Psychedelics: Alternative and Potential Therapeutic Options for Treating Mood and Anxiety Disorders.

The word "psychedelic" (psyche (i.e., the mind or soul) and delos (i.e., to show)) has Greek origin and was first coined by psychiatrist Humphry Osmond in 1956, who had been conducting research on lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) at the time. Psychedelic drugs such as N,N-DMT/DMT (N,N-dimethyltryptamine), 5-MeO-DMT (5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine), LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide), MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) and psilocybin have had significant value as an entheogen in spiritual, religious (shamanic) and sociocultural rituals in Central and South American cultures for thousands of years. In the 1960s, the globalization of these drugs and their subsequent spread outside of their indigenous, old-world cultures, led to the subsequent implementation of strict drug control laws in many Western countries. Even today, psychedelics are still classified as Schedule I drugs, resulting in a still lingering negative stigmatization/perception, vilification, and ultimate criminalization of psychedelics. This controversy still lingers and still limits scientific research and full medical acceptance. For many years up until recently, the spiritual, religious and medicinal value of these drugs could not be explored in a scientific context. More recently, a second wave of psychedelic research is now focusing on psychedelics as neuropharmaceuticals to treat alcohol and tobacco addiction, general mood and anxiety disorders and cancer-related depression. There is now a vast array of promising evidence-based data to confirm the years of anecdotal evidence of the medicinal values of psychedelics. Natural therapeutic alternatives such as psychedelic drugs may provide a safe and efficacious alternate to conventional drugs used to treat mood and anxiety disorders. In a Western context in particular, psychedelic drugs as therapeutic agents for mood and anxiety disorders are becoming increasingly of interest amidst increasing rates of such disorders globally, changing social constructions, the implementation of government regulations and increasing investment opportunities, that ultimately allow for the scientific study to generate evidenced-based data. Alternative psychotherapeutic interventions are gaining interest also, because of their low physiological toxicity, relatively low abuse potential, safe psychological effects, and no associated persisting adverse physiological or psychological effects during and after use. On the other hand, conventional psychotic drugs and anti-depressants are becoming less favorable because of their adverse side effects. Psychedelic neuropharmaceutical interventions may with medical oversight be the solution to conventional psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety, and an alternative to conventional psychiatric treatment options. This paper will review the therapeutic potential of psychedelic drugs as alternative therapeutic options for mood and anxiety disorders in a controlled, clinical setting, where the chances of adverse psychological episodes occurring are mitigated.

The Therapeutic Potential of Psilocybin.

The psychedelic effects of some plants and fungi have been known and deliberately exploited by humans for thousands of years. Fungi, particularly mushrooms, are the principal source of naturally occurring psychedelics. The mushroom extract, psilocybin has historically been used as a psychedelic agent for religious and spiritual ceremonies, as well as a therapeutic option for neuropsychiatric conditions. Psychedelic use was largely associated with the "hippie" counterculture movement, which, in turn, resulted in a growing, and still lingering, negative stigmatization for psychedelics. As a result, in 1970, the U.S. government rescheduled psychedelics as Schedule 1 drugs, ultimately ending scientific research on psychedelics. This prohibition on psychedelic drug research significantly delayed advances in medical knowledge on the therapeutic uses of agents such as psilocybin. A 2004 pilot study from the University of California, Los Angeles, exploring the potential of psilocybin treatment in patients with advanced-stage cancer managed to reignite interest and significantly renewed efforts in psilocybin research, heralding a new age in exploration for psychedelic therapy. Since then, significant advances have been made in characterizing the chemical properties of psilocybin as well as its therapeutic uses. This review will explore the potential of psilocybin in the treatment of neuropsychiatry-related conditions, examining recent advances as well as current research. This is not a systematic review.

Effect of yoga exercise therapy on oxidative stress indicators with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis.

