Mumbai, Sep 05 : A new study has raised the possibility of preventing chemotherapy-induced nerve damage using a compound associated with psychedelic drugs.
Researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center found that psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found in certain mushrooms, helped protect sensory nerves in mice from chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.
The condition can develop as a side effect of certain cancer treatments and may cause symptoms including numbness, altered touch sensation and other forms of nerve dysfunction.
In the study, researchers administered two doses of psilocybin before chemotherapy. The treatment helped preserve sensory nerves and touch sensitivity in the mice, while researchers found no evidence that it reduced the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
Scientists linked the protective effect to the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor, a pathway involved in the biological effects of psilocybin. Researchers also observed similar nerve-protective effects with a non-hallucinogenic compound that targets the same pathway.
The findings suggested that the treatment may also protect mitochondria within nerve cells. Mitochondria are responsible for producing energy that cells need to function, and damage to them has been associated with chemotherapy-related nerve injury.
The researchers are now preparing to investigate whether the findings can be translated into humans through a clinical trial. Such research will be important because results observed in animal models do not necessarily predict the same effects in people.
If future clinical studies confirm the findings, the approach could eventually offer a preventive strategy for patients at risk of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.
For now, researchers say further testing is necessary to establish the treatment’s safety, effectiveness and appropriate dosing in cancer patients.