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Review
. 2021 May 15;26(10):2948.
doi: 10.3390/molecules26102948.

The Therapeutic Potential of Psilocybin

Henry Lowe  1   2   3   4 , Ngeh Toyang  2   3 , Blair Steele  1 , Henkel Valentine  1 , Justin Grant  1   5 , Amza Ali  1   5 , Wilfred Ngwa  6 , Lorenzo Gordon  7
Affiliations
Review

The Therapeutic Potential of Psilocybin

Henry Lowe et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

The psychedelic effects of some plants and fungi have been known and deliberately exploited by humans for thousands of years. Fungi, particularly mushrooms, are the principal source of naturally occurring psychedelics. The mushroom extract, psilocybin has historically been used as a psychedelic agent for religious and spiritual ceremonies, as well as a therapeutic option for neuropsychiatric conditions. Psychedelic use was largely associated with the "hippie" counterculture movement, which, in turn, resulted in a growing, and still lingering, negative stigmatization for psychedelics. As a result, in 1970, the U.S. government rescheduled psychedelics as Schedule 1 drugs, ultimately ending scientific research on psychedelics. This prohibition on psychedelic drug research significantly delayed advances in medical knowledge on the therapeutic uses of agents such as psilocybin. A 2004 pilot study from the University of California, Los Angeles, exploring the potential of psilocybin treatment in patients with advanced-stage cancer managed to reignite interest and significantly renewed efforts in psilocybin research, heralding a new age in exploration for psychedelic therapy. Since then, significant advances have been made in characterizing the chemical properties of psilocybin as well as its therapeutic uses. This review will explore the potential of psilocybin in the treatment of neuropsychiatry-related conditions, examining recent advances as well as current research. This is not a systematic review.

Keywords: addiction; anxiety; cancer; depression; magic mushrooms; neuropharmaceuticals; neurotherapeutics; psilocybin; psychedelic; psychopharmacology.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 3
Figure 3
Examples of Magic mushrooms (psilocybin-producing mushrooms). (a) Psilocybe cubensis (Earle) Singer a.k.a Stropharia cubensis [131]. (b) Psilocybe caerulescens Murrill (a.k.a. Landslide Mushrooms, Derrumbes) [132]. (c) Psilocybe mexicana R. Heim (a.k.a. Teonanacatl, Pajaritos) [133]. (d) Psilocybe caerulipes (Peck) Sacc. (a.k.a Blue Foot Mushroom) [134]. (e) Psilocybe stuntzii Guzmán and J. Ott (a.k.a. Blue Ringer Mushroom, Stuntz’s Blue Legs) [135]. (f) Psilocybe cyanescens Wakef. (a.k.a. Wavy Caps) [136]. (g) Psilocybe azurescens Stamets and Gartz (a.k.a Flying Saucer Mushrooms)’ [137]. (h) Psilocybe pelliculosa (A.H. Sm.) Singer and A.H. Sm. [138]. (i) Psilocybe tampanensis Guzmán and Pollock (a.k.a Magic Truffles, Philosopher’s Stone [139]. (j) Psilocybe baeocystis Singer and A.H. Sm. [140]. (k) Psilocybe Hoogshagenii R. Heim nom. inval. (a.k.a. Little Birds of the Woods) [141].
Figure 1
Figure 1
Chemical structures of classic serotonergic psychedelic compounds (a–h) and the neurotransmitter serotonin (i). These substances all utilize the 5-hydroxytryptamine2A receptor.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Historical timeline of psychedelic substances.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Conversion of L-tryptophan to psilocybin.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Mechanism of action of psilocin. Psilocybin binds with high affinity to 5-HT2A [5]. 5-HT serotonin receptors are densely located in areas of the brain that are responsible for the mediation of mood and anxiety disorders such as the pre-frontal cortex. Molecular mechanisms of action have not yet been elucidated.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Chemical structures of recently discovered tryptamine derivates that may contribute/enhance the effects of psilocybin and psilocybin-assisted therapy.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Metabolism of psilocybin [5,253,254].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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