Psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, appears as good as an antidepressant in reducing depressive symptoms, according to findings from a small but groundbreaking UK study.

One of the few double-blind, randomised controlled trials comparing a psychedelic substance with conventional antidepressant, researchers found both agents were associated with reduced depression scores on a standard 16-item scale.

In the phase 2 study, 59 adults with moderate to severe major depression were randomised to receive two doses of 25mg psilocybin capsule, three weeks apart, plus daily placebo, or a daily regime of 20mg escitalopram and 1mg psilocybin over six weeks, with both arms getting psychological support.

The researchers, from the Centre for Psychedelic Research at Imperial College London, found scores in the psilocybin group dropped by a mean eight points (from a mean 14.5 out of 27), on par with a drop of six points (from 16.4) in the escitalopram group but this was a non-significant difference.