Taxonomic Identification of Hallucinogenic Mushrooms Seized on the Illegal Market Using a DNA-Based Approach and LC/MS-MS Determination of Psilocybin and Psilocin
Journal of Analytical & Bioanalytical Techniques – January 01, 2015
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Hallucinogenic mushrooms exhibit diverse concentrations of psychoactive compounds. Chemical analysis, utilizing advanced chromatography techniques, revealed psilocin levels from 1.3 to 2.5% (w/w), highest in the cap and distal stem. Psilocybin, another potent alkaloid, ranged from 0.5 to 1.4%, concentrating in the cap and proximal stem. Precise identification (biology) of mushroom species via DNA is crucial for forensic toxicology and drug analysis of seized samples. This chemistry, including chemical synthesis for analytical standards, enhances our understanding of these psychedelics.
Abstract
The taxonomic identification of mushrooms suspected to contain hallucinogenic active principles was carried out using a DNA-based approach, thus highlighting the usefulness of this approach in the forensic identification of illegal samples also when they are difficult to identify because the morphologic identification is prevented, due to the bad conservation of the vegetable material. To confirm the presence of the illegal active principles, the optimization of a LC/MS-MS method for the qualitativequantitative analysis of psilocin and psilocybin in mushroom samples seized by the judicial authority is described. For the quantitative determination it was necessary to identify and synthesize a proper internal standard (IS, i.e., 5-hydroxy-N,N-diethyltryptamine), endowed with chromatographic features suitable for the analysis of the active principles. LC/MS-MS analysis evidenced that the amount of psilocybin ranged from 0.5 to 1.4% while that of psilocin from 1.3 to 2.5% (w/w), confirming literature data. The concentration of psilocin was higher in the cap and in the distal part of the stem (near to the soil) than in the part of the stem proximal to the cap. On the other hand the concentration of psilocybin was higher in the cap and in the proximal part, being lower in the distal part of the stem.