Anti-inflammatory psychedelics? New findings point to potential gut health and respiratory benefits

New research on psychedelic drugs supports potential benefits in treating a wide range of inflammatory diseases — expanding on previous studies supporting their effects on perception, emotion, and mental well-being. 

Birmingham, UK, researchers say an emerging class of psychedelic compounds could be key to unlocking new therapies where they are urgently needed, from neurodegenerative conditions to gut and respiratory disorders.

The scientists anticipate their findings may lead to “safe, targeted therapies for widespread use in clinical settings.” 

They have coined these as PIPI drugs (pronounced PiePie; Psychedelic drug Informed but Psychedelic-experience Inactive drugs), which could open the door to safe, targeted therapies for widespread use in clinical settings.

“This work highlights a frontier in psychedelic research that could transform how we treat some of the most challenging and persistent diseases of our time,” says Nicholas Barnes, PhD., who has studied the 5-HT receptor system for over 40 years and is the chair of the IUPHAR 5-HT Receptor Nomenclature Committee. “It may mark a major shift in how we address chronic diseases where inflammation delivers pathology.”

“As PIPI drugs move into clinical investigation, we hope their therapeutic potential is translated to deliver benefits to patients.”

Beyond altered states of consciousness

Barnes’ team examined emerging evidence on how psychedelics “may do far more” than alter consciousness by influencing immune system function.

They discover that psychedelics may influence neuroinflammation, which is a critical factor in chronic and debilitating brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, schizophrenia, and depression, and the consequences of neurotrauma.

The serotonin 5-HT2A receptor in the brain is a key drug target of many psychedelics. However, it is also found in other tissues, including immune cells.

Significantly, the researchers believe the anti-inflammatory actions of psychedelics may be biologically distinct from the mechanisms responsible for their hallucinogenic effects.

Their research points to the possibility of developing next-generation treatments that harness the therapeutic power of psychedelics without inducing hallucinations or changes in perception. “These molecules are now beginning to emerge,” they write. 

The review is published in the British Journal of Pharmacology.

In other recent news in this field, professor Gregor Hasler, chair of Psychiatry at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, unveiled his latest progress leading a “scientific revolution” promising to alleviate suffering for millions globally who struggle with treatment-resistant psychiatric conditions. His research has uncovered mechanisms through which psychedelics like LSD, psilocybin, and MDMA fundamentally reorganize brain function.

Earlier this year, a study from the University of Michigan, US, found that a single dose of a psychedelic compound, 25CN-NBOH, can enhance cognitive flexibility for weeks after administration. The study’s authors believe their findings contribute to the movement revolutionizing treatments for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and neurodegenerative diseases.