Neurotropic Effect of Extracts from the Hallucinogenic Mushroom Psilocybe cubensis (Earle) Sing. (Agaricomycetideae). In Vitro Studies
International journal of medicinal mushrooms January 1, 2000 M. G. Moldavan, Elvira F. Solomko, Anna A. Grodzínskaya et al. 3 citations
Extracts from the mushroom Psilocybe cubensis, containing the hallucinogens psilocybin and psilocine, inhibit the electrical activity of pyramidal neurons in the rat hippocampal CA1 region. Of 50 neurons recorded, 73.5% showed inhibition from biomass extract and 81% from fruiting body extract, with inhibition lasting about 4–5 minutes. Excitation was rare, occurring in only 5.9% of neurons with biomass extract and none with fruiting body extract. The serotonin receptor antagonist ritancerin blocked these inhibitory responses in half the cells tested. The extracts also inhibited excitation caused by L-glutamic acid. These results suggest that psilocybin-containing extracts produce a similar inhibition pattern in hippocampal neurons and can suppress glutamate-induced excitation.