Mescaline, a classic serotonergic psychedelic used ceremonially by Indigenous peoples, shows preliminary safety in healthy humans under controlled conditions, producing dose-dependent subjective effects with moderate, transient autonomic stimulation and no serious medical complications. Adverse effects are generally self-limited, and pooled safety analyses and observational data support an overall favorable safety profile in screened populations. However, there is a lack of controlled clinical trials evaluating mescaline in patient populations, so its safety in individuals with cardiovascular, metabolic, or psychiatric comorbidities remains unclear. Controlled clinical trials are needed to establish its safety and therapeutic potential.
Mescaline, a classic psychedelic with a history of indigenous ceremonial use, is being reexamined for psychiatric therapy. It works primarily by activating serotonin-2A receptors. Most modern safety data come from healthy volunteers, leaving its effects in patients with cardiovascular, metabolic, or psychiatric conditions unclear. Randomized, placebo-controlled studies show mescaline produces dose-dependent subjective effects with moderate, temporary autonomic stimulation and no serious complications under controlled conditions. Adverse effects are generally self-limiting, and pooled analyses indicate a favorable safety profile in screened populations. Controlled clinical trials are needed to establish its safety and therapeutic potential in patient groups.