Are magic mushrooms the new oxycodone? Ingredient could help treat chronic pain: new study

Magic mushrooms could become the new oxycodone.

A new study published in the journal Current Biology found that an injection of psilocybin — the active ingredient in magic mushrooms — potentially provides long-lasting relief from chronic pain.

Scientists at the University of Michigan injected the feet of rats with formaldehyde to simulate the effects of chronic inflammation.

The rats were separated into three different groups. The first group was given a low dose of psilocybin, the second was given a high dose, and the third got a saltwater placebo.

Scientists exposed the rats to pricks on their feet and hot plates to gauge their reaction.

The rats that were given psilocybin were found to be less sensitive to pain from foot pricks than the rats that were not treated with the ingredient.

However, there was no improvement when the rats were exposed to the heat from hot plates.

Findings suggest that psilocybin could alter and reshape pathways in the brain, which could potentially treat the cause of chronic pain, not just the pain itself, as it’s suspected that chronic pain is more a consequence of the brain and spinal cord rather than the specific body part, the authors wrote.

While more research is needed to fully understand the medical benefits of psilocybin for chronic pain, this is not the only study that has provided hope for therapeutic psychedelics to be used in the future — including ketamine, ayahuasca, LSD and MDMA.

The Food and Drug Administration said last week that it will consider approval of MDMA to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, according to an announcement from the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) Public Benefit Corporation (PBC).

MDMA, also known as ecstasy or molly, is a popular drug in rave culture, with people taking it to connect with the music and dance the night away.

However, a 2021 clinical trial for the nonprofit organization Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies showed that out of 90 people who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, those who took MDMA paired with psychotherapy were twice as likely to recover compared to those who did psychotherapy with a placebo, according to the journal Nature.

Since the 2021 trial, MAPS has conducted and completed a larger second trial with positive results and believes it will be a smooth process to approval from the FDA.

MDMA is thought to dampen the flight-or-fight response, allowing people to confront their trauma. While PTSD therapies ask people to recount a traumatizing event, potentially re-traumatizing them, MDMA should bring out positive emotions and allow patients to make otherwise not obvious connections.