Maria Helha Fernandes-Nascimento

Background: Psilocybin is a natural alkaloid with therapeutic potential in the treatment of different mental disorders. Bibliometric information on its use is still scattered in the literature. Objective: To investigate the temporal and bibliometric patterns of publications and the specificity of psilocybin in the treatment of mental disorders. Method: Performed a bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer software. Documents from the period 1963 to 2023 were retrieved from the Scopus database. The search string comprised terms related to psilocybin and mental disorders. An exponential regression was performed to investigate the number of publications over time. The specificity was evaluated based on a manual analysis of the clinical trials’ findings carried out with individuals diagnosed with mental disorders. Results: We identified 853 eligible publications. An exponential regression analysis revealed an increase in the number of publications over time, with significant growth between 2016 and 2023 (52%). Publications cover countries on five continents, but are predominantly from nations with a high Human Development Index, such as the United States and the United Kingdom. Depression was the most prominent term in keyword analysis. Meta-analyses have indicated the efficacy of psilocybin in the treatment of different mental disorders (depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders). Conclusion: The global academic panorama shows the growing recognition of psilocybin as a promising alternative in psychiatric treatment, highlighting the need for randomized clinical trials to ensure its safe and effective use.

Classic psychedelics are being globally investigated for their therapeutic potential in mental disorders, however, the literature offers little information about the progress of these studies. The aim of this study is to provide perspectives and directions on the use of classic psychedelics in the treatment of mental disorders. We conducted a bibliometric analysis of publications in the Scopus database, using MeSH terms for LSD, mescaline, DMT/ayahuasca, and psilocybin, combined with terms related to mental disorders. We used Microsoft Excel 2010 and the VOSviewer software for data extraction and analysis. The analyses included descriptive and inferential statistics, using regression models in the R statistical software. A total of 4,235 publications were selected and included. A total of 91 countries from four continents are involved in the investigations. The United States emerged as the main collaborative hub. Notably, LSD led in the number of studies. The determination coefficients of the regression models indicated a strong to very strong correlation between the progression of years and the increase in publications (LSD R² = 0.92; mescaline R² = 0.75; DMT/ayahuasca R² = 0.96; psilocybin R² = 0.94). We identified a growing global interest in the use of classic psychedelics in the treatment of mental disorders, especially in research related to LSD and psilocybin.

Ibogaine is a natural psychoactive drug that has been investigated for its potential role in the treatment of substance use disorders since the mid-1960s. To evaluate the interest in ibogaine's use as a therapeutic agent, we performed a scientometric analysis covering the last three decades (1993-2002, 2003-2012, and 2013-2022). A complementary analysis was performed to select and describe published clinical trials and meta-analyses. A total of 1523 references were found. Linear growth of publications in the first and third decades were identified, and the average number of publications from 1993 to 2002 was lower than that in the other two decades. Researchers from five continents were identified. Globally, academic research centers in the United States and Canada were the most productive. Cocaine, tobacco, morphine, and alcohol prevailed as major keywords in the first two decades and opioids and psychedelics were included in the third decade. A few key authors were the most co-referenced. One preclinical meta-analysis and no meta-analysis in humans were found. Research trends for ibogaine are widespread, growing, and consonant with current attentiveness in drug abuse. Our findings support the pressing need for rigorous clinical research on ibogaine to evaluate its efficacy and safety.

Objective To evaluate the publications on ibogaine use for substance-related disorders treatment over the last three decades. Method Bibliometric analysis of publications on ibogaine for the treatment of substance-related disorders from 1991 to 2020 using VOSviewer software. We performed a Scopus database search using the terms: ibogaine, 12-methoxybogamine, endabuse, tabernanthe iboga, NIH-10567, and noribogaine. Publications related to ibogaine was compared between the three decades using the Tukey test at 95% confidence level, and the behavior period evaluated considered linear and polynomial regression models. Results Regression models indicated that publications dedicated to ibogaine for treating substance use disorders grew by 5.1 publications per year between 1991–2000 (R² = 0.993). The period from 2001 to 2020 showed a different expansion compared to the previous period, with fluctuations within a constant flow of publications and an increase in the volume of publications was observed until the middle of this decade (R² = 0.889). The same tendency was seen in the last decade, 2011–2020 (R² = 0.949). The US is the most prominent country. Conclusion The present study indicates that, despite differences and fluctuations among the decades analyzed, publications continue year by year and propose future directions for new interventions in the public health.