Muscimol, ein pharmakodynamisch wirksamer Stoff aus Amanita muscaria
Helvetica Chimica Acta January 1, 1965 G. F. R. Müller, C. H. Eugster
A substance with strong anesthesia-potentiating effects, named muscimol (C4H6O2N2, melting point 155–156°C), was isolated from the fly agaric mushroom (Amanita muscaria). The substance has a salt-like (betaine) character. Muscimol is not a genuine constituent of the fly agaric but forms during processing from a labile precursor that exhibits similar pharmacological effects. Detection methods using paper chromatography and electrophoresis are described; the compounds react yellow with ninhydrin and blue with Grote's reagent. Phenylheptatrienal is introduced as a sensitive detection reagent for indoles on paper chromatograms.