14 DAY TRIAL // A recent paper in the American Journal of Physiology - Lung Cellular and Molecular Physiology details the use of a psychedelic drug to prevent the onset of allergic asthma, which happens to be the most common type of asthma.
True, the psychedelic drug in question, dubbed (R)-DOI, has so far only been tested on laboratory mice. Still, the Louisiana State University specialists who carried out these experiments are confident that it can also benefit human patients.
Why use a psychedelic to address asthma?
In the report detailing their work, scientist Charles Nichols and fellow researchers explain that, as shown by previous investigations, (R)-DOI is not just a potential substitute for LSD. On the contrary, this drug comes with a few perks.
Thus, evidence obtained during previous studies concerning this drug's effects on the body indicates that (R)-DOI can successfully reduce inflammation of the tissues that make up blood vessels and even the tissues that comprise the intestines.
Being familiar with these studies, Charles Nichols and his team decided to try and use this psychedelic compound to reduce inflammation in the lungs of several laboratory mice, Science Daily explains. As it turns out, their experiments proved most successful.
More precisely, the scientists say that, having exposed the rodents to very low concentrations of this drug, they managed to help them not develop allergic asthma. Seeing how they were administered very low concentrations of (R)-DOI, the rodents did not display any behavioral changes.
“These drugs are known only for their effects in the brain. What we have demonstrated for the first time is that they are also effective in treating physiological diseases outside of the brain, a completely new and exciting role for this class of drug,” says specialist Charles Nichols.
The drug could work on people as well
True, mice and humans don't have all that much in common. Well, except for the fact that both species happen to be big fans of food and just love and adore stuffing their face. However, Louisiana State University specialist Charles Nichols and colleagues suspect that (R)-DOI could benefit human patients.
Specifically, the researchers imagine administering this psychedelic drug in the form of an inhaler, maybe even pills, in order to prevent the development of allergic asthma by reducing inflammation in the lungs and keeping mucus production and the behavior of one's airways in check.