Pharmacology - Pharmacological workings of Psilocin and Psilocybin

[pharmapsyche]

Pharmacological workings of Psilocin and Psilocybin


Psilocin and Psilocybin are the two main psychoactive compounds found in "magic mushrooms". When chemically speaking Psilocin is an alkaloid and a tryptamine. Psilocin is the pharmacologically active agent in the human body after ingestion of Psilocybin, but still both Psilcoin and Psilocybin have the same pharmacological properties. Psilocybin, also known as 4-phosphoryloxy-N, N-dimethyltryptammine, is known most commonly as a psychedelic alkaloid. Psilocybin is contained in fungi.


Psilocin, which is the active metabolite of Psilocybin, mimicks the action of the neurotransmitter receptor ‘serotonin’, also known as 5-HT. Psilocin has interaction with neurotransmitter receptors on nerve cells within the brain, which is how it begins to act like serotonin. Psilocin is more chemically stable than Psilocybin, because it has a greater molecular weight and also because Psilocybin is far less potent than Psilocin. Psilocin is a post-synaptic serotonin-2a receptor agonist. Hallucinogens such as LSD and mescaline work the same way.


LSD and Psilocybin show a definite cross-tolerance of one another, when taking either one of these substances. The brain promptly develops a tolerance to the drug, which means if taking another dose soon, it will be essential to take a higher quantity of the drug than before to achieve the desired effects.


An active dose for psilocybin ranges from 3 to 30mg’s. Duration for the drug is commonly reported anywhere from 4 to 7 hours. Edited by: pharmapsyche

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good info