Some Psychedelics Could Hold Promise for OUD Treatment
Psychedelics could be a promising treatment option for patients with opioid use disorder (OUD), according to a recent systematic review of preclinical animal studies published in Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences.
“The analyzed papers demonstrate favorable results in reducing opioid use, treating withdrawal symptoms, and inhibiting opioid-conditioned place preference,” authors noted. “The results show the importance of studying a broader range of compounds since there are different psychedelics like 4-AcO-DMT, DOI, and 18-MC that have not been studied in substance use disorder (SUD) studies with humans yet and, in this review, shown to be effective in animal models.”
Related: Which US region saw the most fentanyl pill seizures in 2023?
Seeking to bridge the gap between preclinical findings and potential clinical applications, authors searched MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science for preclinical in vivo studies involving opioids and psychedelics in animals, excluding pain studies and those lacking control groups.
A total of 40 studies met criteria, covering both classic and non-classic psychedelics. The included research suggested that 18-methoxycoronaridine (18-MC), ibogaine, noribogaine, and ketamine can reduce opioid use, alleviate withdrawal symptoms, and change conditioned place preference. However, 7 studies (2 on 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylamphetamine [DOM], 3 on ibogaine, 1 on 18-MC, and 1 on ketamine) found no significant effects. Many studies were rated as having unclear methodological quality, with most preclinical research focusing on iboga derivatives, which show promise but may carry higher cardiovascular risks compared to less-studied psychedelics.
A key limitation of this review, according to study authors, was its focus on preclinical studies, limiting the applicability of findings to clinical settings. Additionally, the lack of research on DMT, psilocybin, ayahuasca, and mescaline highlights a gap in the literature.
“To contribute to a deeper clinical understanding of those substances, exploring ‘street pharmacology’ case studies, across various social media platforms could be suggested for insights into the therapeutic or aversive effects of these substances,” authors concluded. “This avenue presents a unique perspective that warrants consideration in future research efforts to enhance our understanding of the therapeutic potential and challenges associated with a broad spectrum of different psychedelics.”