Characterization and Identification of an Antimicrobial Compound Psilocybin from Psychedelic Mushroom.
Balakrishnan Karthiyayini, Nalliah Nithya Kalyani, Balakrishnan Gowdhami, Manickam Muthuselvam, Dhanasekaran Dharumadurai
Indian journal of microbiology June 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1007/s12088-024-01396-2 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Psilocybin |
| Topics | Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Minimum inhibitory concentration Psilocybe cubensis Psilocybin psilocybin Mind-altering properties |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key findings | Psilocybin inhibited bacterial growth at 12.5 µg/mL and fungal growth at 6.25 µg/mL. |
Abstract
The antimicrobial compound psilocybin possesses psychoactive properties with therapeutic applications. Psilocybin is the main component naturally present in psychedelic mushrooms and has been utilized in the treatment of depression and neurological disorders. In this study, psychedelic mushrooms were collected from Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu. They underwent solvent extraction using High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) and Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS). Psilocybin, the primary compound, was extracted and evaluated. The extracted psilocybin was then assessed for antimicrobial activity against bacterial and fungal strains using the well diffusion method. Furthermore, HPTLC and LC-MS were employed for the identification of the psilocybin compound. The Rf values of psilocybin were found to be 0.73 and 0.77. Psilocybin inhibited the growth of bacterial and fungal pathogens including Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida tropicalis, and Trichophyton rubrum. The bacterial culture was inhibited at a minimum inhibitory concentration of 12.5 µg/mL, whereas fungal pathogens were inhibited at 6.25 µg/mL. Thus, the findings conclude that in addition to its psychoactive properties, psilocybin could be utilized to develop antimicrobial drugs in future studies with in vivo efficacy and toxicity assays.
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
Cites 16
- Harm potential of magic mushroom use: a review. Regulatory toxicology and pharmacology : RTP April 1, 2011
- Diversity, biology, and history of psilocybin-containing fungi: Suggestions for research and technological development. Fungal biology April 1, 2022
- Morphological and chemical analysis of magic mushrooms in Japan. Forensic Science International December 17, 2003
- Stability of psilocybin and its four analogs in the biomass of the psychotropic mushroom Psilocybe cubensis Drug Testing and Analysis October 29, 2020
- Isolation of Psilocybin From Psilocybe argentipes and Its Determination in Specimens of Some Mushrooms Journal of Natural Products May 1, 1981
and 11 more in the library