Homebrewed psilocybin: can new routes for pharmaceutical psilocybin production enable recreational use?
William E. Gibbons, Madeline G. Mckinney, Philip J. O’dell, Brooke A. Bollinger, J. Andrew Jones
Bioengineered 2021 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2021.1987090 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Duration | Less than 2 days |
| Topics | Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Hallucinogen Pharmacology |
| Citations | 8 |
| Key findings | Psilocybin can be produced in biologically relevant quantities (approximately 300 mg/L) using a recombinant E. coli strain in a homebrew-style environment in less than 2 days. |
Abstract
Psilocybin, a drug most commonly recognized as a recreational psychedelic, is quickly gaining attention as a promising therapy for an expanding range of neurological conditions, including depression, anxiety, and addiction. This growing interest has led to many recent advancements in psilocybin synthesis strategies, including multiple in vivo fermentation-based approaches catalyzed by recombinant microorganisms. In this work, we show that psilocybin can be produced in biologically relevant quantities using a recombinant E. coli strain in a homebrew style environment. In less than 2 days, we successfully produced approximately 300 mg/L of psilocybin under simple conditions with easily sourced equipment and supplies. This finding raises the question of how this new technology should be regulated as to not facilitate clandestine biosynthesis efforts, while still enabling advancements in psilocybin synthesis technology for pharmaceutical applications. Here, we present our homebrew results, and suggestions on how to address the regulatory concerns accompanying this new technology.
Comparable studies
Other experimental studies on psilocybin, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psilocybin induces schizophrenia-like psychosis in humans via a serotonin-2 agonist action Healthy human volunteers | 1998 | Experimental study | |
| Validation of the revised Mystical Experience Questionnaire in experimental sessions with psilocybin Participants in controlled laboratory experiments receiving a moderate to high oral... | 2015 | Validation study using pooled data from five laboratory experiments | n = 184 |
| Broadband Cortical Desynchronization Underlies the Human Psychedelic State Healthy human participants | 2013 | Experimental study | |
| Long-term follow-up of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for psychiatric and existential distress in patients with life-threatening cancer Participants with cancer-related psychiatric distress who completed a parent randomized... | 2020 | Long-term within-subjects follow-up analysis | n = 15 |
| Enzymatic Synthesis of Psilocybin | 2017 | Laboratory study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 8
- “Biosynthesis of psilocybin and its nonnatural derivatives by a promiscuous psilocybin synthesis pathway in Escherichia coli” Biotechnology and Bioengineering June 20, 2023
- “In vivo biosynthesis of N,N-dimethyltryptamine, 5-MeO-N,N-dimethyltryptamine, and bufotenine in E. coli” Metabolic Engineering May 23, 2023
- Psilocybin biosynthesis enhancement through gene source optimization. Metabolic Engineering April 16, 2025
- Synthesis and In Vitro Profiling of Psilocin Derivatives: Improved Stability and Synthetic Properties Journal of Medicinal Chemistry March 20, 2025
- “The mushroom was more alive and vibrant”: Patient reports of synthetic versus organic forms of psilocybin Journal of Psychedelic Studies October 29, 2024
and 3 more in the library
Cites 17
- Psilocybin produces substantial and sustained decreases in depression and anxiety in patients with life-threatening cancer: A randomized double-blind trial Journal of Psychopharmacology November 30, 2016
- Pilot Study of Psilocybin Treatment for Anxiety in Patients With Advanced-Stage Cancer Archives of General Psychiatry September 7, 2010
- Psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression: fMRI-measured brain mechanisms. Scientific Reports October 13, 2017
- The abuse potential of medical psilocybin according to the 8 factors of the Controlled Substances Act Neuropharmacology June 5, 2018
- Potential Therapeutic Effects of Psilocybin. Neurotherapeutics July 1, 2017
and 12 more in the library