Novel harmala-ocudelic tuning (HOT) for ocular disorders.
Medical hypotheses October 1, 2020 E S Lansky 1 citation
The eye contains serotonin and its receptors, and drugs that bind to these receptors may affect vision. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can impair ocular function, while other serotonin-binding drugs might improve it. Harmine, a naturally occurring alkaloid found in plants such as Passiflora, Peganum, and Banisteriopsis, is proposed as a candidate for improving vision. At individualized low doses, these plants are minimally hallucinogenic and well tolerated, with potential long-lasting benefits from one or few administrations. The hypothesized mechanism involves tuning serotonergic receptors in the eye. Blinded research with harmala alkaloid-containing plants, using psychedelic therapy methods, could assess visual acuity in presbyopia.