Scientists Engineered a Plant to Produce 5 Different Psychedelics at Once
ScienceAlert • • world
Key Points:
- Scientists have genetically engineered tobacco plants to simultaneously produce five natural psychedelic compounds—DMT, psilocin, psilocybin, bufotenin, and 5-MeO-DMT—by combining genes from plants, mushrooms, and toads.
- This breakthrough offers a new method to produce therapeutically valuable psychedelics, which are being studied for potential treatments of mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD.
- The research addresses ecological and ethical concerns related to harvesting psychedelics from natural sources, which face threats from habitat loss and overexploitation.
- By modifying enzymes involved in the production pathways, the team also created novel psychedelic compounds not found in nature, potentially expanding therapeutic options.
- The engineered tobacco plant system serves as a versatile platform for biosynthesis and diversification of psychoactive compounds, with potential for optimization to meet research and medical needs.
