according to a scientific study published in Nature on Wednesday, a group of computational biologists may have found therapeutic potential in a handful of LSD-related molecules. They generated 3D iterations of more than 75 million related molecules that don’t actually exist but could, reported STAT. They found that these “synthetic, almost psychedelic molecules appeared to have potent antidepressant activity” in mice, without the hallucinations traditionally associated with psychedelics.
No more bad trips?
Brian Rotha psychiatrist and pharmacology researcher at the University of North Carolina, explained that determining whether patients are suitable for psychedelic therapies to stave off bad trips can be a long and complex (and costly) process. “This can dramatically increase the cost and complexity of these treatments,” Roth said.
“You look at thousands and thousands of dollars that a typical person would have to pay out of pocket. If you think about introducing these treatments to the world population, there will never be enough therapists for all depressed people.”
The research was first discussed at a conference of Brian Schoicheta scientist at the University of California, san franciscowho co-led the research, and jale Chemist Jon Ellman. They contacted Roth, who received $26.9 million in funding DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency – DOD) to develop better psychiatric drugs for depression, anxiety and substance use disorders.
A “3D Puzzle”
Researchers made 75 million connections and had a computer match them to a 3D representation of the 5-HT2A serotonin receptor that interacts with LSD. 17 of these compounds were synthesized. “It’s like the computer trying to solve a 3D puzzle,” Shoichet said.
“We were very surprised that the compound had antidepressant effects similar to those of ketamine and psilocybin, both fast-acting antidepressant psychedelics.”
