Daily psilocin mucate reduces cortisol and anxiety-like behavior in stressed rats, while weekly dosing shows no significant effect

Daily administration of psilocin mucate, a stable salt of psilocin and the compound primarily responsible for psilocybin's psychoactive effects, reduced cortisol levels and anxiety-like behaviors in rats exposed to four weeks of mild chronic stress. The study involved 60 young Wistar rats assigned to control or stressed groups receiving either daily or weekly treatment. Rats given daily psilocin mucate performed better on the Elevated Plus Maze, Open Field Test, and Novel Object Recognition Task, while weekly dosing did not produce significant effects. The authors concluded that the compound showed anxiolytic potential and a favorable safety profile, but emphasized that larger studies are needed to identify optimal doses and schedules. Because the findings come from rats rather than humans, their relevance to human anxiety treatment remains uncertain.