Classic psychedelic
Psilocybe cubensis (and 200+ species)
Used ceremonially by Mazatec, Mixtec, Nahua, and Zapotec peoples of Mesoamerica. The Aztec term 'teonanacatl' (flesh of the gods) reflects their sacred status. Maria Sabina brought global attention to mushroom ceremonies in 1955.
At a glance
Reported effects
Legal status
Schedule I in the US. Oregon legalized supervised psilocybin therapy (2020). Australia approved for treatment-resistant depression (2023).
Research
FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation for treatment-resistant depression. Phase 2b/3 trials at Johns Hopkins, NYU, Imperial College London. Most actively researched psychedelic compound.
Agrawal M, et al. · Cancer · 2025
Two years after one psilocybin dose with support, about half of 28 cancer patients with major depression still had reduced depression.
What the study foundDavis AK, et al. · Journal of Psychedelic Studies · 2025
Five years after a psilocybin trial for major depression, 67% of followed-up participants were in remission; small sample, no control group.
What the study foundJevotovsky DS, et al. · Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine · 2025
Systematic review of 28 studies on psilocybin for chronic pain found possible benefit but mostly low or very low quality evidence.
What the study foundBack AL, et al. · JAMA Network Open · 2024
Randomised trial in 30 frontline clinicians: one psilocybin dose cut depression far more than niacin at 28 days; burnout gain not significant.
What the study foundRaison CL, et al. · JAMA · 2023
Phase 2 RCT in 104 adults with major depression: one 25 mg psilocybin dose cut scores 12 points more than placebo at 6 weeks.
What the study foundDaws RE, et al. · Nature Medicine · 2022
Brain scans from two depression trials: improvement after psilocybin went with more integrated brain networks, a change not seen with escitalopram.
What the study foundGoodwin GM, et al. · New England Journal of Medicine · 2022
Phase 2 trial in 233 adults: one 25 mg psilocybin dose cut depression scores more than 1 mg at 3 weeks; side effects were common.
What the study foundBogenschutz MP, et al. · JAMA Psychiatry · 2022
RCT in 95 adults with alcohol dependence: psilocybin plus therapy cut heavy drinking days to 9.7% vs 23.6% with an active placebo.
What the study foundCarhart-Harris R, et al. · New England Journal of Medicine · 2021
Psilocybin vs escitalopram in 59 people with depression: no significant difference on the main measure at 6 weeks; secondary measures leaned towards psilocybin.
What the study foundDavis AK, et al. · JAMA Psychiatry · 2021
Waitlist-controlled trial in 24 adults with major depression: two psilocybin sessions with therapy brought large, rapid symptom drops over 4 weeks.
What the study foundBarrett FS, et al. · Scientific Reports · 2020
Pilot fMRI study of 12 healthy volunteers found mood and brain changes lasting up to a month after one high psilocybin dose.
What the study foundJohnson MW, et al. · Pharmacology & Therapeutics · 2019
Broad review of classic psychedelics covering population studies, early clinical trials, mystical experience and brain imaging, as of 2019.
What the study foundGriffiths RR, et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology · 2018
Randomised trial in 75 healthy meditators: high-dose psilocybin led to lasting gains in gratitude, closeness and life meaning at 6 months.
What the study foundJohnson MW, et al. · Neuropharmacology · 2018
Review applying the US Controlled Substances Act's 8 factors to psilocybin: low abuse potential, manageable risks under medical supervision.
What the study foundJohnson MW, et al. · The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse · 2017
Follow-up of 15 smokers given psilocybin with CBT: 67% were confirmed smoke-free at 12 months, 60% at an average 30 months.
What the study foundCarhart-Harris RL, et al. · The Lancet Psychiatry · 2016
Open-label study of 12 patients with treatment-resistant depression: two psilocybin doses were tolerated and depression scores fell through 3 months.
What the study foundGriffiths RR, et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology · 2016
Crossover trial in 51 cancer patients: high-dose psilocybin cut depression and anxiety, with about 80% still improved at 6 months.
What the study foundRoss S, et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology · 2016
Crossover trial in 29 cancer patients: one psilocybin dose with psychotherapy quickly reduced anxiety and depression, with benefits seen at 6.5 months.
What the study foundBogenschutz MP, et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology · 2015
Pilot study of 10 people with alcohol dependence: drinking fell after psilocybin plus therapy, with gains largely holding to 36 weeks.
What the study foundJohnson MW, et al. · Journal of Psychopharmacology · 2014
Open-label pilot in 15 smokers: 12 were abstinent at 6 months after psilocybin sessions within a quit programme; no control group.
What the study foundKrebs TS, et al. · PLoS ONE · 2013
US survey of 130,152 adults: lifetime psychedelic use was not linked to higher rates of mental health problems.
What the study foundCarhart-Harris RL, et al. · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2012
fMRI study in 30 healthy volunteers: intravenous psilocybin reduced activity and connectivity in key brain hubs, tracking the intensity of effects.
What the study foundGriffiths RR, et al. · Psychopharmacology · 2006
Double-blind study of 36 volunteers: high-dose psilocybin occasioned mystical-type experiences rated as personally meaningful two months later.
What the study foundThe dispatch
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