Canadian-based Lophos Pharmaceuticals is engaging KGK Science to evaluate a path to market for sustainably-grown peyote-derived natural health products.
Mescaline – the psychoactive alkaloid derived from both peyote and San Pedro cacti – has been used as a sacrament by indigenous communities for thousands of years. Recent research has pointed to mescaline as potentially holding promise for improving mental health.
One study, which carried out an anonymous questionnaire, highlights that mescaline caused “acute experiences of psychological insight” that “were associated with increased odds of reporting improvement in depression, anxiety, AUD [Alcohol use disorder] and DUD [drug use disorders].”
Whilst it notes that more research is needed to corroborate its findings and to examine the efficacy of mescaline for psychiatric treatment in clinical trials, respondents to the survey reported subjective improvement following their most memorable mescaline experience.
The researchers state: “Respondents who reported an improvement in their psychiatric conditions reported significantly higher ratings of acute psychological factors including mystical-type, psychological insight, and ego dissolution effects compared to those who did not report improvements (Cohen’s d range 0.7 – 1.5).
“Many respondents (35-50%) rated the mescaline experience as the single or top five most spiritually significant or meaningful experience(s) of their lives.”
Generally found in Texas and Mexico, peyote has legal status in Canada, but mescaline remains a Schedule III controlled substance.
United Plant Savers gives the perennial cactus an “at risk” score of 49, highlighting that: “Though there are no state or federal protections put in place for peyote in the U.S., it is “subject to special protection” in Mexico and is on a list of species at risk of extinction in the country.
“Lophophora williamsii is listed as “Vulnerable” by the IUCN Red List.”
Founder and CEO of Lophos, Claire Stawnyczy, commented: “Lophos is currently exploring the potential benefits of a peyote-derived natural health product with the support of KGK Science.
“There are challenges to growing peyote, and the thirteen-year-long natural regrowth cycle is a major threat to the endangered plant.
“At Lophos, we are researching accelerated, responsible cultivation techniques for reducing the long growth cycle. The goal is to provide our partners with therapeutic peyote derivatives that are grown in a sustainable manner.”
The company has stated that potential paths to market will be evaluated based on the safety and sanitary requirements, quality specifications for peyote-derived inputs, and permissible label claims for packaging and sales.
President and CEO of KGK Science, Najla Guthrie, commented: “We are very excited to engage with Lophos Inc. Peyote and mescaline in general are currently underrepresented in the psychedelic medicine sector, given their traditional medicinal uses.
“Lophos provides a critically important sustainable supply of cacti to the market. We plan to utilise our expertise in natural health products to aid Lophos in bringing to market, innovative and safe products for the Canadian consumer.”
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