Psilocybin Therapy of Psychiatric Disorders Is Not Hampered by hERG Potassium Channel–Mediated Cardiotoxicity

Psilocybin, the hallucinogen in magic mushrooms, is being studied for psychiatric disorders, but safety concerns arose after reports of cardiac events and QT interval prolongation linked to its metabolite psilocin. Clinical concentrations of psilocin do not significantly inhibit the hERG potassium channel, a key risk factor for adverse cardiac effects. Therefore, hERG channel blockage by psilocin is not responsible for psilocybin-associated cardiotoxicity.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Abstract Psilocybin, a hallucinogen contained in “magic” mushrooms, holds great promise for the treatment of various psychiatric disorders, and early clinical trials are encouraging. Adverse cardiac events after intake of high doses of psilocybin and a trial reporting QT interval prolongation in the electrocardiogram attributed to the drug’s main metabolite, psilocin, gave rise to safety concerns. Here we show that clinical concentrations of psilocin do not cause significant human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) potassium channel inhibition, a major risk factor for adverse cardiac events. We conclude that hERG channel blockage by psilocin is not liable for psilocybin- associated cardiotoxic effects.