New Zealand’s Ministry of Health has issued a cultivation authorization for research into a native magic mushroom, Psilocybe Weraroa, for the first time.
The strain, which contains the psychoactive compound psilocybin, will be studied for its potential to help people struggling with methamphetamine addiction, a significant problem in New Zealand. The license, granted last October, marks an important step in the integration of traditional knowledge, scientific research and medical innovation around psychedelics.
Mushroom therapy and clinical trials
The license has been granted to Rua Bioscience, a Tairāwhiti-based biopharmaceutical company, which will conduct the clinical research project around the addictions and potential of psilocybin from Rangiwaho Marae. The research is supported by various entities, including theEnvironmental Science and Research (ESR), the universities of Auckland and Waikato, and Manaaki Whenua Earth Care Research.
According to NZ HeraldJody Toroa, member of the board of directors of Rangiwaho Marae, welcomed this opportunity for his community: “These taonga [ndlr: trésor en maori] are provided by atua [ndlr : les dieux Polynésiens]and our people have used them for healing and well-being for centuries.”
The license currently allows cultivation research, with clinical trials subject to further approval. The first phase of trials aims to evaluate the safety profile of psilocybin by testing healthy adults. The scientific community generally considers psilocybin to be less harmful than many other illegal drugs, and its potential therapeutic benefits have been explored in various clinical trials around the world.
To ensure rigorous scientific standards, ESR’s analytical services will be used to determine psilocybin levels in Psilocybe Weraroa mushrooms. This test is crucial for maintaining dosing consistency and accuracy during clinical trials.
The NZ Herald article mentions that psychedelics like psilocybin and LSD are thought to increase neuronal plasticity, which could help break thought patterns associated with illnesses like depression. The University of Auckland is notably in the second phase of clinical trials relating to the microdosing of LSD in the treatment of depression.
The renewed interest in psychedelics for therapeutic purposes is not unique to New Zealand. Countries like Australia were the first to allow substances like MDMA and psilocybin to be prescribed for specific mental disorders. Although the New Zealand government has not yet expressed explicit support for such treatments, the Health Research Council has independently funded projects exploring the therapeutic potential of psychedelic substances.
