Psychedelics As A New Anti‐Inflammatory Therapeutic For Atherosclerosis

Activating the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor with the psychedelic (R)-DOI reduces inflammation in a mouse model of atherosclerosis. In ApoE-deficient mice fed a high-fat diet, (R)-DOI treatment slowed atherosclerotic plaque development. The anti-inflammatory effect was specific to certain inflammatory pathways in innate and Th2 cells, not a generalized immune suppression. These findings suggest that 5-HT2A receptor activation may offer a novel therapeutic strategy for atherosclerosis, though the work was conducted only in mice.

Study at a glance

Abstract

We previously discovered that serotonin 5‐HT2A receptor activation with psychedelics has potent anti‐inflammatory activity in both cell culture and whole animals, which indicated potent anti‐inflammatory effects in vascular tissues among others. More recently we found that the psychedelic (R)‐DOI potently prevents the development of allergic asthma in a mouse model. The effects of (R)‐DOI were found to not result from a generalized anti‐inflammatory process, but due to specific inflammatory pathways inhibition in both innate and Th2 cells. In this work, we have examined the therapeutic effects of the psychedelic (R)‐DOI in the ApoE −/− high‐fat model of atherosclerosis.