Michael Davis
Amanita muscaria, commonly known as fly agaric or fly amanita, is a fungus of the genus Amanita. It is a large white-gilled, white-spotted mushroom with a bright red cap covered with distinctive white warts. The mushroom is native to the forests of the Northern Hemisphere and is now also found in the Southern Hemisphere. It has been used for its medicinal and hallucinogenic properties for hundreds of years. The active ingredient in Amanita muscaria is muscimol, a potent agonist for GABA-A receptors. When muscimol interacts with these receptors, it reduces central nervous system activity, leading to a calming effect. This interaction with GABA receptors gives muscimol its characteristic sedative, hypnotic, depressant, and hallucinogenic psychoactivity.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Other names | agarin, pantherine, 5-(aminomethyl)-1,2-oxazol-3-ol |
| Type of compound | isoxazole alkaloid |
| Receptors activated | GABAA |
| Effects | sedative, hypnotic, depressant, hallucinogenic, antinociceptive, anxiolytic, anticonvulsant, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, stimulant |
| Potential treatments | anxiety, insomnia, neurological disorders, neuropathic pain, schizophrenia, Huntington's disease, migraine, allergies, gingivitis, heartburn, eczema |
| Sources | Amanita muscaria (fly agaric), Amanita pantherina (panther amanita) |
| Toxicity | LD50 in rats is 4.5 mg/kg i.v, 45 mg/kg orally |
| Legality | Not approved as an ingredient in food by the FDA, banned by the FDA for use in food products in December 2024 |
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What You'll Learn
- Muscimol is a potent agonist for ionotropic GABA-A receptors
- It is produced in the Amanita Muscaria and Amanita Pantherina mushrooms
- It has been used medicinally for analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, and stimulant properties
- It is not a classic psychedelic compound
- It is under investigation for its potential to treat anxiety, insomnia, and neurological disorders
Muscimol is a potent agonist for ionotropic GABA-A receptors
Muscimol is a psychoactive isoxazole found in Amanita muscaria and related mushrooms. It is the principal psychoactive constituent of Amanita muscaria and Amanita pantherina. It is produced in the mushrooms along with muscarine, muscazone, and ibotenic acid. Ibotenic acid serves as a prodrug to muscimol, with a small amount likely converting to muscimol after ingestion.
Amanita muscaria, commonly known as fly agaric or fly amanita, is a large white-gilled, white-spotted mushroom featuring a bright red cap covered with distinctive white warts. It is one of the most recognizable fungi in the world. It is native to the Northern Hemisphere's temperate and boreal forests and has now been naturalized in the Southern Hemisphere.
Muscimol has been found to be a potent and selective orthosteric agonist for the GABAA receptor. It mimics the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA and binds to GABAA receptors, activating them and leading to the opening of chloride channels and subsequent hyperpolarization of neurons. This results in decreased neuronal excitability, contributing to a calming effect on the central nervous system (CNS). This modulation is crucial in maintaining the balance between excitatory and inhibitory signals in the brain.
The biochemical properties of muscimol make it a valuable tool for investigating GABAergic mechanisms and studying GABAergic function in the brain. It has been widely used as a ligand to probe GABA receptors and has led to the development of various GABAergic agents. Muscimol is also being investigated for its potential therapeutic benefits, including treating anxiety, insomnia, neurological disorders, and nerve injury-related neuropathic pain.
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It is produced in the Amanita Muscaria and Amanita Pantherina mushrooms
Muscimol is the principal psychoactive constituent of Amanita muscaria and Amanita pantherina. Amanita muscaria, commonly known as the fly agaric or fly amanita, is a large white-gilled, white-spotted mushroom featuring a bright red cap covered with distinctive white warts. It is one of the most recognizable fungi in the world. The active chemicals in this mushroom include muscimol, ibotenic acid, muscarine, and muscazone. The layer just below the skin of the cap contains the highest amount of muscimol, making it the most psychoactive portion.
Amanita pantherina, also known as the Panther Cap, is a visually striking mushroom with a dark brown to slightly reddish-brown cap covered in thick white "scales" or spots. It is closely related to Amanita muscaria, with similar chemical compositions and effects, but is even more potent. The active compounds in Amanita pantherina include ibotenic acid, muscimol, muscazone, and muscarine.
The psychoactive effects of Amanita muscaria and Amanita pantherina are due to the presence of muscimol and ibotenic acid. Muscimol is an isoxazole alkaloid and a potent and selective orthosteric agonist for the GABAA receptor. It mimics the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, activating the GABAA receptor and leading to decreased neuronal excitability. This modulation is crucial in maintaining the balance between excitatory and inhibitory signals in the brain.
The effects of muscimol include an altered sense of hearing and taste, changes to sensory perception, vivid dreams, euphoria, tranquility, muscle relaxation, and reduced anxiety. It has been found to have antinociceptive effects when used in combination with citalopram, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Studies have also shown that muscimol could prevent migraine-like phenotypes, offering new avenues for migraine treatment.
Despite the potential therapeutic benefits of muscimol, it can lead to toxicity and adverse effects at high concentrations. Amanita muscaria and Amanita pantherina are not approved as food ingredients due to their psychoactive and toxic properties. Proper preparation of these mushrooms is essential to avoid unpleasant side effects.
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It has been used medicinally for analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic, and stimulant properties
Amanita muscaria, commonly known as fly agaric or fly amanita, is a mushroom that has been used medicinally for hundreds of years by tribal groups in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, and Russia. It has been used to treat pain, reduce inflammation, reduce anxiety, and stimulate the mind and body.
