The active compound in magic mushrooms may be at least as effective as commonly used medication in treating depression, according to a UK study.
Researchers at Imperial College London compared two sessions of psilocybin therapy with a six-week course of escitalopram, sold under the brand names Cipralex and Lexapro among others, in 59 people with moderate-to-severe depression.
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The results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, show that depression scores were reduced in both groups but results were quicker and of greater magnitude in patients taking psilocybin.
The researchers noted that this small trial isn’t statistically significant and larger studies are needed to establish whether the magic mushrooms compound is better or equal to drugs.
The volunteers who were administered psilocybin received an oral dose and attended a medical facility where they listened to a curated music playlist and were guided through their experiences by a psychological support team, including registered psychiatrists.
These people showed marked improvements across a range of subjective measures, including in their ability to feel pleasure, and express emotions, greater reductions in anxiety and suicidal ideation, and increased feelings of wellbeing, the university said.
“One of the most important aspects of this work is that people can clearly see the promise of properly delivered psilocybin therapy by viewing it compared with a more familiar, established treatment in the same study,” said Dr Robin Carhart-Harris, Head of the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial.