Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms contain psilocybin (0.5%–1.5% in dried mushrooms) and psilocin, which have therapeutic potential and are used recreationally. An optimized extraction method using cold methanol with 10% water and kinetic maceration yielded 1.98% psilocybin and 0.10% psilocin. A thin-layer chromatography (TLC) method with Ehrlich's reagent was developed for rapid identification of these tryptamines, suitable for forensic applications.
Pure psilocybin and whole Psilocybe cubensis extract produce distinct behavioral and toxicological effects in male Wistar Han rats. Pure psilocybin decreased conditioned place preference scores at days 1 and 7, indicating aversive or non-reinforcing effects, and reduced exploratory activity. The extract did not significantly alter preference but transiently increased exploratory behavior at day 7. Peripherally, pure psilocybin increased relative liver weight, suggesting hepatic stress, while the extract reduced renal lipid peroxidation, indicating a protective or antioxidant effect likely from other compounds. These differences highlight the importance of matrix effects in psychedelic research.
Both pure psilocybin and a Psilocybe cubensis extract altered the gut microbiota of male Wistar Han rats over two weeks. Fecal samples analyzed by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing showed that microbial community structure shifted away from baseline and control profiles at day 7 and diverged further by day 14. The effect was more pronounced in rats given pure psilocybin than in those given the whole mushroom extract, suggesting the extract's additional compounds may modulate the impact. The results indicate a time-dependent modulation of gut microbiota by both treatments, with differential magnitude between the pure compound and the whole extract.
An aqueous extract of Tagetes lucida aerial parts, a plant used traditionally by Mesoamerican tribes and now recreationally for its psychoactivity, contains phenolic acids, coumarins, and flavonoids, mainly scoparone and herniarin. In human neuroblastoma cells, the extract caused mitochondrial depolarization starting at 250 µg/mL and impaired cell metabolism and membrane integrity at the highest concentration tested (1000 µg/mL). However, when cells were exposed to glutamate, the extract showed neuroprotection at concentrations from 62.5 to 250 µg/mL, counteracting excitotoxic effects. The extract also inhibited acetylcholinesterase and monoamine oxidase A in a concentration-dependent manner, suggesting neuromodulatory properties. These results highlight both neurotoxic and neuroprotective effects, warranting further study.