Psilocybin
Psilocybin is an alkaloid compound found in "magic" mushrooms, which have hallucinogenic properties. Several varieties of these mushrooms grow in temperate climates, such as Europe, North and South America and the UK. Alkaloids have an amino group (with nitrogen in it) and are basic or alkaline, hence the name. Many psycho-active substances such as psilocybin and LSD, have an indole ring in their structure, which is a benzene ring fused to a 5-membered ring containing nitrogen. Neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine also have an indole ring in their structure. The hallucinogenic compounds containing indole rings can fit into the same receptors in the brain as the neurotransmitters.
Psilocybin mushrooms were so important to Aztec religious rituals that they called them "God's flesh". They had been used for centuries by the people of modern day Mexico and South America before the first Europeans recorded their use at the coronation feast of Montezuma, in 1502. These mushrooms became known in the United States in the 1950's, when a mycologist brought some back from Mexico, and wrote about his experiences in Life magazine. This sparked the interest of Timothy Leary, who traveled to Mexico to try them for himself. In 1958 Dr. Albert Hofmann isolated the chief chemicals responsible for the mushroom's actions, psilocybin and psilocin. Leary and Richard Alpert did a number of experiments with psilocybin in the early 1960's. It was also being researched as a drug for clinical psychiatry at that time, but was swept along with the LSD wave of the 60's and 70's, and ended up being classified as an illegal drug.
What are psilocybins good for, besides religious rituals or just going on a nice trip? A Johns Hopkins study published in the journal Psychopharmacology in 2006 showed that psilocybins can not only produce mystical experiences, but a primary mystical experience that may lead to positive changes in a person. Over three fourths of the test subjects had moderately or greatly increased well-being or life satisfaction as long as two months after they had taken the psilocybin. This could be useful for people recovering from addictions, depression or anxiety. At a 14 month follow up to the study in July of 2008, many of the volunteers still seemed to have received substantial benefits and feelings of well-being after participating in the study.
A study is currently being done at Johns Hopkins to study the psychological effects of psilocybin in cancer patients. This could have an important effect because spirituality has been associated with increased psychological coping and decreased depression in serious illness. Psilocybins have also been shown to help reduce cluster headaches. They have also been shown to reduce symptoms in people with obsessive-complusive disorder.
Psilocybin is metabolized to psilocin in the body, which is an even more potent hallucinogen. Effects of psilocybin and psilocin can last from 3 to 8 hours, although it can seem even longer as it tends to distort time. There are no known lethal doses or side effects of these substances, and they are not addictive. However if you are gathering the mushrooms yourself, make sure you have a reliable guidebook or source, as they can easily be mistaken for poisonous mushrooms. There have been reports of seizures in people who use these mushrooms and are taking lithium.
The information on this page is not meant to be used in treatment of medical conditions. Please seek the advice of a physician about any medical condition or symptom. Those with medical conditions should consult a medical professional about the appropriateness of taking dietary supplements or diet therapy, and how these methods will interact with their medications.
LINKS
More about the structure of Psilocybin and Mescaline
Albert Hofmann