Pharmacology

Psilocin is responsible for most psychoactive effects in the majority of psychoactive mushroom species. It acts by interaction with neurotransmitter receptors on nerve cells in the brain where it mimicks the action of serotonin (5-hydroxy-tryptamine). Specifically, psilocin is a post-synaptic 5-HT2A receptor agonist. 4-hydroxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine C12H16N2O Psilocybin is usually referred to as being the main psychoactive compund in magic mushrooms - however, it does not produce psychedelic effects and is merely dephosphorylated into psilocin when consumed. Therefore, it is a prodrug. The following three compounds are N-methyl analogues of psilocybin. O-phosphoryl-4-hydroxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine C12H17N2O4P Baeocystin is a demethylated derivative of psilocybin, first isolated from the species Psilocybe baeocystis. O-phosphoryl-4-hydroxy-N-methyltryptamine C11H15N2O4P Norbaeocystin is a minor compound and demethylated analogue of baeocystin. