Natural Products Institute, 6 Belmopan Close, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica; Future Wellness (formerly Field Trip Natural Products), 2 St. George's Close, University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7, Jamaica.
2 papers in the library · 7 citations · publishing 2024-2025
Dried, cultivated Psilocybe cubensis fruiting bodies contained an average of 1.14% psilocybin and psilocin by weight, but batch-to-batch variability led to significant differences in projected dosage, especially for amounts of 3 grams or more. The homogenized biomass showed acceptable levels of microbial, mycotoxin, pesticidal, and heavy metal content, with no significant carcinogenic or other health hazards. Encapsulated biomass stably maintained tryptamine content for 11 months. Standardized, safe biomass suitable for human consumption can be achieved under stringent, aseptic conditions, but each batch should be tested for tryptamine content due to observed variability.
Adding a casing layer of peat moss and vermiculite to Psilocybe cubensis mushroom cultivation roughly quadruples biological efficiency (161.5% vs 40.5% without casing), though it slightly delays fruiting by about two days and reduces total tryptamine content to 0.85%. Combining casing with 5% gypsum supplementation yields the highest harvest (896.6 g per kg of dried substrate), a biological efficiency of 89.6%, and maintains high tryptamine levels (0.95%). These findings offer practical guidance for home and commercial growers aiming to maximize both yield and psychoactive compound production.