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[[File:Magic mushroom Compounds.jpg|alt=Magic mushroom Compounds|thumb|'''Figure 1'''. Compounds found within magic mushrooms.]]'''Magic mushrooms, | [[File:Magic mushroom Compounds.jpg|alt=Magic mushroom Compounds|thumb|'''Figure 1'''. Compounds found within magic mushrooms.]]'''The term ''Magic Mushroom'' often refers to [[Medicinal Mushrooms|medicinal mushrooms]] however, more often than not the term specifically references [[psilocybin]] mushrooms which have been used as [[Entheogen|entheogens]] for spiritual, religious, and divinatory purposes around the world.''' Whilst these mushrooms are renowned for containing the [[Psychedelics|psychedelic]] chemical [[psilocybin]] (a tryptamine) like all phytomedicines they also contain an array of parts of psilocybin and other related psychedelic compounds including phenylethylamines<ref>'''Presence of phenylethylamine in hallucinogenic Psilocybe mushroom: possible role in adverse reactions.''' O Beck , A Helander, C Karlson-Stiber, N Stephansson. DOI: 10.1093/jat/22.1.45. Accessed on 18 Jan 2023 via <nowiki>https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9491968/</nowiki></ref> (See '''Figure 1'''). Their [[Legality of Psilocybin Worldwide|legality]] varies across the globe. | ||
== History == | == History == | ||
[[File:The history of magic mushrooms.png|alt=The history of magic mushrooms|thumb|'''Figure 2'''. The history of magic mushrooms]] | |||
Based on depictions in rock drawings, some historians speculate that magic mushrooms may have been utilised as early as 9000 B.C. by primitive societies in North Africa (see '''Figure 2'''). More concisely they have been portrayed in the Pre-Columbian sculptures and glyphs found throughout North, Central, and South America and may also be observed in Stone Age rock art in Africa and Europe. | |||
== Species == | == Species == | ||
Magic mushrooms include the biological genera Copelandia, Gymnopilus, Inocybe, Panaeolus, Pholiotina, Pluteus, and Psilocybe. | Magic mushrooms include the biological genera Copelandia, Gymnopilus, Inocybe, Panaeolus, Pholiotina, Pluteus, and Psilocybe. | ||
== | == Psychoactive Alkaloids Found in Magic Mushrooms == | ||
Magic mushrooms contain many different psychoactive alkaloids ([[psilocybin]] is just one!) that contribute to the effects, or may be equally hallucinogenic themselves. | |||
=== Baeocystin === | |||
Baeocystin is structurally similar to psilocybin and psilocin, and it’s believed to be one of the main compounds responsible for the effects produced by magic mushrooms. Just like psilocybin is converted to psilocin upon digestion, which a compound our system can recognize and utilize, our bodies also metabolize baeocystin into psilocin. | |||
=== Norbaeocystin === | |||
Norbaeocystin (C10H13N2O4P) is another alkaloid found in magic mushrooms, with characteristics and effects similar to those of baeocystin. Both compounds are derivatives of 4-phosphoryloxytryptamine and analogs of psilocybin, although the former is considered a monomethyl analog, and the latter is a demethyl analog. It is thought that norbaeocystin, may share overlapping therapeutic potential with psilocybin, but without causing hallucinations<ref>'''Pharmacological and behavioural effects of tryptamines present in psilocybin-containing mushrooms'''. Ryan J. Rakoczy, Grace N. Runge, Abhishek K. Sen, Oscar Sandoval, Hunter G. Wells, Quynh Nguyen, Brianna R. Roberts, Jon H. Sciortino, William J. Gibbons Jr, Lucas M. Friedberg. First published: 02 June 2024 https://doi.org/10.1111/bph.16466</ref>. | |||
=== Norpsilocin === | |||
Norpsilocin (C11H14N2O) was discovered more recently, back in 2017, by Claudius Lenz and his colleagues from Knoll Institute (HKI) in Jena, Germany, also known as the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology. Lenz’s team isolated norpsilocin from different strains of Psilocybe cubensis. | |||
=== Psilocybin === | |||
There are hundreds of species of psilocybin mushrooms but ''Psilocybe cubensis'' is the most common mushroom used for inducing psychedelic experiences due to its ease of cultivation. In the wild, it is commonly found on cow dung but can also be found on horse and buffalo dung. | |||
== Magic Mushroom Potency == | |||
