Magic mushroom compound tested for back pain relief
NCT ID NCT05351541
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This small, early-stage trial tests whether psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) can help people cope with chronic low back pain. Thirty adults who have tried other treatments without success will receive a dose of psilocybin, possibly combined with other drugs, in a supervised setting. The study measures how pain affects daily activities like walking, mood, and sleep.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- psilocybin (a psychedelic drug) given with or without modafinil or zolpidem
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a new way to manage chronic low back pain that doesn't rely on daily painkillers.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early-phase trial with only 30 people. It's designed to test feasibility and preliminary effects, not to prove effectiveness. Psychedelic therapy also carries risks like temporary anxiety or confusion during the session.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Phase 1/2
Runs two stages together: safety and dose first, then whether the treatment works.
- Participants
-
About 30 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Dec 2023
- Expected to finish
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Sep 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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25 to 70 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 25 to 70 years old * Comfortable speaking and writing in English * Diagnosed with chronic low back pain * Able to attend all in-person visits at UCSF as well as virtual visits * Has tried at least two previous medications/ procedures and physical therapy trials for low back pain Exclusion Criteria: * Chronic low back pain that is attributed to malignancy, subacute or acute fracture or infection * Low back pain with radiation below the knee * Low back pain with neurologic signs present * Regular use of medications that may have problematic interactions with psilocybin, including but not limited to dopamine agonists, MAO inhibitors, antipsychotics, and stimulants * A health condition that makes study unsafe or unfeasible, determined by study physicians
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
University of California San Francisco
San Francisco, California, 94107, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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