Psychedelics as potent anti-inflammatory therapeutics

2022/08/22 by Charles D. Nichols · 32 citations
Medicine · Neuroscience · Nursing · Psychology · #Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques #Consciousness #Hallucinogen #Medicine #Neuroscience #Pharmacology #Psilocybin #Psychedelics and Drug Studies #Psychology #Tryptophan and brain disorders

paper · doi:10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109232

published in Neuropharmacology 219, 109232 (Elsevier BV)

openalex publication_date 2022/08/22 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29

Abstract

Psychedelics have seen a resurgence of interest from both the scientific and lay community in recent years. Psychedelics are known for their ability to produce profound perceptual alterations, ego dissolution, and separation from reality in humans. Virtually all research into psychedelics and their mechanism of action has focused on examining effects in the brain, and on consciousness. Remarkably, we have discovered that psychedelics are also potent anti-inflammatories and immunomodulators in peripheral tissues. In this review, the discovery of this phenomenon, and the development of psychedelics as potential therapeutics for human inflammatory disease is presented. We believe that certain psychedelics represent a new class of small molecule, highly bioavailable, anti-inflammatory that is steroid sparing and efficacious at sub-behavioral levels that can be used to treat and prevent a variety of inflammatory-related diseases and conditions. This article is part of the Special Issue on ‘Psilocybin Research’.

Citations

• Functional Selectivity and Classical Concepts of Quantitative Pharmacology
• Serotonin 5-Hydroxytryptamine2A Receptor Activation Suppresses Tumor Necrosis Factor-α-Induced Inflammation with Extraordinary Potency

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