Researchers at UC Davis have developed a new drug, JRT, by slightly altering the molecular structure of LSD. This modification aims to create an effective treatment for schizophrenia while minimizing the hallucinogenic effects associated with psychedelics. The study found that JRT improved negative symptoms of schizophrenia in mice without exacerbating psychotic behaviors. The corresponding author, Professor David Olson, noted that these changes effectively enhance the selectivity profile of the compound. This breakthrough could pave the way for safer medications derived from psychedelics for patients who cannot take hallucinogenic substances.
"Basically, what we did here is a tire rotation. By just transposing two atoms in LSD, we significantly improved JRT's selectivity profile and reduced its hallucinogenic potential."
"No one really wants to give a hallucinogenic molecule like LSD to a patient with schizophrenia. The development of JRT emphasizes that we can use psychedelics like LSD as starting points to make better medicines."
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