Are Hallucinogenic Drugs Making a Comeback in Modern Medicine?

Psilocybin (the active ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms), mescaline (the psychoactive ingredient in peyote cactus), and LSD (d-lysergic acid diethylamide) are well known for their ability to induce psychedelic experiences. While LSD was only recently discovered by Dr. Albert Hofmann in 1943, psychedelic mushrooms and mescaline have been used for thousands of years by indigenous peoples for therapeutic and spiritual purposes.

Now, researchers and doctors are again taking an active interest in studying psychedelic substances such as psilocybin and LSD for the treatment of a wide range of behavioral and mental diseases, including schizophrenia, alcohol and drug addiction, headaches (1), and depression as a result of cancer (2). After administering controlled amounts of these hallucinogenic drugs, scientists log patient reactions in order to determine if their experiences can prove beneficial for patient health and well-being. In many cases, patients report mystical experiences akin to those of religious mystics and monks (3). Many more patients report feelings of calm, peace, and universal cognition. In several instances, research subjects who take psychedelic substances report that the experience was one of the five most significant events in their lives.

The study of altered states of consciousness first took off in the 1960's; however, when enthusiasts like Timothy Leary promoted regular psychedelic drug use for personal well-being, scientific progress in that field essentially ground to a halt. Now, through the implementation of various safeguards and strict scientific protocols, researchers are again exploring how hallucinogenic drugs affect the mind and body.

LSD, much like psilocybin or salvinorin (the active ingredient in Salvia divinorum), affects the mind and body by acting as an agonist (activator) of the serotonin (or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)) receptor. Serotonin can be located in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, in platelets, and in the central nervous system (CNS). In the GI tract, serotonin helps regulate intestinal movement and digestion. When released from blood platelets, serotonin can act as a vasoconstrictor, helping to regulate homeostasis and blood clotting. In the CNS, serotonin affects several physiological functions, including mood, memory, hunger, sleep cycles, muscle contraction, and even learning.

There are seven 5-HT receptor subtypes, from 5-HT1 to 5-HT7, with each subtype differing slightly in terms of its physiological distribution and mechanism of action. LSD affects several different serotonin receptor subtypes, including 5-HT1, 5-HT2, 5-HT5, 5-HT6, and 5-HT7 (4). Psilocybin, on the other hand, affects the 5-HT1 and 5-HT2 subtypes primarily. The subtype selection range of a psychedelic substance such as LSD helps explain why individuals who take LSD experience a wide range of reactions and effects, from feelings of well-being and expanded consciousness to increased heart rate and blood pressure, loss of appetite, and even sleep disturbances. Psilocybin can also affect various mental and physical faculties, but its range is smaller due to its smaller subtype preference (3).

The multivariate effect of psychedelic substances is just one reason why careful research must be performed before they are declared safe and effective for treatment of certain behavioral and mental disorders. However, the research thus far shows incredible promise for these previously taboo substances.

References:

1. Sewell RA, Halpern JH, Pope HG Jr. (2006) Response of cluster headache to psilocybin and LSD. Neurology 27;66: 1920-1922.

2. Hallucinogens Have Doctors Tuning In Again http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/12/science/12psychedelics.html?ref=science

3. Psilocybin can occasion mystical-type experiences having substantial and sustained personal meaning and spiritual significance http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/bin/s/m/GriffithsPsilocybin.pdf

4. Psilocybin Investigator's Brochure Lisa Jerome http://www.maps.org/research/psilo/psilo_ib.pdf