The active ingredient in Amanita muscaria that is responsible for these medicinal properties is muscimol, a potent and selective orthosteric agonist for the GABAA receptor. By mimicking GABA and binding to GABA-A receptors, muscimol enhances inhibitory neurotransmission, resulting in a calming effect on the central nervous system (CNS). This modulation is crucial in maintaining the balance between excitatory and inhibitory signals in the brain.
Studies have shown that muscimol can be effective in reducing pain and inflammation. For example, a systematic review and meta-analysis of 22 studies found that muscimol reduces neuropathic pain symptoms, with effects beginning within 15 minutes and lasting up to three hours. Additionally, muscimol has been found to have antinociceptive effects when used in combination with citalopram, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.
The calming and anxiolytic effects of muscimol are also well-documented. By enhancing inhibitory neurotransmission, muscimol acts as a CNS depressant, leading to muscle relaxation and a reduction in anxiety. This makes it a promising avenue for the treatment of anxiety disorders and insomnia.
While Amanita muscaria and muscimol have been traditionally used and studied for their medicinal benefits, it is important to note that they are not approved as food ingredients by the FDA due to safety concerns. The FDA has issued warnings and restrictions on the use of Amanita muscaria in edibles and dietary supplements, as it can cause adverse effects and even lead to poisoning or death in some cases.
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It is not a classic psychedelic compound
Amanita muscaria, commonly known as fly agaric or fly amanita, is a fungus of the genus Amanita. It is a large white-spotted mushroom with a bright red cap. The principal psychoactive constituent of Amanita muscaria is muscimol, an isoxazole alkaloid.
Muscimol is not a classic psychedelic compound like psilocybin in magic mushrooms. The two differ in how they work in the body, their effects, and their medical value. Muscimol works through GABA neurotransmitter activation, primarily affecting nervous system function. This results in a calming effect on the central nervous system (CNS). It is a potent GABAA agonist, activating the receptor for the brain's principal inhibitory neurotransmitter, GABA. This leads to a decrease in neuronal excitability, contributing to the overall sedative and relaxing qualities of the compound. At high doses, muscimol's GABA action can cause sensory deprivation, leading to a deep sense of tranquility and an altered perceptive state. However, it does not produce the same intense effects as psilocybin-containing magic mushrooms, such as intricate visual patterns and intense body sensations.
In contrast, psilocybin's chemical structure is similar to the neurotransmitter serotonin. When psilocybin activates serotonin receptors, neural regions process information and communicate differently, affecting mood, cognition, and perception. As a result, psilocybin's psychedelic effects tend to be more intense and entail visual effects, sensory enhancement, and vivid colors and geometric patterns. Some users may also experience spiritual insights.
While muscimol is not a classic psychedelic, it has been found to have medicinal benefits. It is currently being investigated for its potential to treat anxiety, insomnia, and neurological disorders. It has also been shown to reduce neuropathic pain symptoms, with effects lasting up to three hours. Additionally, muscimol exhibits anticonvulsant properties, blocking seizures induced by various agents in animal models without causing significant toxicity at therapeutic doses.
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It is under investigation for its potential to treat anxiety, insomnia, and neurological disorders
Muscimol is the principal psychoactive constituent of Amanita muscaria and Amanita pantherina mushrooms. It is an isoxazole alkaloid and a potent and selective orthosteric agonist for the GABAA receptor. By mimicking the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, muscimol activates these receptors, leading to the opening of chloride channels and subsequent hyperpolarization of neurons. This results in decreased neuronal excitability, contributing to an overall calming effect on the CNS.
This biochemical property of muscimol makes it a valuable tool for investigating GABAergic mechanisms and its potential in treating anxiety, insomnia, and neurological disorders.
Anxiety
Muscimol has been found to reduce anxiety by enhancing inhibitory neurotransmission and acting as a CNS depressant, leading to muscle relaxation. Research on the role of the rat prelimbic cortex indicated that muscimol can influence decision-making processes and cortical activity, which is crucial for understanding cognitive functions and cognitive disorders.
Insomnia
The hallucinogenic psychoactivity of muscimol can promote restorative sleep. Psyched Wellness, for example, is developing a new treatment for insomnia derived from Amanita Muscaria that promotes stress relief, relaxation, and sleep.
Neurological Disorders
Muscimol has been investigated for its potential to treat neurological disorders such as Huntington's disease and chronic schizophrenia. It has also been studied for its anticonvulsant properties and its ability to suppress oxidative stress, autophagy, and apoptosis pathways in cerebral ischemic injury.
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Frequently asked questions
Muscimol is the principal psychoactive constituent of Amanita muscaria and Amanita pantherina. It is also known as agarin or pantherine.
Muscimol is a sedative-hypnotic, depressant, and hallucinogenic psycho-active substance. It can cause sensory deprivation, leaving users with a deep sense of tranquility, a dream-like state of mind, and an altered perceptive state. It is also being investigated for its potential to treat anxiety, insomnia, and neurological disorders.
Muscimol is generally safe and well-tolerated, especially in amounts well below the adverse-effect threshold. However, it is not approved as an ingredient in food and is currently being evaluated by the FDA for its use in dietary supplements.
Unlike psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, muscimol is more sedative and lacks the intense visual effects and spiritual insights commonly associated with classic psychedelics.
