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The Effect of Combined Treatment of Psilocybin and Eugenol on Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Brain Inflammation in Mice

Summary

This study tested whether psilocybin (an active compound from magic mushrooms) combined with eugenol (a natural compound from cloves) could reduce brain inflammation in mice. Researchers gave mice a substance that triggers inflammation in the brain and then treated them with these compounds before or after the inflammation started. The combination treatment, especially at a 1:50 ratio of psilocybin to eugenol, significantly reduced multiple inflammatory markers in the brain, suggesting this combination could potentially be helpful for treating brain inflammation-related conditions.

Background

Neuroinflammation is associated with various neurological and psychiatric disorders including depression and PTSD. Recent studies have shown promising results of psilocybin for treating these conditions. Both psilocybin and eugenol have demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in previous research.

Objective

To investigate whether psilocybin alone or combined with eugenol would prevent or decrease cytokine content in the brains of C57BL/6J mice injected with lipopolysaccharides (LPS) to induce inflammation.

Results

LPS significantly upregulated COX-2, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. Pre-treatment with psilocybin and eugenol (1:50 ratio) was most effective in reducing COX-2 and TNF-α expression. Post-treatment combinations, particularly psilocybin + eugenol (1:50), significantly reduced IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α. Western blot and ELISA confirmed anti-inflammatory effects on multiple cytokine markers.

Conclusion

The study demonstrates that combined treatment of psilocybin and eugenol exhibits anti-inflammatory effects in LPS-induced brain inflammation in mice, with the 1:50 ratio showing the most prominent results. This suggests potential therapeutic applications for treating neuroinflammatory conditions, though psilocybin alone may be insufficient as a standalone anti-inflammatory agent.
  • Published in:Molecules,
  • Study Type:Experimental Animal Study,
  • Source: PMID: 36985596
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