Psychedelic fungus (Psilocybe sp.) authentication in a case of illegal drug traffic: sporological, molecular analysis and identification of the psychoactive substance
Science & Justice August 21, 2018 Jaime Solano, Leonardo Anabalón, Sylvia Figueroa et al. 17 citations
More than 200 fungal species worldwide produce hallucinogenic compounds such as psilocybin and psilocin. In Chile, seizures of these fungi typically involve mature specimens or spores, but clandestine laboratories have been found processing fungi at the mycelium stage, where traditional identification is impossible. DNA analysis, specifically real-time PCR and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing, provides a reliable identification method. This paper describes the morphological, chemical, and genetic analysis of mycelia from a clandestine laboratory. Scanning electron microscopy, mass spectrometry, high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis, and ITS sequencing identified the species as Psilocybe cubensis. Mycelia from the evidence and fruiting bodies were genetically indistinguishable.