John Miller
N,N-Dimethyltryptamine, commonly known as DMT, is a naturally occurring psychedelic that has been used for thousands of years in various forms. DMT is present in certain plants, such as Psychotria Viridis, and is also found in fungi, giving rise to the term magic mushrooms. While the oral consumption of DMT has no effect due to the breakdown by stomach enzymes, when combined with other plants, such as the Banisteriopsis Caapi vine in ayahuasca, it can induce powerful hallucinations and spiritual experiences. Psilocybe Cubensis, Psilocybe Cyanescens, and Psilocybe Mexicana are some of the mushroom species known to contain DMT, with the compound psilocybin being responsible for their psychedelic effects.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Mushrooms Containing DMT | Psilocybe Mexicana, Psilocybe cubensis, Psilocybe cyanescens, and other species in the genus Psilocybe, Panaeolus, Conocybe, Gymnopilus, Stropharia, Pluteus, and Panaeolina |
| First Isolated From | Psilocybe Mexicana by Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann in 1957 |
| Effects | Hallucinations, heightened perception, imagery, complex hallucinations, distortions of time, greater self-awareness, vivid images, intense sounds |
| Duration of Effects | Less than 20 minutes |
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What You'll Learn
Psilocybe cubensis
The species was first described in 1906 as Stropharia cubensis by American mycologist Franklin Sumner Earle in Cuba. In 1907, it was identified as Naematoloma caerulescens in Tonkin (now Vietnam) by French pharmacist and mycologist Narcisse Théophile Patouillard. In 1941, it was called Stropharia cyanescens by William Alphonso Murrill near Gainesville in Florida. German-born mycologist Rolf Singer moved the species into the genus Psilocybe in 1949, giving it the binomial name Psilocybe cubensis. Singer divided P. cubensis into three varieties: the nominate, which usually had a brownish cap, Murrill's cyanescens from Florida, which generally had a pale cap, and var caerulascens from Indochina with a more yellowish cap.
Along with other fungi that grow on cow dung, Psilocybe cubensis has a symbiotic relationship with cattle egrets (Bubulcus ibis). Cattle egrets typically walk alongside cattle, preying on insects; they track through spore-laden vegetation and cow dung and transfer the spores to suitable habitats, often thousands of miles away during migration activities. This type of spore dispersal is known as zoochory, and it enables a parent species to propagate over a much greater range than it could achieve alone.
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Psilocybe cyanescens
The mushrooms have a hygrophanous pileus (cap) that is caramel to chestnut-brown when moist, fading to pale buff or slightly yellowish when dried. Caps generally measure between 1.5 and 5 cm across and are normally distinctly wavy in maturity. The color of the cap is rare and is seldom seen in mushrooms outside of the P. cyanescens species complex. Most parts of the mushroom, including the cap and gills, can stain blue when touched or disturbed due to the oxidation of psilocin.
Psilocybin-containing mushrooms have been used since ancient times for their mind-altering and therapeutic properties. Recent studies have investigated the effects of Psilocybe cyanescens mushroom extracts on endothelin-1-induced hypertrophy and TNF-α-induced cell injury in H9C2 cardiomyocytes. The results suggest that the mushroom extracts did not aggravate pathological hypertrophy and protected against TNF-α-induced injury and cell death at the concentrations used. These findings support the medicinal safe use of Psilocybe cyanescens mushrooms under controlled conditions.
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Psilocybe mexicana
The active principles in Psilocybe mexicana are psilocybin and psilocin, which were first isolated and named by Dr. Albert Hofmann in 1957. Psilocybin and psilocin exhibit affinity for a range of serotonin receptors and have chemical compositions and activities similar to LSD.
The physical characteristics of Psilocybe mexicana include a cap that is 0.5 to 2 cm in diameter, conic to campanulate or subumbonate, and often with a slight papilla. The cap colour varies from ocherous to brown or beige to straw, sometimes with bluish or greenish tones, and it easily turns blue when injured. The gills are adnate or adnexed, grey to purple-brown with whitish edges. The stipe is 4 to 10 cm tall and 1 to 2 mm thick, hollow, and straw-coloured to brownish or reddish-brown, darkening where injured.
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Psilocybe Mexicana
The active psychedelic compounds in Psilocybe mexicana are psilocybin and psilocin, which were first isolated and named by Dr. Albert Hofmann in 1957. Psilocybin and psilocin are chemically similar to DMT, with psilocybin being a derivative of psilocin and both exhibiting affinity for a range of serotonin receptors. While DMT is a naturally occurring psychedelic that has been consumed by humans for centuries, it is typically derived from plant sources rather than mushrooms. However, it is important to note that mushrooms containing psilocybin, such as Psilocybe mexicana, can produce psychedelic effects similar to those of DMT.
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Ayahuasca
The use of ayahuasca has been associated with the traditional practices of indigenous people in the Amazon and Orinoco basins, particularly in the North-Western Amazon region. Ayahuasca is known to produce intense psychological and spiritual experiences, with potential therapeutic effects. Its psychoactive effects primarily result from DMT, which is rendered orally active by harmala alkaloids in B. caapi. These harmala alkaloids act as reversible inhibitors of monamine oxidase, while B. caapi and its β-carbolines also exhibit independent contributions to ayahuasca's effects, acting on serotonin and benzodiazepine receptors. Systematic reviews indicate that ayahuasca has strong antidepressant and anxiolytic effects when used in a controlled environment, although it may also cause unpleasant side effects such as nausea and vomiting. Higher doses of ayahuasca or harmala alkaloids may increase risks.
While DMT is internationally classified as a controlled substance, the plants containing it, including those used to make ayahuasca, are not regulated under international law. This has led to varied national policies regarding ayahuasca use, ranging from permitting religious use to imposing bans or decriminalization. In the late 20th century, ayahuasca use expanded beyond South America to other parts of the world, including Europe and North America. This expansion has sparked controversies over intellectual property rights and the cultural and religious significance of traditional indigenous knowledge.
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Frequently asked questions
Psilocybin mushrooms, also known as "magic mushrooms", contain DMT.
Psilocybe Mexicana.
Yes, several other species of mushrooms in the genus Psilocybe also contain DMT, including Psilocybe cubensis and Psilocybe cyanescens.
Yes, DMT is also found in the plant Psychotria viridis, known in Mexico as chacruna.
DMT is a hallucinogenic compound that can cause hallucinations, vivid images, intense sounds, and greater self-awareness.
