Psilocybin, the active ingredient in ‘magic mushrooms,’ makes scientific gains

Research on the use of psychedelic drugs as potential treatment for psychiatric disorders has gained momentum in the U.S. in recent years, with compounds like psilocybin — the active ingredient in “magic mushrooms” — shifting from the fringes of medicine toward the mainstream.

Limited studies out of institutions like Johns Hopkins University and others over the last decade have shown promise in using psilocybin in tandem with talk therapy to help longtime smokers quit smoking, ease anxiety in people with terminal cancer and reduce symptoms of major depression.