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Psilocybin May Shield Nerves From Chemo Damage
Newser • • health
Key Points:
- A new mouse study published in Science found that psilocybin, the active ingredient in "magic mushrooms," may prevent chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, a painful nerve damage side effect of cancer treatment.
- Researchers at MD Anderson Cancer Center administered psilocybin before cisplatin chemotherapy and observed that mice did not develop heightened sensitivity or nerve damage, with mitochondrial function preserved in nerve fibers.
- The protective effect involves a serotonin receptor linked to psilocybin's psychedelic effects, and a non-hallucinogenic compound targeting the same receptor also showed similar benefits in mice.
- Experts caution that these findings are preliminary, with unknown safety and efficacy in humans, though a clinical trial is being planned to explore psilocybin's potential as a chemo side effect treatment.
