Exploring the biocatalysis of psilocybin and other tryptamines: Enzymatic pathways, synthetic strategies, and industrial implications
Biotechnology Progress October 4, 2024 Lucas Henrique Junges, Marcelo Müller‐santos 5 citations
Tryptamines are neurotransmitters and psychoactive compounds found in many organisms. Psilocybin, a tryptamine, shows therapeutic potential for depression and anxiety, but current extraction methods are labor-intensive and costly. Biocatalysis—using enzymes—offers a sustainable alternative for synthesizing psilocybin and related tryptamines. Understanding psilocybin biosynthesis pathways can improve synthetic methods and industrial production. This review highlights biocatalysis's potential to advance tryptamine biosynthesis knowledge and enable high-purity production for therapy and research.