Effects of psychedelics on opioid use disorder: a scoping review of preclinical studies.
Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS January 21, 2025 Alejandra Pulido-Saavedra, Henrique Nunes Pereira Oliva, Tiago Paiva Prudente et al. 5 citations
The opioid crisis has driven a search for new treatments for opioid use disorder (OUD). A systematic review of 40 preclinical animal studies found that the psychedelic compounds 18-methoxycoronaridine (18-MC), ibogaine, noribogaine, and ketamine generally reduced opioid self-administration, eased withdrawal symptoms, and altered conditioned place preference. However, seven studies showed no improvement over controls. Most research has focused on iboga derivatives, which appear effective but carry higher cardiovascular risk than other psychedelics. The review calls for more translational and clinical studies that test a broader range of psychedelic agents and explore mechanisms, safety, dosing, and treatment frequency.