In order to develop a sensitive and reliable analytical method for psilocin (PC) in urine samples, the hydrolysis conditions including the acid, alkaline and enzymatic hydrolyses have been investigated by monitoring not only PC but also psilocin glucuronide (PCG) by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS); PCG was initially identified in a ...
Psilocin and psilocybin are psychoactive components of mushrooms of the genus Psilocybe and many others (Panaeolus, Inocybe, Pluteus etc.). In our republic, several species of Psilocybe with a high content of these components can be found. In the present study, we give a semiquantitative content of psilocin and psilocybin in some of our mushrooms in dry subs...
Psilocyn and psilocybin can be identified in different stages of developing psilocybe mushrooms. Knowing the various stages of the mushroom development can be useful when receiving evidence from illicit mushroom growing operations. Exhibits from three separate cases were submitted to the drug analysis section of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension ...
Derivatives of psilocin with omega-functionalized alkyl spacers in position 1 of the indole ring were synthesized as haptens for use in a radioimmunoassay. Whereas the psilocin analogues with a 3-aminopropyl and a 4-aminobutyl moiety at the indole nitrogen decomposed during synthesis, the analogous 3-carboxypropyl psilocin derivative proved to be stable. Thi...
Driving under the influence of drugs is an issue of growing concern in the industrialized countries as a risk and a cause for road accidents. In forensic toxicology, the increasing number of samples for determination of drugs in blood is mainly due to zero-tolerance laws in several countries and well-trained police officers who can better recognize drivers u...
Pharmacokinetic studies of psilocybin in humans have shown the rapid dephosphorylation of psilocybin to psilocin with further conversion to 4-hydroxy-tryptophole (4HT) and 4-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (4HIAA) in plasma. Our study shows that psilocin also undergoes conjugation and can be found in the urine as the psilocin-glucuronide conjugate. Recoveries af...
The applications of LC-API-MS in routine forensic toxicological casework were presented. This technique has been used for routine determination of several groups of drugs: opiate agonists (like morphine, codeine, dihydrocodeine and their glucuronides, methadone, buprenorphine) cocaine and its metabolites (benzoylecgonine and ecgonine methyl ester), amphetami...
Active compounds of some mushrooms e.g. Psilocybe cubensis, Paneolus subalteatus or Stropharia coronilla, the psychotropic agents psilocybin and psilocin, have hallucinogenic effects. In one case of 'magic mushroom' intake, we had to analyse blood and urine. Psilocin was detected in the urine with REMEDi HS. Most of the psilocin was excreted as the glucuroni...
The following questions regarding the detection of psychoactive drugs in mushrooms are addressed: At what stage of the mushroom development can the psychoactive drugs psilocyn and psilocybin be identified, and what effect does light have on the growth of these mushrooms. To answer these questions, Psilocybe cyanescens Wakefield mushrooms were grown from thei...
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...
A method for isolating the main components (psilocybin and psilocine) from Psilocybe semilanceata mushrooms, their identification and measurement by thin-layer and gas-liquid chromatography, chromatographic mass-spectrometry, and inverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography is developed.
The use of mushrooms containing the hallucinogenic substance psilocybin for intentional intoxication is relatively common. Occasionally, this results in adverse reactions with typical tachycardia that is not evidently caused by psilocybin. This study demonstrates the presence of phenylethylamine in the species Psilocybe semilanceata using gas chromatography-...
Bufotenine, an isomer of psilocin, is a controlled Schedule I hallucinogenic substance under the New York state and Federal laws. Bufotenine was identified in 42 case samples received at the New York City Police Laboratory since May 1992. The samples were hard, resinous, dark reddish-brown material, sold on the streets as "hashish". A few other cases were al...
A simple aqueous extraction method for the isolation and identification of psilocin from Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms is reported. This method employs a dephosphorylation of the phosphate ester to psilocin, which facilitates a greater product yield and simplifies identification. Psilocin extracted by this method is sufficiently concentrated and free of cocon...
A simple aqueous extraction method for the isolation and identification of psilocin from Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms is reported. This method employs a dephosphorylation of the phosphate ester to psilocin, which facilitates a greater product yield and simplifies identification. Psilocin extracted by this method is sufficiently concentrated and free of cocon...
Abstract Temperature profiling of MIKE spectra allows identification of protonated psilocin in the presence of other compounds with the same mass. The use of multiple ionizing methods to give ions (M+H)+, (M+ML4)+, and M is shown to assist in determining the molecular weights of new natural products. Structural information is obtained from the MIKE spectra. ...