Psilocybin containing mushrooms: a rapidly developing biotechnology industry in the psychiatry, biomedical and nutraceutical fields.
3 Biotech December 1, 2022 Dominique Strauss, Soumya Ghosh, Zurika Murray et al. 13 citations
Hallucinogenic mushrooms have been used by humans for medicinal, recreational, and religious purposes since before recorded history, though they are illegal in most countries. Psilocybin and psilocin, two psychoactive alkaloids naturally produced by these mushrooms, are structurally similar to the neurotransmitter serotonin. Activation of the serotonin system by these compounds can produce temporary changes in the brain, inducing hallucinations and euphoria, and may moderate symptoms of related mental disorders. This review covers the discovery of hallucinogenic mushrooms and their psychoactive compounds, the history of their criminalization and decriminalization, current knowledge of psilocybin and psilocin, and potential applications for human dysfunctions.