Reports were coming in thick and fast in the media this month that the psychedelic compound in magic mushrooms, psilocybin, may be at least as effective as a leading antidepressant in a therapeutic setting, according to a recent study.
Scientists compared the therapeutic potential of psilocybin with a six-week course of escitalopram in 59 people with moderate to severe depression.
While depression scores were reduced in both groups, the reductions occurred more quickly in the psilocybin group and were greater in magnitude.
Dr Robin Carhart-Harris, the head of the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London, said: “Psilocybin performed very favourably in this head-to-head.” The study was in the New England Journal of Medicine.
It's not now surprising then when one reads headlines like ; “A magic mushroom firm backed by Peter Thiel is now worth $2 billion and reportedly eyeing an IPO.”
There certainly seems to be magic and money in the magic mushroom business.
