Stability of psilocybin and its four analogs in the biomass of the psychotropic mushroom Psilocybe cubensis

Abstract

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 the sclerotia of some of these fungi known as “magic truffles” are of growing interest in microdosing due to them improving cognitive function studies. In addition to microdosing studies, psilocybin has also been applied in clinical studies, but only its pure form has been administrated so far. Moreover, the determination of tryptamine alkaloids is used in forensic analysis. In this study, freshly cultivated fruit bodies of Psilocybe cubensis were used for monitoring stability (including storage and processing conditions of fruiting bodies). Furthermore, mycelium and the individual parts of the fruiting bodies (caps, stipes, and basidiospores) were also examined. The concentration of tryptamines in final extracts was analyzed using ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. No tryptamines were detected in the basidiospores, and only psilocin was present at 0.47 wt.% in the mycelium. The stipes contained approximately half the amount of tryptamine alkaloids (0.52 wt.%) than the caps (1.03 wt.%); however, these results were not statistically significant, as the concentration of tryptamines in individual fruiting bodies is highly variable. The storage conditions showed that the highest degradation of tryptamines was seen in fresh mushrooms stored at −80°C, and the lowest decay was seen in dried biomass stored in the dark at room temperature.

Microevidence for microdosing with psilocybin mushrooms: a double-blind placebo-controlled study of subjective effects, behavior, creativity, perception, cognition, and brain activity

“…It is also important to consider the possibility that our samples lost potency between the experiment and their chemical analysis. As shown by Gotvaldová and colleagues, the concentration of psilocybin can drop up to 50% during the first months of storage (Gotvaldová et al, 2021), which in our case would imply original concentrations similar to those reported by Van Elk and colleagues. Finally, our samples contained small amounts baeocystin and norbaeocystin; whether these compounds are psychoactive in humans is still under discussion (Gartz, 1992;Sherwood et al, 2020).…”

“…At the time the chemical analysis was conducted, a single 0.5 g dose contained 0.32 mg of psilocybin and 0.48 mg of psilocin; however, at least one month passed since the end of the study and the alkaloid quantification. In spite of storing the samples under optimal conditions, the possibility that psychoactive material was lost during this period cannot be discarded (Gotvaldová et al, 2021), suggesting that the potency of the samples here reported is likely underestimated.…”

The Therapeutic Potential of Psilocybin

“…Although psilocybin is the most popular and the most abundantly produced psychoactive compound/tryptamine derivative in magic mushrooms, other tryptamine derivatives such as psilocin [ 206 ], baeocystin [ 207 ], norbaeocystin [ 207 ], norpsilocin [ 207 ] ( Figure 6 ) and the beta-carbolines such as harmane and harmol [ 208 ], may also enhance the effects of psilocybin and the efficacy of psilocybin treatment [ 208 , 209 ]. Thus, it is likely that these hallucinogenic compounds may work in tandem to produce a synergistic effect [ 208 , 210 , 211 , 212 , 213 ].…”

Analysis of Psilocybin-Assisted Therapy in Medicine: A Narrative Review

“…One of the hallucinogens of interest in the treatment of mental health disorders is tryptamine: psilocybin. This compound can be isolated from over a hundred species of mushroom and is thus a naturally occurring alkaloid [ 8 ]. Most of the psilocybin-containing species of mushrooms come from the Psilocybe genus [ 8 ].…”