A modified psychedelic substance found in the venom of the Colorado River Toad could provide an effective treatment option for depression and anxiety.
- 5-MeO-DMT is a hallucinogen found in the venom of the Colorado River Toad.
- In a study conducted on mice, it produced antidepressant activity similar to that of ketamine.
- The anxiolytic and antidepressant effect was obtained without the hallucinogenic effects of the unmodified compound.
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin. Previous research has shown the potential of these psychedelics in treating illnesses, such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. “These compounds are thought to exert their hallucinogenic and therapeutic effects through the 5-HT2A serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)) receptor. However, the 5-HT1A receptor also plays a role in behavioral effects “, indicated researchers from Columbia University (United States). Problem: few cohorts have been interested in how psychedelics engage the 5-HT1A receptor and the effects that are mediated by the latter.
Molecule found in toad venom is associated with intense psychedelic experiences
Thus, in a recent study, American scientists analyzed the mechanism by which the hallucinogen 5-MeO-DMT interacts with 5-HT1A. The hallucinogen 5-MeO-DMT is present in the venom of the Colorado River Toad. This “god molecule” has attracted the interest of authors for many years due to the intense and unique subjective experiences it provides and, more recently, the promising therapeutic signals obtained in preliminary clinical studies. For the purposes of the work, the team examined the structure of the serotonin receptor in great detail and modified specific sites of the compound. She was able to obtain a variant of the hallucinogen 5-MeO-DMT. To test its effectiveness, the researchers conducted an experiment on mice.
5-MeO-DMT produces antidepressant activity similar to that of ketamine
According to the results, published in the journal Nature, the compound produced antidepressant activity similar to that of ketamine. Scientists reported that 5-MeO-DMT lacked hallucinogenic effects, but retained anxiolytic and antidepressant-like activity in rodents. “We also arrived at MeO-DMT by breaking down another enigmatic psychedelic, ibogaine, which shows great promise in treating opioid addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder, and traumatic brain injury,” said the team.
Now, the authors hope their study will foster the development of the next generation of psychedelic-inspired drugs. However, “Further work is needed to determine whether these results can be transposed to humans.”
