood cell counts remained normal. "Flashbacks" were reported after 2% of all mescaline administrations. These findings suggest that the administration of single mescaline doses up to 800 mg are safe in a controlled clinical setting with regard to acute psychological and physical harm in healthy participants.

Comparable studies

Other randomized controlled trials on mescaline, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Comparative acute effects of mescaline, lysergic acid diethylamide, and psilocybin in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study in healthy participants. Healthy participants 2023 Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over n = 32
DOM (STP), a New Hallucinogenic Drug, and DOET: Effects in Normal Subjects Normal subjects 1968 Double-blind study
Prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex and its attentional modulation in the human S-ketamine and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) models of psychosis Healthy volunteers 2007 Double-blind crossover study n = 15
Frenquel, a Blocking Agent Against Experimental LSD‐25 and Mescaline Psychosis Patients with ALS and pseudobulbar affect 1955 Randomized controlled trial n = 140
Assessment of the Acute Effects of 2C‐B vs. Psilocybin on Subjective Experience, Mood, and Cognition Healthy psychedelic-experienced participants 2023 Within-subjects, double-blind, placebo-controlled study n = 22

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Mescaline Addiction Anxiety Depression