Magic Mushrooms- Psilocybin Facts

“Magic Mushrooms.”

Called “Magic” because they were used in ancient Indian rituals, their use today is strictly used to get high.

“Psilocybin is the hallucinogenic principle contained in certain mushrooms,” comments Mary Rieser, Executive Director for Narconon Drug Rehab GA. “These mushrooms have been used in native rituals for thousands of years, and are generally grown in Mexico and Central America and. Hallucinogenic compounds in the form of, or extracted from, plants and mushrooms have been used for centuries.

“Despite their ‘mystical’ properties, there is nothing ‘magic’ about psilocybin or its effects. Besides the risk of taking a mushroom that may be poisonous, other contaminants, bacteria, and ingredients may be deadly, not to mention the negative mental effects such as depression that can ensue after taking them.”

Psilocybin (4-phosphoryloxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine) is obtained from certain types of “magic” mushrooms that are indigenous to tropical and subtropical regions of South America, Mexico, and the United States. These mushrooms typically contain less than 0.5 percent psilocybin plus trace amounts of psilocin, another hallucinogenic substance.
 
How is Psilocybin Abused?

The effects of ‘magic mushrooms’ are highly variable and characteristically unreliable; different effects are produced in different people at different times. This is mainly due to the significant variations in amount and composition of active compounds, particularly in mushrooms. Because of their unpredictable nature, the use of magic mushrooms can be particularly dangerous.

Mushrooms containing psilocybin are available fresh or dried and are typically taken orally. The active psilocin (4-hydroxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine) and psilocybin (4-phosphoryloxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine) cannot be inactivated by cooking or freezing preparations. Thus, they may also be brewed as a tea or added to other foods to mask their bitter flavor. The effects of psilocybin, which appear within 20 minutes of ingestion, last approximately 6 hours.

How do Magic Mushrooms Affect the Brain?

Magic mushrooms cause hallucinations, which are profound distortions in a person’s perception of reality. Under the influence of hallucinogens, people see images, hear sounds, and feel sensations that seem real but do not exist. Some hallucinogens also produce rapid, intense emotional swings. Distributed throughout the brain and spinal cord, the serotonin system is involved in the control of behavioral, perceptual, and regulatory systems, including mood, hunger, body temperature, sexual behavior, muscle control, and sensory perception.

There have been no properly controlled research studies on the specific effects of these drugs on the human brain, but smaller studies and several case reports have been published documenting some of the effects associated with the use of hallucinogens:

The active compounds in “magic” mushrooms have LSD-like properties and produce alterations of autonomic function, motor reflexes, behavior, and perception. The psychological consequences of psilocybin use include hallucinations, an altered perception of time, and an inability to discern fantasy from reality. Panic reactions and psychosis also may occur, particularly if a user ingests a large dose. Long-term effects such as flashbacks, risk of psychiatric illness, impaired memory, and tolerance have all been described in case reports.

What Other Adverse Effects do Magic Mushrooms Have on Health?

Unpleasant adverse effects as a result of the use of hallucinogens are not uncommon—one of the reasons is that there are often a large number of psychoactive ingredients in any single source of hallucinogen.

Psilocybin can produce muscle relaxation or weakness, ataxia, excessive pupil dilation, nausea, vomiting, and drowsiness. Individuals who abuse psilocybin mushrooms also risk poisoning if one of the many existing varieties of poisonous mushrooms is incorrectly identified as a psilocybin mushroom.

How Widespread is the Abuse of Magic Mushrooms?

According to the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), there were 1.1 million persons aged 12 or older in 2006 who reported they had used hallucinogens for the first time within the past 12 months.

It is difficult to gauge the extent of use of these hallucinogens because most data sources that quantify drug use exclude these drugs. The Monitoring the Future survey reported in 2007 that 7.7 percent of high school seniors had used hallucinogens other than LSD—a group that includes peyote, psilocybin, and others—at least once in their lifetime. Past-year use was reported to be 4.8 percent.

Source: NIDA

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