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress promotes endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis in chronic renal disease. OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the impact of Hatha yoga on oxidative stress indicators and oxidant status, in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis. DESIGN: This prospective randomized study consisted of 33 ESRD patients in the Hatha yoga exercise group who were matched with 35 ESRD patients in the control group. OUTCOME MEASURES: The oxidative stress indicators (malondialdehyde - MDA, protein oxidation - POX, phospholipase A2 - PLA2 activity) and the oxidative status (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities) were determined in the blood samples taken at the pre-hemodialysis treatment, at baseline (0 months) and after four months. RESULTS: In patients in the Hatha yoga exercise group, lipid peroxidation, as indicated by MDA decreased by 4.0% after four months (P = 0.096). There was also a significant reduction in the activity of PLA from 2.68 ± 0.02 IU / L to 2.34 IU / L (- 12.7%; P = 0.010) and POX from 2.28 ± 0.02 nmol / mg to 2.22 ± 0.01 nmol / mg (- 22.6%; P = 0.0001). The activity of SOD significantly increased from 12.91 ± 0.17 U / L to 13.54 ± 0.15 U / L (4.65%; P = 0.0001) and catalase from 79.83 ± 0.63 U / L to 80.54 ± 0.80 U / L (0.90%; P = 0.0001). There was a significant correlation between the pre-hemodialysis oxidative stress parameters at the zero month and after four months for the activities of PLA (r = 0.440), catalase (r = 0.872), and SOD (r = 0.775). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the Hatha yoga exercise has therapeutic, preventative, and protective effects in ESRD subjects, by decreasing oxidative stress.

Effect of exercise therapy on lipid profile and oxidative stress indicators in patients with type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Yoga has been shown to be a simple and economical therapeutic modality that may be considered as a beneficial adjuvant for type 2 diabetes mellitus. This study investigated the impact of Hatha yoga and conventional physical training (PT) exercise regimens on biochemical, oxidative stress indicators and oxidant status in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: This prospective randomized study consisted of 77 type 2 diabetic patients in the Hatha yoga exercise group that were matched with a similar number of type 2 diabetic patients in the conventional PT exercise and control groups. Biochemical parameters such as fasting blood glucose (FBG), serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were determined at baseline and at two consecutive three monthly intervals. The oxidative stress indicators (malondialdehyde - MDA, protein oxidation - POX, phospholipase A2 - PLA2 activity) and oxidative status [superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities] were measured. RESULTS: The concentrations of FBG in the Hatha yoga and conventional PT exercise groups after six months decreased by 29.48% and 27.43% respectively (P < 0.0001) and there was a significant reduction in serum TC in both groups (P < 0.0001). The concentrations of VLDL in the managed groups after six months differed significantly from baseline values (P = 0.036). Lipid peroxidation as indicated by MDA significantly decreased by 19.9% and 18.1% in the Hatha yoga and conventional PT exercise groups respectively (P < 0.0001); whilst the activity of SOD significantly increased by 24.08% and 20.18% respectively (P = 0.031). There was no significant difference in the baseline and 6 months activities of PLA2 and catalase after six months although the latter increased by 13.68% and 13.19% in the Hatha yoga and conventional PT exercise groups respectively (P = 0.144). CONCLUSION: The study demonstrate the efficacy of Hatha yoga exercise on fasting blood glucose, lipid profile, oxidative stress markers and antioxidant status in patients with type 2 diabetes and suggest that Hatha yoga exercise and conventional PT exercise may have therapeutic preventative and protective effects on diabetes mellitus by decreasing oxidative stress and improving antioxidant status. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR): ACTRN12608000217303.

