The Therapeutic Potential of Psilocybin
Molecules May 15, 2021 Henry Lowe, Ngeh J. Toyang, Blair Steele et al. 240 citations
Psychedelic effects of plants and fungi have been known for millennia, with mushrooms being a primary natural source of psilocybin, historically used in religious ceremonies and for treating neuropsychiatric conditions. Psychedelics became stigmatized due to their association with the 1960s counterculture movement, leading to a 1970 U.S. Schedule 1 classification that halted scientific research. This prohibition delayed medical knowledge of therapeutic uses. A 2004 pilot study at UCLA on psilocybin for advanced-stage cancer patients revived interest, sparking renewed research into psilocybin's chemical properties and therapeutic potential for neuropsychiatric conditions. This review examines recent advances and current research, but is not systematic.