Psilocybin prevents chemotherapy-induced nerve damage in mouse study
Researchers at MD Anderson Cancer Center found that two doses of psilocybin, the psychoactive compound in magic mushrooms, given before chemotherapy completely prevented mice from developing neuropathy, a painful nerve condition affecting up to 60% of patients on platinum-based cancer drugs. The findings, published in Science, suggest the compound protects sensory nerve endings from the energy depletion that chemotherapy drugs typically cause.