Global species diversity and distribution of the psychedelic fungal genus Panaeolus

Dominique Strauss; Soumya Ghosh; Zurika Murray; Marieka Gryzenhout

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16338

Global species diversity and distribution of the psychedelic fungal genus Panaeolus

Dominique Strauss, Soumya Ghosh, Zurika Murray, Marieka Gryzenhout

Heliyon May 17, 2023 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16338 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract

Characteristics	Review Peer reviewed
Topics	Psilocybin
Keywords	Dna sequence Hallucinogenic Panaeolus Taxonomy Fungi Psychedelic compounds Species distribution
Citations	7
Key findings	Current scientific data on Panaeolus species biodiversity, geographical distribution, DNA sequence data, and psychedelic potential are insufficient, with significant study still needed to confirm which species are truly psychedelic and what compounds they produce.

Abstract

Psychedelic fungi have received considerable attention recently due to their promising treatment potential of several psychiatric disorders and medical conditions, both in clinical settings but also as a nutraceutical. Besides research, a growing number of companies are developing capacity to conduct research and clinical trials where these fungi and their products can be used, and to provide these fungi to the public market that are rapidly becoming legal across the world. Whereas Psilocybe species are better known as psychedelic fungi, species in Panaeolus are also reputed to contain the psychedelic compound psilocybin and used recreationally. For the novice, there is no contemporary scientific summary of all the species in this genus that are known to be psychedelic, compared to those that are not. The global distribution and species diversity of these brown to white, often inconspicuous mushrooms are also not summarised, nor is it known to what extent DNA sequence data that are needed for identification have been generated for all of the species in this genus. However, psychedelic Panaeolus species are used and moved across the world. This lack of data makes it difficult to regulate bioexploitation and apply law enforcement of these fungi and the compounds they contain, especially seen in the light of the rapid development of the related markets. The aim of this review is to summarise current scientific data and knowledge on the species biodiversity, geographical distribution, extent of sequence data for identification purposes, and the psychedelic potential of species, based on published results. The review revealed where species are mostly known from, while also indicating areas seriously lacking such biodiversity data. A significant degree of study across the world is still needed to confirm which of these species are truly psychedelic and exactly what compounds they can produce.

Comparable studies

Other narrative reviews on psilocybin, most cited first.

Study	Year	Design
Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, mystical experience, and brain network function. General population	2019	Integrative review
The pharmacology of psilocybin	2002	Review
Serotonin research: contributions to understanding psychoses	2008	Review
Psychedelics, Meditation, and Self-Consciousness	2018	Review
The abuse potential of medical psilocybin according to the 8 factors of the Controlled Substances Act	2018	Review

Citations in the library

Cited by 4

Cites 33

and 28 more in the library