Chemistry - A European Journal
April 9, 2025
Tim Schäfer, Thomas Krüger, Jakob Worbs et al.
2 citations
Abstract Advanced clinical trials investigate the Psilocybe magic mushroom natural product psilocybin as a treatment against major depressive disorder. Currently, synthetic material is used to meet the demand for legitimate pharmaceutical purposes. Here, we report an in vitro approach to biocatalytically produce psilocybin on a solid‐phase matrix charged with five covalently bound biosynthetic...
Chemistry - A European Journal
June 1, 2021
Claudius Lenz, Sebastian Dörner, Alexander M. Sherwood et al.
19 citations
Abstract Psilocin ( 1 ) is the dephosphorylated and psychotropic metabolite of the mushroom natural product psilocybin. Oxidation of the phenolic hydroxy group at the C‐4 position of 1 results in formation of oligomeric indoloquinoid chromophores responsible for the iconic blueing of bruised psilocybin‐producing mushrooms. Based on previous NMR experiments, the hypothesis included that the...
Chemistry - A European Journal
February 26, 2020
Janis Fricke, Robert B. Kargbo, Lars Regestein et al.
48 citations
Abstract Psilocybin, the principal indole alkaloid of Psilocybe mushrooms, is currently undergoing clinical trials as a medication against treatment‐resistant depression and major depressive disorder. The psilocybin supply for pharmaceutical purposes is met by synthetic chemistry. We replaced the problematic phosphorylation step during synthesis with the mushroom kinase PsiK. This enzyme was...
Chemistry - A European Journal
November 14, 2019
Felix Blei, Sebastian Dörner, Janis Fricke et al.
80 citations
Abstract The psychotropic effects of Psilocybe “magic” mushrooms are caused by the l ‐tryptophan‐derived alkaloid psilocybin. Despite their significance, the secondary metabolome of these fungi is poorly understood in general. Our analysis of four Psilocybe species identified harmane, harmine, and a range of other l ‐tryptophan‐derived β‐carbolines as their natural products, which was confirmed...
Chemistry - A European Journal
July 16, 2018
Janis Fricke, Claudius Lenz, Jonas Wick et al.
52 citations
Abstract The fungal genus Psilocybe and other genera comprise numerous mushroom species that biosynthesize psilocybin (4‐phosphoryloxy‐ N , N ‐dimethyltryptamine). It represents the prodrug to its dephosphorylated psychotropic analogue, psilocin. The colloquial term “magic mushrooms” for these fungi alludes to their hallucinogenic effects and to their use as recreational drugs. However,...
Chemistry - A European Journal
May 11, 2018
Felix Blei, Florian Baldeweg, Janis Fricke et al.
51 citations
Abstract Psilocybin (4‐phosphoryloxy‐ N , N ‐dimethyltryptamine) is the main alkaloid of the fungal genus Psilocybe , the so‐called “magic mushrooms.” The pharmaceutical interest in this psychotropic natural product as a future medication to treat depression and anxiety is strongly re‐emerging. Here, we present an enhanced enzymatic route of psilocybin production by adding TrpB, the tryptophan...