US study tests psilocybin to fight cancer side effects

A new study published in the journal Science explores the potential of psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found in magic mushrooms, to combat a common and debilitating side effect of chemotherapy: peripheral neuropathy. This nerve condition affects roughly three-quarters of chemotherapy patients, causing numbness, tingling, and in some cases, excruciating pain that can persist long after treatment ends, impacting mobility and even survival rates.

Researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center discovered this unexpected benefit while studying neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to reorganize itself. Psilocybin, it turns out, not only prevents the onset of peripheral neuropathy but also safeguards nerve cells and enhances the delivery of mitochondria, often dubbed the cell's powerhouses, to their intended destinations.

This effect was observed in both rodents and human tissues, suggesting psilocybin's protective abilities extend beyond just nerve preservation. Importantly, the researchers emphasized that psilocybin's nerve-protecting properties are independent of its hallucinogenic effects, as a nonhallucinogenic version of the compound yielded the same results in lab tests.

While these findings are promising, the researchers caution that extensive testing is required to ascertain the drug's safety and efficacy in humans. The process will undoubtedly be lengthy, but it may be expedited by increased interest in psychedelic research and a recent executive order from the Trump administration. The MD Anderson Cancer Center intends to conduct clinical trials with psilocybin in cancer patients later this year.

However, the team strongly advises against self-medicating with magic mushrooms, as the drug's "amplifier" effect could exacerbate anxiety and stress in cancer patients, potentially worsening their condition.