It seems plausible that the complex set of control systems that govern our survival became intimately intertwined with various alkaloids over a few million years, "outsourcing" production of raw building blocks to plants. One example is the way in which sulforaphane from broccoli (via glucosinolate glucoraphanin) reduces symptoms of autism in the presence of myrosinase (present in mustard). [^1]
Specifically, on the topic of addiction: "Ibogaine-treated rodents exhibit attenuated opioid withdrawal symptoms, and diminished self-administration of a variety of drugs of abuse, including opioids, cocaine, nicotine and alcohol. Anecdotal evidence suggests that ibogaine is also anti-addictive in humans." [^2]
Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials show that a single dose of LSD had a beneficial effect on alcohol misuse (OR, 1.95, 95% CI, p=0.0003). [^3]
As we get better at modelling our own bodies, hopefully we can start to selectively replace or suppress some of our out-dated control systems to reduce suffering and increase efficiency while retaining our survivability.
"Reduces the symptoms of autism" isn't what you'd naively think it is. Autism symptoms are often more accurately described as "the sorts of things autistic people do while distressed." In other words, I suspect that the main effect is stress reduction of some sort, rather than autism reduction.
Specifically, on the topic of addiction: "Ibogaine-treated rodents exhibit attenuated opioid withdrawal symptoms, and diminished self-administration of a variety of drugs of abuse, including opioids, cocaine, nicotine and alcohol. Anecdotal evidence suggests that ibogaine is also anti-addictive in humans." [^2]
Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials show that a single dose of LSD had a beneficial effect on alcohol misuse (OR, 1.95, 95% CI, p=0.0003). [^3]
As we get better at modelling our own bodies, hopefully we can start to selectively replace or suppress some of our out-dated control systems to reduce suffering and increase efficiency while retaining our survivability.
Citations:
- [^1]: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5672987/ - [^2]: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4382526/ - [^3]: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22406913
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