Psychoactive funghi

Psilocybin and psilocin are the active ingredients in a variety of mushroom in the US, Mexico, South America, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Not surprisingly, the mushrooms are easy to grow. In fact, with relatively few materials, one can produce 5,000 doses of mushrooms in a week indoors. The amount of hallucinogen in different mushrooms can vary 10-fold.

Pharmacology

Psilocybin and psilocin were isolated in 1956 by a team that included the same researcher who discovered LSD. When mushroom caps and stems are ingested, the psilocybin, which is more plentiful and powerful, is converted to psilocin. The mechanism of action is through disruption of serotonergic and dopaminergic transmission with a sudden norepinephrine release.

Effects

Most mushrooms with psilocybin cause nausea and other physical symptoms before the hallucinogenic effects set in. The effects are less dissociative than LSD and include alterations to all senses.