Psilocybin mushroom

Psilocybin mushrooms, or psilocybin-containing mushrooms, commonly known as magic mushrooms or as shrooms, are a type of hallucinogenic mushroom and a polyphyletic informal group of fungi that contain the prodrug psilocybin, which turns into the psychedelic psilocin upon ingestion.^[1] The most potent species are members of genus Psilocybe, such as P. azurescens, P. semilanceata, and P. cyanescens, but psilocybin has also been isolated from approximately a dozen other genera, including Panaeolus (including Copelandia), Inocybe, Pluteus, Gymnopilus, and Pholiotina.^[1]

Amongst other cultural applications, psilocybin mushrooms are used as recreational drugs.^[1] They may be depicted in Stone Age rock art in Africa and Europe, but are more certainly represented in pre-Columbian sculptures and glyphs seen throughout the Americas.

^ ^a ^b ^c Pepe M, Hesami M, de la Cerda KA, Perreault ML, Hsiang T, Jones AM (December 2023). "A journey with psychedelic mushrooms: From historical relevance to biology, cultivation, medicinal uses, biotechnology, and beyond". Biotechnol Adv. 69: 108247. doi:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108247. PMID 37659744. On a dry weight basis, psilocybin content within the basidiocarp ranges from 0.03% to 1.6% across various Psilocybe species (Anastos et al., 2006; Beug and Bigwood, 1982; Fricke et al., 2019; Gartz et al., 1994; Pedersen-Bjergaard et al., 1997). However, newly developed lineages with higher average amounts of psilocybin are continuously being produced. A recent survey of 14 Psilocybe species sourced from around the world established that tryptamine content including psilocybin is greatest in P. cyanescens, whereas Psilocybe fus cofulva contains no psilocybin (Gotvaldova ´ et al., 2022). Tryptamines can also vary across varieties of a species, and their individual collec tions as is the case for Psilocybe serbica varieties 'arcana', bohemica' and 'moravica' (Boroviˇcka et al., 2015; Gotvaldova ´ et al., 2022; Reynolds et al., 2018). Psilocybin levels can be on par to an order of magnitude greater than psilocin levels (Borner and Brenneisen, 1987; Gartz et al., 1994; Gotvaldov´ a et al., 2022). [...] With respect to other tryptamines, baeocystin content is absent in some psilocybin-containing species but as high as 0.45% on a dry weight basis in certain species (Christiansen and Rasmussen, 1982; Gartz et al., 1994; Gotvaldova ´ et al., 2022; Pedersen-Bjergaard et al., 1997). [...] Apart from the abovementioned tryptamines, β-carbolines such as harmane and har mine are also known to occur in Psilocybe, albeit at 0.1% or less of psilocybin levels in these same mushrooms (Blei et al., 2020). [...] Additionally, various compounds can collectively contribute to what is known as "the entourage effect", which describes the synergistic interaction of a variety of different metabolites that enhance the activity of the primary active components (Russo, 2019). Tryptamine concentrations and profiles across different Psilocybe species are highly variable. Thus, the diversity of Psilocybe species results in differential production of an assortment of tryptamines in different concentrations (Glatfelter et al., 2022), which is likely responsible for variable psychoactive effects of various mushrooms.

[PepeHesamidelaCerda2023-1] Pepe M, Hesami M, de la Cerda KA, Perreault ML, Hsiang T, Jones AM (December 2023). "A journey with psychedelic mushrooms: From historical relevance to biology, cultivation, medicinal uses, biotechnology, and beyond". Biotechnol Adv. 69: 108247. doi:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108247. PMID 37659744. On a dry weight basis, psilocybin content within the basidiocarp ranges from 0.03% to 1.6% across various Psilocybe species (Anastos et al., 2006; Beug and Bigwood, 1982; Fricke et al., 2019; Gartz et al., 1994; Pedersen-Bjergaard et al., 1997). However, newly developed lineages with higher average amounts of psilocybin are continuously being produced. A recent survey of 14 Psilocybe species sourced from around the world established that tryptamine content including psilocybin is greatest in P. cyanescens, whereas Psilocybe fus cofulva contains no psilocybin (Gotvaldova ´ et al., 2022). Tryptamines can also vary across varieties of a species, and their individual collec tions as is the case for Psilocybe serbica varieties 'arcana', bohemica' and 'moravica' (Boroviˇcka et al., 2015; Gotvaldova ´ et al., 2022; Reynolds et al., 2018). Psilocybin levels can be on par to an order of magnitude greater than psilocin levels (Borner and Brenneisen, 1987; Gartz et al., 1994; Gotvaldov´ a et al., 2022). [...] With respect to other tryptamines, baeocystin content is absent in some psilocybin-containing species but as high as 0.45% on a dry weight basis in certain species (Christiansen and Rasmussen, 1982; Gartz et al., 1994; Gotvaldova ´ et al., 2022; Pedersen-Bjergaard et al., 1997). [...] Apart from the abovementioned tryptamines, β-carbolines such as harmane and har mine are also known to occur in Psilocybe, albeit at 0.1% or less of psilocybin levels in these same mushrooms (Blei et al., 2020). [...] Additionally, various compounds can collectively contribute to what is known as "the entourage effect", which describes the synergistic interaction of a variety of different metabolites that enhance the activity of the primary active components (Russo, 2019). Tryptamine concentrations and profiles across different Psilocybe species are highly variable. Thus, the diversity of Psilocybe species results in differential production of an assortment of tryptamines in different concentrations (Glatfelter et al., 2022), which is likely responsible for variable psychoactive effects of various mushrooms.

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