The use of low sub-hallucinogenic doses of psychedelics (“microdosing”) has gained popularity in recent years. Although anecdotal reports claim multiple benefits associated with this practice, the lack of placebo-controlled studies limits our knowledge of microdosing and its effects. Moreover, research conducted in laboratory settings might fail to capture t...
A sensitive immunochemical method for identifying hallucinogenic mushrooms (magic mushrooms) is required for regulating their illicit use. We have previously generated a monoclonal antibody (mAb) that targets psilocin (Psi), the major psychoactive compound in hallucinogenic mushrooms, and developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). However, this ...
Prevalence of major depression in people with chronic heart failure is higher than in normal populations. Depression in heart failure has become a major issue. Psilocybin-containing mushrooms commonly known as magic mushrooms, have been used since ancient times for their mind healing properties. Their safety in cardiovascular disease conditions is not fully ...
Psilocybin, psilocin, baeocystin, norbaeocystin, and aeruginascin are tryptamines structurally similar to the neurotransmitter serotonin. Psilocybin and its pharmacologically active metabolite psilocin in particular are known for their psychoactive effects. These substances typically occur in most species of the genus Psilocybe (Fungi, Strophariaceae). Even ...
Sixty years ago, the ethnomycologist R. G. Wasson discovered an ancient mushroom cult in Oaxaca, Mexico.1, 2 The famous mycologist R. Heim classified the psychoactive mushroom species in the genera Psilocybe and the eminent natural product chemist Albert Hofmann published the isolation, structural elucidation and synthesis of the new alkaloids psilocybin and...
The pharmacological activities and acute toxicity of the psilocin (PC) and dried residues of the crude extracts of psychotropic mushrooms were investigated in mice. The hallucinogenic substances were effectively isolated, by using methanol, from the species of Psilocybe semilanceata and Pholiotina cyanopus, that were collected in the north-east region of Pol...
The use of psychoactive substances of fungal origin for recreational purposes has become an increasing problem in many countries all over the world. These fungis known as magic mushrooms can be grown wildly however their cultural products has been marketing more often. If their wild products are mistakenly collected and eaten by someone, there is not any inf...
Hallucinogenic mushrooms (e.g. Psilocybe and Panaeolus species) as well as leaves and young shoots of the khat tree (Catha edulis Forsk) are illicit drugs in many countries. The exact concentration of the hallucinogenic alkaloids psilocin and psilocybin in mushrooms and the sympathomimetic alkaloids cathinone and cathine in khat is usually essential for juri...
Indole alkaloids of Psilocybe cubensis have been reported to be the potential candidates for drug discovery in central nervous system (CNS) disorders. In this research, the effect of the harvesting light on increasing the active alkaloids of P. cubensis was investigated. Three different lighting conditions, that is, dim daylight, indirect daylight, and darkn...
The determination of psilocybin was carried out by reversed-phase liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence (FL) detection. Psilocybin was labeled with 5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-[N-(2-aminoethyl)]sulfonamide (DNS-ED) at 60 degrees C for 4h in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide (EDC) as the activation reagent. The resulting...
The classical taxonomic methodologies for determining taxa of mushrooms are based primarily on morphological traits. If the mushroom specimens are dried or pulverized, the morphological characteristics are frequently disguised or no longer apparent. Included among these fungi are known to produce psilocybin, which are hard to identify by their macroscopic fe...
The neurotropic effect of Psilocybe cubensis (Earle) Sing, dried biomass and fruiting bodies containing the indole hallucinogens psilocybin and psilocine on spike activity of pyramidal neurons from the rat hippocampal CAl region slices has been studied. Extracellularly responses of 50 neurons were recorded, 34 during the application of biomass extract (BME) ...
A new method has been developed for the rapid analysis of psilocybin and/or psilocin in fungus material using ion mobility spectrometry. Quantitative analysis was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after a simple one-step extraction involving homogenization of the dried fruit bodies of fungi in chloroform and derivatization with MSTFA. The pro...
Several specimens of Psilocybe and Copelandia species in Koh Samui, Thailand were recently collected for herbarium deposit and scientific study. This paper presents an ethnomycological and biochemical study of one of the species; P. samuiensis Guzmán, Bandala and Allen, a new psychoactive gill fungus reported from Thailand. Mycelium for the cultivation of P....
This paper presents the results of recent ethnomycological exploration in southern Thailand. Field observations, interviews and collection of fungi specimens were carried out primarily on two islands, Koh Samui and Koh Pha-ngan, situated in the western region of the Gulf of Siam. Some fieldwork was also conducted in the northern Thai province of Chiang Dao a...
Using HPLC and TLC, psilocybin and baeocystin but not psilocin were found in extracts of dried fruit bodies of PLUTEUS SALICINUS. Caps contain more psilocybin than stems. The amount of psilocybin varies and was as high as 1.57% in the caps. Urea was also detected. This substance is virtually exclusively localized in the caps. Baeocystin and tryptophan were a...
Psilocybin was quantitatively determined in methanolic extracts of dried fruiting-bodies of the basidiomycete Inocybe aeruginas-cens and its content was compared with that in Psilocybe bohemica and P. semilanceata. By menas of HPLC it was found that the content of psilocybin in Inocybe aeruginascens is lower than in Psilocybe species. Similarly to Psilocybe,...
A screening of Norwegian mushrooms for the presence of hallucinogenic indole alkaloids was carried out using HPLC with ultraviolet, fluorescence and electrochemical detection. The analysis revealed psilocybin and psilocin in two mushroom species: PLUTEUS SALICINUS and CONOCYBE CYANOPUS. The content of psilocybin and psilocin in dried material of PLUTEUS SALI...
Psilocybe semilanceata contains hallucinogenic indole alkaloids and has been used as a narcotic drug in Norway. The content of psilocybin, the major constituent in Norwegian P. semilanceata, has been investigated as well as its habitats and its distribution throughout the country. The mushroom is growing on grassy sites in most parts of Norway from the middl...
An accidental case of mushroom poisoning led to the detection of psilocybin in Gymnopilus validipes (Cortinariaceae). This compound was subsequently isolated (0.12% yield) by anion exchange and cellulose chromatography. Eighteen additional species of Gymnopilus were screened by a method capable of detecting 0.0004% psilocybin in dried carpophores. Psilocybin...
