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Study · Measured the body's own peptide · 2023

3 results

Comparative acute effects of mescaline, lysergic acid diethylamide, and psilocybin in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study in healthy participants.

Ley L, Holze F, Arikci D, Becker AM, Straumann I, Klaiber A, Coviello F, Dierbach S, Thomann J, Duthaler U, Luethi D, Varghese N, Eckert A, Liechti ME

Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology25 May 2023Cited by 108 (Europe PMC)

PMID37231080 (opens in a new tab)PMCIDPMC10517157 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1038/s41386-023-01607-2 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-37231080
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Summary

Mescaline, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and psilocybin are classic serotonergic psychedelics. A valid, direct comparison of the effects of these substances is lacking. The main goal of the present study was to investigate potential pharmacological, physiological and phenomenological differences at psychoactive-equivalent doses of mescaline, LSD, and psilocybin. The present study used a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over design to compare the acute subjective effects, autonomic effects, and pharmacokinetics of typically used, moderate to high doses of mescaline (300 and 500 mg), LSD (100 µg), and psilocybin (20 mg) in 32 healthy participants. A mescaline dose of 300 mg was used in the first 16 participants and 500 mg was used in the subsequent 16 participants. Acute subjective effects of 500 mg mescaline, LSD, and psilocybin were comparable across various psychometric scales. Autonomic effects of 500 mg mescaline, LSD, and psilocybin were moderate, with psilocybin causing a higher increase in diastolic blood pressure compared with LSD, and LSD showing a trend toward an increase in heart rate compared with psilocybin. The tolerability of mescaline, LSD, and psilocybin was comparable, with mescaline at both doses inducing slightly more subacute adverse effects (12-24 h) than LSD and psilocybin. Clear distinctions were seen in the duration of action between the three substances. Mescaline had the longest effect duration (mean: 11.1 h), followed by LSD (mean: 8.2 h), and psilocybin (mean: 4.9 h). Plasma elimination half-lives of mescaline and LSD were similar (approximately 3.5 h). The longer effect duration of mescaline compared with LSD was due to the longer time to reach maximal plasma concentrations and related peak effects. Mescaline and LSD, but not psilocybin, enhanced circulating oxytocin. None of the substances altered plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor concentrations. In conclusion, the present study found no evidence of qualitative differences in altered states of consciousness that were induced by equally strong doses of mescaline, LSD, and psilocybin. The results indicate that any differences in the pharmacological profiles of mescaline, LSD, and psilocybin do not translate into relevant differences in the subjective experience. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04227756.
CC BYText from Europe PMC. Highlighted sentences are the source of results.

Results from this study3

No result from this study comes from a test of the peptide.

Natural levels measured3

These results measure the body's own peptide. Nobody was given the peptide. They are not evidence about taking it. They are left out of key results, evidence counts and charts.

  1. 01HumanEndogenous levelRandomized controlled trialOther

    In healthy participants, mescaline enhanced circulating oxytocin.

    In plain wordsIn healthy adults, mescaline raised the body's own oxytocin levels in blood.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseCirculating oxytocin after mescaline
    Study

    n = 32

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Endogenous peptide levels · Endocrine and hormones

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Mescaline and LSD, but not psilocybin, enhanced circulating oxytocin.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    The present study used a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over design to compare the acute subjective effects, autonomic effects, and pharmacokinetics of typically used, moderate to high doses of mescaline (300 and 500 mg), LSD (100 µg), and psilocybin (20 mg) in 32 healthy participants.

    This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.

  2. 02HumanEndogenous levelRandomized controlled trialOther

    In healthy participants, LSD enhanced circulating oxytocin.

    In plain wordsIn healthy adults, LSD raised the body's own oxytocin levels in blood.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    IncreaseCirculating oxytocin after LSD
    Study

    n = 32

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Endogenous peptide levels · Endocrine and hormones

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Mescaline and LSD, but not psilocybin, enhanced circulating oxytocin.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    The present study used a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over design to compare the acute subjective effects, autonomic effects, and pharmacokinetics of typically used, moderate to high doses of mescaline (300 and 500 mg), LSD (100 µg), and psilocybin (20 mg) in 32 healthy participants.

    This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.

  3. 03HumanEndogenous levelRandomized controlled trialOther

    In healthy participants, psilocybin did not enhance circulating oxytocin.

    In plain wordsIn healthy adults, psilocybin did not raise the body's own oxytocin levels in blood.

    Peptide
    Oxytocin
    Outcome
    No significant changeCirculating oxytocin after psilocybin
    Study

    n = 32

    Comparator
    Placebo
    Outcome group
    Endogenous peptide levels · Endocrine and hormones

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Mescaline and LSD, but not psilocybin, enhanced circulating oxytocin.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    The present study used a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over design to compare the acute subjective effects, autonomic effects, and pharmacokinetics of typically used, moderate to high doses of mescaline (300 and 500 mg), LSD (100 µg), and psilocybin (20 mg) in 32 healthy participants.

    This result measures the body's own Oxytocin. Nobody was given the peptide. It is not evidence about taking it.

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

  1. Version 2Current

    11 Oct 2026, 00:50 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    9 Oct 2026, 02:49 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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