RESEARCHERS in the United States are investigating whether psilocybin, the psychedelic compound found in so-called magic mushrooms, could help protect cancer patients from one of the painful side effects of chemotherapy.
The study, published on Thursday in the journal Science, involved experiments on rats and certain human tissues to examine whether psilocybin could prevent peripheral neuropathy, a nerve disorder that affects millions of people worldwide.
Peripheral neuropathy occurs in about three-quarters of people undergoing chemotherapy, according to Patrick Dougherty, a co-author of the study and pain treatment specialist at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
While symptoms commonly include numbness and tingling, about one-third of affected patients develop persistent burning pain.
The condition can cause difficulties with walking and other debilitating complications that may continue long after chemotherapy has ended, researchers said.
Beyond its impact on patients’ quality of life, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy can also affect cancer treatment. In severe cases, doctors may have to reduce the dose of chemotherapy or discontinue it altogether because of the side effects, potentially affecting the chances of survival.
Protecting Nerve Cells
Researchers initially encountered psilocybin while studying how cancer cells interact with and manipulate nerve cells to support their growth.
They were surprised to find that the compound, which was being used to investigate a brain pathway regeneration process known as neuroplasticity, appeared to prevent the development of peripheral neuropathy.
Further experiments suggested that psilocybin could protect nerve cells and stimulate the movement of mitochondria within them. Mitochondria are often described as the powerhouses of cells because they provide energy needed for cellular functions.
According to the researchers, chemotherapy damages the microscopic structures that transport mitochondria along nerve cells to the hands and feet, contributing to the loss of nerve endings.
Psilocybin also appeared to preserve electrical activity in the brain that can be disrupted by chemotherapy.
In experiments involving rodents, two doses of psilocybin administered before chemotherapy prevented painful hypersensitivity through as many as six rounds of treatment. The compound did not appear to affect the animals’ immune systems or reduce the cancer-fighting effects of chemotherapy.
Kristy Townsend, a professor of neurobiology at The Ohio State University who was not involved in the research, described the findings as “highly promising”.
She noted that the nerve-protective effect did not appear to depend on psilocybin’s hallucinogenic properties, as a non-hallucinogenic analogue produced a similar effect in laboratory testing.
However, Townsend stressed that further research is required to determine whether the treatment is safe and effective in humans.
Scientists Warn Against Self-medication
The researchers said it would take time before psilocybin could become a standard treatment for chemotherapy-related nerve damage.
The MD Anderson Cancer Center plans to begin clinical trials involving cancer patients later this year.
The researchers also warned cancer patients against taking magic mushrooms or psilocybin without medical supervision.
Psilocybin is currently legal in only a limited number of US states, while its effects can vary significantly between individuals.
Gregory Jones, a psychiatrist involved in the study, said the substance can have an “amplifier” effect, potentially increasing feelings of stress and anxiety in people already dealing with the psychological burden of a cancer diagnosis.
He cautioned that psychedelic substances could worsen distress when used by people experiencing difficult circumstances without appropriate supervision.
For now, scientists say the findings provide an early indication that psilocybin or related compounds could eventually play a role in preventing chemotherapy-induced nerve damage, but clinical testing in humans will be necessary before any conclusions can be drawn about its use as a cancer treatment.
Source: AFP
