Unpredictable Behavior Under the Influence of “Magic Mushrooms”: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Journal of Forensic Sciences – December 12, 2018
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Psilocybin mushrooms, often considered safe, can have fatal consequences. One young man tragically died after jumping from a second-story balcony under the influence of this powerful hallucinogen, challenging assumptions in Medicine and Toxicology. Forensic Toxicology and Drug Analysis, employing Solid phase extraction, quantified significant psilocin levels: 60 ng/mL in peripheral blood and 3102 ng/mL in bile. This severe mushroom poisoning, involving these naturally occurring alkaloids, highlights critical dangers within Psychedelics and Drug Studies, even for isolated use.
Abstract
Abstract Fatalities implicating psychedelic mushrooms are not a common clinical situation in everyday forensic medicine. Despite classification as an illegal drug in many countries, psilocybin mushrooms have the reputation of being safe. We report the case of a young man who jumped from a second story balcony under the influence of psilocybin mushrooms. The psilocin assay was performed by gas chromatography coupled to an electron‐impact ionization time‐of‐flight detector ( GC ‐ EI ‐ TOF ) after solid‐phase extraction. Total psilocin was quantified in peripheral and cardiac blood as 60 and 67 ng/ mL , respectively, and in urine (2230 ng/ mL ), bile (3102 ng/ mL ), and vitreous humor (57 ng/ mL ). This case report and review of literature highlights the danger of psilocybin mushrooms. Isolated use of psilocybin mushrooms by a regular consumer without psychiatric history, even under “safe” circumstances, can lead to a fatal outcome.