Key Takeaway:
- Psilocybin Chemotherapy Nerve Damage may prevent chemotherapy-induced nerve damage, based on tests in mice and human nerve cells.
- CIPN affects about 75% of chemotherapy patients and can cause lasting numbness, tingling, and pain.
- A clinical trial of about 80 cancer patients is planned, but psilocybin should not be used without medical supervision.
Researchers say psilocybin prevented chemotherapy-related nerve damage in mice and human nerve cells, potentially protecting patients from numbness, tingling, and pain, but clinical trials are still needed.
Researchers Find Protection Against Nerve Damage
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, or CIPN, affects about 75% of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy to some degree, according to Patrick Dougherty of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The condition can cause lasting sensory problems and sometimes forces doctors to reduce or interrupt cancer treatment.
CIPN occurs when chemotherapy drugs cause Psilocybin Chemotherapy Nerve Damage, damaging nerve cells and the transport of mitochondria, which provide energy to nerve endings. As the nerve endings deteriorate, patients can develop pain, tingling, and numbness, particularly in their hands and feet.
Researchers tested whether psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms, could protect those nerve endings. The study used mice with abdominal tumors, as well as human nerve cells exposed to cisplatin, a chemotherapy drug commonly associated with CIPN.
Half of the mice received two doses of psilocybin one week apart before undergoing a week of daily cisplatin injections. Mice that received cisplatin without psilocybin showed greater sensitivity to touch, while those given psilocybin responded similarly to cancer-bearing mice that did not receive chemotherapy.
Psilocybin May Help Nerves Maintain Energy Supply
Analysis of nerve samples suggested that psilocybin is processed into psilocin, which activates the 5-HT2A receptor. Researchers studying Psilocybin Chemotherapy Nerve Damage found that molecular signals linked to the receptor appeared to prevent cisplatin from disrupting mitochondrial transport in nerve cells.
The team also tested human neurons treated with psilocybin before exposure to cisplatin. The results supported the findings from the mice, suggesting the compound may help nerve cells withstand chemotherapy-related damage.
“If these findings can be replicated in clinical trials, the implications could be substantial,” said Maria Maiaru of the University of Reading, who was not involved in the research.
Maiaru said preventing nerve damage could help patients avoid long-term sensory problems and chronic pain after cancer treatment. It could also reduce the need for chemotherapy dose reductions or treatment interruptions, potentially improving cancer outcomes.
Clinical Trial Will Test Safety And Effectiveness
The findings on Psilocybin Chemotherapy Nerve Damage do not establish that psilocybin prevents CIPN in people receiving chemotherapy. Patients should not use the psychedelic on their own, researchers said, because its safety and effectiveness in people undergoing chemotherapy have not been established.
“Please don’t take psilocybin at home for chemotherapy-related pain,” said Moran Amit of MD Anderson Cancer Center. “It isn’t safe or effective in patients undergoing chemotherapy. It can interact dangerously with cancer medications.”
The researchers plan to begin a randomized controlled trial in November involving about 80 people with breast, colorectal, or head and neck cancer. Participants will receive two doses of psilocybin before chemotherapy, with results expected in about five years.
CIPN currently has limited treatment options. Duloxetine, an antidepressant, is commonly used and can provide moderate pain relief, but no drug has yet been shown to prevent the condition, Amit said.
Psilocybin has previously been studied for depression and anxiety symptoms in people with cancer. The new research instead focuses on whether its effects on nerve metabolism can protect against one of chemotherapy’s most debilitating side effects.
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