Chinese scientists develop non-hallucinogenic antidepressant compounds

Chinese scientists designed two new compounds that they say can relieve depression, but do not cause the unwanted effect of hallucination, reported Xinhua.

The researchers mapped out the crystal structure of psilocybin, an FDA-approved antidepressant medicine, when it is bonded with serotonin 2A receptors in the brain, and found a previously unknown binding site.

A further study showed that the new binding, regulated by lipids and serotonin, is linked with an antidepressant pathway that does not cause hallucinations, according to findings published in the journal Science.

Based on the molecular pathway, the researchers devised two new compounds acting mainly on the newly-found binding place.

In mouse model tests, high doses of the compounds did not trigger head twitch behavior, which is seen as indicative of hallucinations, and maintained similar antidepressant effects with psychedelics, according to the study.

"The compounds reported in this work are not approved drugs, and further preclinical and clinical studies are needed to verify their safety and antidepressant effects in humans," said researcher Wang Sheng.