DESI-MSI-Based Multi-Organ Distribution Mapping of Psilocin in Zebrafish
Molecules June 18, 2026 Mengxuan Dong, Yi Zhang, Manzhu Cao et al.
Psilocybin, a psychedelic drug with reported anxiolytic and antidepressant potential, is rapidly metabolized to its active metabolite psilocin. Behavioral tests in zebrafish exposed to three doses (20, 40, and 80 μM) for 4 hours showed pronounced hyperactivity and disrupted swimming patterns, with significant increases in zone transitions and shuttle frequency. Mass spectrometry imaging revealed that psilocin distributed widely across tissues including eye, brain, heart, liver, and kidney, with marked accumulation in the brain and periportal liver regions. Relative psilocin signal intensity increased dose-dependently, and the dose-dependent increase in both behavioral hyperactivity and brain psilocin levels suggests a consistent relationship with a central site of action. These findings demonstrate the utility of mass spectrometry imaging for studying drug distribution and offer insights into the biological effects and potential risks of psilocybin.