Psychedelics as potent anti-inflammatory therapeutics

This review (2022) by the renowned Charles Nichols synthesizes our knowledge of psychedelics as anti-inflammatory therapeutics. Though most evidence is in cells (in vitro) and rodents (in vivo), all evidence points towards anti-inflammatory effects, with much of this happening at sub-perceptual (non-hallucinogenic) doses.

Abstract

“Psychedelics have seen a resurgence of interest from both the scientific and lay community in recent years. Psychedelics are known for their ability to produce profound perceptual alterations, ego dissolution, and separation from reality in humans. Virtually all research into psychedelics and their mechanism of action has focused on examining effects in the brain, and on consciousness. Remarkably, we have discovered that psychedelics are also potent anti-inflammatories and immunomodulators in peripheral tissues. In this review, the discovery of this phenomenon, and the development of psychedelics as potential therapeutics for human inflammatory disease is presented. We believe that certain psychedelics represent a new class of small molecule, highly bioavailable, anti-inflammatory that is steroid sparing and efficacious at sub-behavioral levels that can be used to treat and prevent a variety of inflammatory-related diseases and conditions.”

Author: Charles D. Nichols