Psilocybin for Chronic Pain

7 papers and 18 clinical trials exploring psilocybin as a treatment for chronic pain.

CompoundClassic Psychedelic

Psilocybin

Psilocybin is a naturally occurring tryptamine psychedelic that acts as a prodrug to psilocin, a potent 5-HT2A receptor agonist. It is the furthest advanced psychedelic in clinical development, with two positive Phase III trials in treatment-resistant depression and expanding regulated access in Australia, Germany, and US states.

Full Psilocybin profile
IndicationOver 1.5 billion worldwide.

Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is increasingly recognised as a multifaceted condition that may respond to psychedelic therapies, which are gaining attention in clinical settings for their potential efficacy in pain management. Recent research indicates that compounds such as psilocybin and MDMA are entering clinical trials aimed at exploring their therapeutic effects on chronic pain syndromes.

Full Chronic Pain profile

Academic Research

7 papers
Open Accessindividual

Preliminary safety and effectiveness of psilocybin-assisted therapy in adults with fibromyalgia: An open-label, proof-of-concept clinical trial

In an open-label proof-of-concept trial (N=5), psilocybin-assisted therapy was well tolerated in adults with fibromyalgia, producing only transient elevations in blood pressure/heart rate and non-serious post-dose headaches. Participants showed clinically meaningful improvements in pain severity, pain interference and sleep disturbance one month after treatment, supporting progression to larger randomised controlled trials.

Published
Journal
Frontiers in Pain Research
Authors
Aday, J. S., Baker, A. K., Boehnke, K. F., Burgess, H. J., Clauw, D. J., Conroy, D. A., Davis, A. K., Glynos, N., Guss, J., Harte, S. E., Horowitz, D., Hosanagar, A., Mashour, G. A., McAfee, J., Pouyan, N., Scott, K., Tarnal, V., Weston, C.
Open Accessindividual

Potential analgesic effects of psychedelics on select chronic pain conditions: A survey study

A survey of patients with fibromyalgia, arthritis, migraine, tension‑type headache and sciatica found that psychedelic use—especially full doses—was reported to give greater pain relief than conventional medications in all conditions except sciatica; microdoses improved migraine and matched conventional treatment for the other non‑sciatica conditions. These results suggest full and microdoses of classical psychedelics may merit further investigation as treatments for select chronic pain disorders.

Published
Journal
European Journal of Pain
Authors
Bonnelle, V., Cavarra, M., Feilding, A., Kryskow, P., Kuypers, K. P. C., Mason, N. L., Ramaekers, J. G., Smith, W. J.

Clinical Trials

18 trials
Not yet recruitingPhase I

A Phase 1, Open-label, Single-arm Basket Trial of the Intravenously Administered Psilocin (TRP-8803): Safety, Anxiety, and Quality of Life Across Health Conditions Characterised by Cognitive Inflexibility, Emotional Distress, and Persistent Bodily Symptom Burden

This Phase 1, open‑label, single‑arm basket trial (N=66) tests the safety and early clinical effects of intravenous psilocin (TRP‑8803) administered in two dosing sessions alongside psychotherapy over a 6‑week treatment period, with a 12‑week follow‑up. Conducted in Australia and sponsored by Tryp Therapeutics, the study enrols participants across ten diagnostic cohorts — anorexia nervosa, body dysmorphic disorder, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, generalised anxiety disorder, irritable bowel syndrome, long COVID, major depressive disorder, obsessive–compulsive disorder and post‑traumatic stress disorder — to evaluate tolerability and signals of benefit in anxiety and quality of life. As a Phase 1 trial the primary outcomes focus on safety and tolerability (adverse events, vital signs and treatment‑emergent effects), with secondary or exploratory outcomes assessing changes in anxiety symptoms and health‑related quality of life using standardised, validated instruments. The single‑arm, open‑label design means there is no placebo or active comparator, and efficacy assessments are intended to generate preliminary, hypothesis‑generating data to inform the design of subsequent controlled studies. The study began recruitment in November 2025.

Started
Type
interventional
Blinding
none
Randomized
Yes
Registry ID
12625000949482

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