Psilocybin, the active compound in Psilocybe cubensis extract (PCE), shows antidepressant and anxiety-related effects in mice by potentially interacting with the NMDA glutamate receptor. In experiments, a high dose of PCE (100 mg/kg) altered locomotion and time spent in the center of an open field. Lower doses of PCE (10 or 40 mg/kg) or ketamine (1 mg/kg) alone did not change locomotor activity, but combining these subeffective amounts reduced immobility in forced swimming and tail suspension tests, indicating antidepressant-like effects. These results suggest that psilocybin's interaction with the NMDA receptor may contribute to its antidepressant properties.
A tablet labeled as tramadol 100 mg was found to contain a high concentration of psilocybin, a hallucinogenic compound from certain mushrooms, along with only 60 mg of tramadol. Analysis by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry confirmed the adulteration. Psilocybin is a prodrug of psilocin, which activates serotonin receptors and can cause visual hallucinations, euphoria, and altered cognition. Combining such an adulterant with an opioid like tramadol, especially without known dosages, may intensify dangerous effects. The case highlights the need for drug monitoring and advanced toxicological analysis to address the public health risk of drug adulteration.
A pre-Columbian ceramic mask from the Olmec civilization (1500-400 BCE) depicts a hybrid creature that is half jaguar and half human, with features suggesting enhanced sensory abilities. The jaguar half has a blind eye and a small ear without a hole, while the human half has an anatomically intact eye and a horn-shaped ear with a large hole, symbolizing greater hearing. The human side also has a skull and nose resembling a mushroom cap and stem. These visual and auditory enhancements, interpreted as hallucinations, indicate that the Olmecs documented the effects of psychoactive mushrooms containing psilocybin long before medical texts described them.