psilocybin&psilocin contents of magic mushrooms (2024)

Well I have posted this before but it was somewhere in the nursery. Thought this info should be in the mushroom section. So here we go : )

Below you will find some info about some research (in 2002) that was conducted upon instruction of the government of The Netherlands (Holland). The purpose was to obtain more data about psilocybine and psilocine content of ‘magic mushrooms’. These mushrooms were sold (legally) in the so called ‘smartshops’ in Holland. The research was part of a project about monitoring and risk assessment.

SAMPLES

Fresh and dried mushrooms were collected twice from smartshops and (the second time) also from a professional mushroom grower (who also grows ‘champignons’, you know the type of white toadstools available at your local supermarket). First time they took 18 samples dry mushrooms from 11 different smartshops. The second time they took 7 fresh samples from 4 different smartshops and 24 fresh samples from the professional grower. Interesting to note is that all the fresh mushrooms collected from smartshops were grown by the (same) professional grower. The types of shrooms he was growing: P.cubensis mexican, P.cubensis thai, Panaeolus cyanescens and P.tampanensis (sclerotia). Samples were taken from different flushes, so to compare. Only P.tampanensis was harvested after just 1 flush (probably because they had to break up the mycelium to harvest the sclerotia.)

METHOD

The fresh mushrooms were cut into little pieces and air dried for 5 days. Psilocybin and psilocin were extracted from dry, ground samples using methanol. For measuring psilocybin and psilocin reversed phase liquid chromatography and UV detection were used. In the original report there are more details about the method used; validation, accuracy, calibration, buffers, fluids etc. Won’t go into that one here.

RESULTS

DISCUSSION & CONCLUSIONS

1) no link between % contents between different flushes
2) psilocybin and psilocin are very stable in sclerotia of P.tampanensis
3) ammount of psilocybin and psilocin in a species of mushroom are roughly the same in fresh compared to dried (if properly dried).
4) % psilocybin and % psilocin can vary greatly between fresh mushrooms of Panaeolus cyanescens (from the prof grower). Sometimes very high psilocybin and (relative) low psilocin, sometimes very high psilocin and very low psilocybin. Also % total psilocin in these fresh mushrooms (collected from grower) showed big variation (0.8 – 2.5). Independent of flush that was picked from. Possibly this variation is the result of moment of plucking or drying-process used.
5) psilocybin and psilocin are less stable in fresh mushrooms. Two fresh mushroom samples (P.cubensis thai and P.cubensis mexican, not in the data) from the grower were stored for 4 weeks before dried and analyzed. Only traces of psilocybin and psilocin were measured. Also the two samples of fresh P.cubensis thai from the smartshop were probably stored (fresh) for too long, since there was little psilocybin and psilocin measured. Storing fresh mushrooms is not advisable, better to dry them asap.

Here you can find the original document:

The chart looks similar to the Shroomery - Magic Mushroom Dosage Calculator

Hmm, seems strange that azurescens are not at the top.... they SHOULD have more than any other spieces. Maybe the fact they've been dried and you had no regulation on how long they'd been stored made a difference?

Interesting...

kemist said:

Thanx for posting this mate. So truffles are high in psilocybine with almost no psilocyne. Is this what giving them that philosophing aspect ?

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About the truffles. There are also mushrooms which also have little to none of the psilocin, but these mushrooms are not labelled 'philosophical'. Of course also the mushrooms are philosophical, but they dont get the specific label. Personaly I think the truffles got the label 'philosophical' because of:

- the form of the truffels, they do resemble pebbles or stones, and then the popular (and selling) name 'philosopher stones' is closeby of course

- different spectrum of chemicals (truffles taste very different, tangy aftertaste, not cheesy at all), and relatively low amounts of psilocin and psilocybin. This could explain for the somewhat more clear, more stimulating, less visual and less hazy experience the truffles can provide. The stimulating aspect sticks out I think. Have experienced those stimulating effects also on some mushrooms (usualy in the end of the trip) but they are definitely more prominent in the truffletrip.

Since the ban on mushrooms Ive been eating allot more truffles. Should be noted that if you eat enough of them they will provide quite a trip eventually, not much different from a strong cubensis trip all inclusive. Too bad the low contents do not favour eating much of them. They are very heavy on the stomach.

Astralking said:

Hmm, seems strange that azurescens are not at the top.... they SHOULD have more than any other spieces. Maybe the fact they've been dried and you had no regulation on how long they'd been stored made a difference?

Interesting...

Click to expand...

My guess is there was something wrong with that sample.
Azurescens remains the most elusive dont you think?

that seems right regarding panaeolus cyanescens, they have a high psilocin content

psilocin is actually the more desirable compound, it's the more visual component in these fungi.