The Analysis of Psilocybin and Psilocin from Fungi
Analytical techniques in the sciences – March 28, 2003
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Accurately identifying psilocybin-containing fungi, vital for psychedelics and drug studies, demands sophisticated techniques. Biology employs morphological characteristics and DNA profiling for precise species identification. Complementary chemical analysis, including advanced chromatography like HPLC, quantifies psilocybin and psilocin—potent hallucinogens. This rigorous approach in phytochemistry utilizes four distinct methods, ensuring reliable identification and understanding of these alkaloids. Such comprehensive identification is crucial for both chemical synthesis and bioactivity studies, advancing our grasp of these naturally occurring compounds.
Abstract
This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Identification of Psilocybin- and Psilocin-containing Mushrooms Identification of Fungal Species from Morphological Characteristics Identification of Psilocin and Psilocybin Using Chemical Analysis Quantification of Psilocin and Psilocybin by HPLC The Identification of Psilocybin- and Psilocin-containing Fungi Using DNA Profiling References