''Cubensis'' is reported to be “moderately potent,” with analytical reports ranging from 0.7 to 13.3 mg per gram (mg/g) of dried mushroom. Bigwood and Beug<ref name=":0">https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0378874182900149?via%3Dihub</ref> found “that the level of psilocybin and psilocin varies by over a factor of four among various cultures of ''Psilocybe cubensis'' grown under rigidly controlled conditions, while specimens from outside sources varied tenfold.” | |||
* For the data nerds, the ranges for individual reports were 0.7-6.2 mg/g<ref name=":0" />; 3.2-13.3 mg/g<ref>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0378874182900149?via%3Dihub</ref>; 11.5 ± 2 mg/g<ref>https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0379073809004927</ref>; 0.7-3.5 mg/g<ref>https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/22/14068</ref>; 6.2-15.1 mg/g<ref>https://analyticalsciencejournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/dta.2950</ref>; 5 mg/g, 6.3 mg/g, 1.5 mg/g and 1.5 mg/g<ref>https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1556-4029.2005.00033.x</ref>. | |||
''Psilocybe cyanescens (''“wavy cap”)'', Psilocybe serbica'', and ''Psilocybe azurescens'' are some of the more potent species with regular reports of psilocybin concentrations of over 15 mg per gram and up to 17.8 mg/g!<ref name=":1">Stamets 1996 ''Psilocybin Mushrooms of the World: An Identification Guide''</ref> | |||
''Psilocybe subaeruginosa'' is a species of moderate-to-high potency found in Australia and New Zealand that has been reported to have from 4.5 to 11.2 mg of psilocybin per gram of dried mushroom.<ref name=":1" /> | |||
* Note: these values are for dried mushrooms which are the most common way they are consumed. Mushrooms have reliably been reported to contain about 90% water. | |||
=== Potency and Storage === | |||
A common concentration of freshly homogenized P. cubensis mushroom powder is: | A common concentration of freshly homogenized P. cubensis mushroom powder is: | ||
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For the minor alkaloids (aeruginascin, baeocystin, norbaeocystin, and psilocin) the changes in concentrations were negligible after the first week. After one month of storage, a slight decrease in the concentration of all of the remaining alkaloids was seen at a similar time under all of the defined conditions. After two months of storage, all of the alkaloids were reduced, except for psilocin, which decomposed more only in the light at 20°C. After 15 months of storage, no further changes occurred, except for psilocin, whose concentration This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. increased (probably due to the degradation of psilocybin). | For the minor alkaloids (aeruginascin, baeocystin, norbaeocystin, and psilocin) the changes in concentrations were negligible after the first week. After one month of storage, a slight decrease in the concentration of all of the remaining alkaloids was seen at a similar time under all of the defined conditions. After two months of storage, all of the alkaloids were reduced, except for psilocin, which decomposed more only in the light at 20°C. After 15 months of storage, no further changes occurred, except for psilocin, whose concentration This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. increased (probably due to the degradation of psilocybin). | ||
== Dose == | |||
Depending on the strain and storage condition (as above) the most common dose is between 1 and 2 grams of dried mushrooms. In regards to [[psilocybin]] dosages, in general a therapeutic dose is considered 25mg which is equivalent to 2.5 grams of dried mushrooms. Popularised by the ethnobotanist Terence McKenna a “''heroic dose''” A is gram or more and are strong enough to take you out of your present reality. | |||
== Combination Therapy == | |||
By combining psilocybin with other compounds it is theoretically possible to decrease adverse effects whilst maintaining or increasing desired effects. Below is a list of medicines thought to compliment psilocybin therapy: | |||
* '''Niacin''' - in combination with psilocybin is termed the Stamets Stack. | |||
* '''[[MDMA]]''' - in combination with psilocybin is termed a [[Hippie Flip|hippie flip]]. | |||
'''References''' | '''References''' | ||
<references /> | <references /> |