Magic mushrooms to be one of the most effective tool to treat depression, says study

A recent trial raised hopes for people suffering from depression with a psychedelic compound found in magic mushrooms that helps in the treatment along with psychotherapy.

Researchers found thatnearly a third of patients with severe depression were taken for quick remission following a single 25mg dose of psilocybin and therapy sessions focused on assisting patients in identifying causes along with potential treatments.

The research was done at 22 sites across the United Kingdom, Europe and North America and called the results as 'extraordinary.' The treatment caused nearly $3.7 billion (or 3.9 billion euros).

The treatment-resistant depression, a major depressive illness that hasn't responded to at least two antidepressant therapies affects nearly 100 million people worldwide. As per experts, 50 per cent of the ones affected struggle with doing everyday chores.

Watch |Trending on WION | Magic mushrooms likely to be world's most effective tool against depression

When the trials began233 individuals with resistant depression were included in the phase 2b trial, and were randomly chosen to take one Comp360 capsule containing 1 mg, 10 mg or 25 mg of synthetic psilocybin.

Patients were instructed to focus inward for six to eight hours until the chemical had its effect. The patients prescribed 25 mg of the chemical had the greatest effects in comparison to the ones given 10 or 1 mg.

The results for three depression tests published in the New England Journal of Medicine said that the depression scale improved right away after the treatment started.

Despite having such positive results, many patients had several side effects, the most frequent of which were headaches, nausea, exhaustion and even vertigo. Few did not respond to the 25 mg dose of psilocybin and showed suicidal behaviours at least a month after taking the medication.

Later this year, a larger phase 3 experiment will begin to examine the effects of two doses of psilocybin.

(With inputs from agencies)