Daily briefing: Psilocybin blocks side-effect of chemotherapy in mice

Psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, may prevent nerve damage caused by chemotherapy, according to new research. This potential therapy could prevent a common side effect of chemotherapy known as chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), which affects around 75% of cancer patients undergoing treatment. CIPN can cause numbness, tingling, or pain in the hands and feet, and current treatments are limited and often ineffective.

In tests involving nerve samples from mice and humans, psilocybin seemed to maintain the energy supply in nerve endings that is disrupted by chemotherapy, resulting in less damage and fewer complications. One dose of psilocybin, when administered before chemotherapy, protected mice from developing CIPN, as shown by pain-sensitivity tests. The researchers suggest that psilocybin may prevent chemotherapy-related disruption of mitochondrial transport, a key factor in nerve damage.

However, the authors caution that people with cancer should not take psilocybin without medical supervision. They stress that the safety and efficacy of psilocybin in patients undergoing chemotherapy have not been established, and it could interact dangerously with cancer medications.