Psilocybin mushroom (Psilocybe semilanceata) intoxication with myocardial infarction

CASE REPORT

Intentional intoxication with natural hallucinogenic substances such as hallucinogenic mushrooms continues to be a major problem in the US and Europe, particularly in the harbor complex of northwest Poland (Pomerania). A case is described of Psilocybe intoxication in an 18-year-old man resulting in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, arrhythmia, and myocardial infarction. The indole concentrations of hallucinogenic mushrooms may predict the risk for adverse central nervous system and cardiac toxicity.

Strategies for the capillary electrophoretic separation of indole alkaloids in Psilocybe semilanceata

While the hallucinogenic mushrooms Psilocybe semilanceata have previously been analyzed for the indole alkaloids psilocybin and baeocystin by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) at pH 11.5, the present work focused on the development of an alternative and complementary capillary electrophoretic method for their identification. Owing to their structural similarity and zwitterionic nature, the compounds were difficult to resolve based on different interactions with cationic or anionic micelles. However, while the attempts with micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) were unsuccessful, rapid derivatization with propyl chloroformate and reanalysis by CZE at pH 11.5 was effective to support identification of the two indole alkaloids. Psilocin was difficult to analyze by CZE at pH 11.5 owing to comigration with the electroosmotic flow. For this compound, the pH of the running buffer was reduced to 7.2 to effectively enhance the electrophoretic mobility.

Extraction and analysis of indole derivatives from fungal biomass

The occurrence and extraction of indole derivatives in six species from four genera of higher fungi were investigated. By using pure methanol for extraction of the mushrooms analysis revealed the highest concentrations of psilocybin and baeocystin. The psilocin content of the species was higher by using aqueous solutions of alcohols than with methanol alone but was an artificial phenomenon caused by enzymatic destruction of psilocybin. The extraction with dilute acetic acid yielded better results than with the water containing alcohols. The simple one-step procedure with methanol for the quantitative extraction is still the safest method to obtain the genuine alkaloids from fungal biomass.

An aqueous-organic extraction method for the isolation and identification of psilocin from hallucinogenic mushrooms

A simple aqueous extraction method for the isolation and identification of psilocin from Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms is reported. This method employs a dephosphorylation of the phosphate ester to psilocin, which facilitates a greater product yield and simplifies identification. Psilocin extracted by this method is sufficiently concentrated and free of cocontaminants to allow identification by infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

The occurrence of psilocybin in Gymnopilus species

An accidental case of mushroom poisoning led to the detection of psilocybin in Gymnopilus validipes (Cortinariaceae). This compound was subsequently isolated (0.12% yield) by anion exchange and cellulose chromatography. Eighteen additional species of Gymnopilus were screened by a method capable of detecting 0.0004% psilocybin in dried carpophores. Psilocybin was detected in G. aeruginosus, G. luteus, G. viridans and G. spectabilis. The latter species has been previously reported to be hallucinogenic. This is the first report of psilocybin from this genus.