Abstract
Mushrooms have been used as traditional medicine for millennia, fungi are the main natural source of psychedelic compounds. There is now increasing interest in using fungal active compounds such as psychedelics for alleviating symptoms of mental health disorders including major depressive disorder, anxiety, and addiction. The anxiolytic, antidepressant and anti-addictive effect of these compounds has raised awareness stimulating neuropharmacological investigations. Micro-dosing or acute dosing with psychedelics including Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin may offer patients treatment options which are unmet by current therapeutic options. Studies suggest that either dosing regimen produces a rapid and long-lasting effect on the patient post administration with a good safety profile. Psychedelics can also modulate immune systems including pro-inflammatory cytokines suggesting a potential in the treatment of auto-immune and other chronic pain conditions. This literature review aims to explore recent evidence relating to the application of fungal bioactives in treating chronic mental health and chronic pain morbidities.
Highlights
There are many recognised mental health disorders or mental illnesses including anxiety disorders, mood disorders psychotic disorders, eating disorders, impulse control and addiction disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and personality disorders [1]
This review aims to highlight and discuss the potential of fungal biologics including psilocybin, Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and others as therapeutic alternatives for alleviating the symptoms of mental health disorders
A. muscaria contains many biologically active compounds including the psychoactive alkaloids: muscarine, ibotenic acid and muscimol [109] where ibotenic and muscimol are structurally similar to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) having effect on glutamate receptors in the central nervous system (CNS) [110] and can cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB)
Summary
Equivocal efficacy with SSRIs; cause more adverse side effects due to their anticholinergic activity [14]. Nausea, diarrhoea, constipation, drowsiness, insomnia, dizziness/or light-headedness, fatigue, urinary problems, sexual dysfunction, hypertensive crisis reaction, and serotonin syndrome [17]. Dizziness, somnolence, dry mouth, amblyopia, diarrhoea, weight gain and potential for dependence [12]. Cognitive problems, acne, psoriasis, thyroid problems, nausea, vomiting, weight gain, hyponatremia, sedation, decreased libido, and teratogenic [25]. Diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, pancreatitis, increased transaminases, metabolic syndrome, weight gain, sedation, tremor, decreased sexual function, infertility and teratogenic [25]. Adverse effects are drug specific and include anticholinergic effects (dry mouth, blurry vision, tachycardia, constipation), sedation, distonias, weight gain, increased lipids, parkinsonism (tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia), akathisia tardive dyskinesia, sialorrhea, orthostatic hypotension, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, sexual disfunction, neutropenia/agranulocytosis, and myocarditis [29]. Effective as an adjunctive therapy in treatment of BN and BED, reducing the crisis of binge eating, purging phenomena and improving mood and anxiety [33].
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