Evolución metabólica de pacientes diabéticos tipo 2 sometidos a un tratamiento combinado de dieta y ejercicios yoga / Metabolic evolution of type 2 diabetic patients undergoing medical treatment combined with diet and yoga exercises

Se realizó un estudio con 40 pacientes diabéticos tipo 2 con la evaluación del efecto que produce una dieta enriquecida en proteína de soya y ejercicios de moderada intensidad, para lo cual se midieron algunos indicadores bioquímicos. Al término del estudio se encontró en los pacientes que realizaron ejercicios yoga una disminución significativa (p<0,05) del colesterol total, los triglicéridos, el colesterol de las lipoproteínas de baja densidad y de la creatinina, así como un aumento del colesterol de las lipoproteínas de alta densidad con respecto al grupo que realizó ejercicios aerobios. Los resultados obtenidos sugieren que esta terapia, combinada con ejercicios yoga, puede resultar efectiva en este tipo de pacientes

Communication and behaviour modification - position statement

Yoga physical exercise forms part of dynamic research method, of a universal philosophy, which can help any individual independent of sex, age, psychological and physical limitations to understand his/her existence and gain self-realisation. If we observe the figure (please see article) we will see that Yoga Discipline corresponds to the recommendation established by the International Diabetes Federation in the metabolic control of this type of patient. Yoga Discipline can help the diabetic to understand and accept his condition, to eliminate stress and fear which is this disorder can produce and, finally, to adapt to a change in lifestyles. Yoga diet is considerd as healthy and contains the dietetic requirements for diabetics; the yoga conduct implies the change to a healthy lifestyle with the limitaton of harmful habits. It has been shown that yoga physical exercises: *Have beneficial effects on almost all glands including the pancreas, *Diminish the frequency of hypoglycaemia and hyperglycaemia in comparison to other types of physical exercises, *Diminish or eliminate stress of whatever origin. In order to start yoga physical exercises, the following is necessary: *The characteristics of the patient, *The establishing of an individual programme of physical exercises for each patient and the systemic evaluation of the programme. THE CHARACTERISATION OF THE PATIENT: The competence of the patient with objective to determine the psychological, physical and biological characteristics of patient and include the age, sex, associated diseases, grade of anxiety etc. PROGRAMME OF YOGA PHYSICAL EXERCISES: The programme consists of various classes each of at least one hour's duration and with its objective. Each patient must understand that: *Each class is an artistic work that reflects the personality of the participant, *The time of the class is variable dependent on the requirements of the body and mind, *Each class is a change but is an opportunity to satisfy the intuition and the thinking.(AU) [truncated at 2500 characters]

Yoga discipline in the control of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus

An experimental study was performed at the Higher Institute of Medical Sciences "Victoria de Giron" of Havana City, Cuba, between April 1997 and June 1997 to examine the effect of Yoga Discipline in the control of Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM). Of 64 subjects there were 32 NIDDM on traditional treatment (Yoga Group). The prinicpal results revealed that the body mass index (BMI), at the beginning and the end, in the Traditional Group did not change significantly (BMI-beginning-28.0kg/m2; the end = 28.7 kg/m2 p=0.0831). However, the BMI in the Yoga Group decreased significantly (beginning = 29.7 kg/m2, the end = 27.0kg/m2; p=0.0001). At the end the frequency of normal glycosylated haemoglobin was higher in the Yoga Group (88.4 percent) than in the Traditional group (46.9 percent) showing a significant difference (p =0.0007). Also, for the Traditional Group, at the end the mean triglyceride 0.025 mmol/l (2.23mg/dl) and the mean total cholesterol concentrations 0.126 mmol/l (4.88mg/dl) were not significantly different from the beginning 0.025 mmol/l (2.22mg/dl) and 0.125 mmol (4.83mg/dl) respectively. In the Yoga Group at the end of the mean triglyceride 0.019 mmol/l (1.68 mg/dl) and the total cholesterol concentrations 0.110 mmol/l (4.24 mg/dl) were lower than the beginning 0.026 mmol/l (2.30 mg/dl) and 0.126 mmol/l (4.88 mg/dl), respectively, showing significant differences, p<0.05. Our results indicate that Yoga Discipline combined with the traditional treatment of NIDDM can benefit these patients.(AU)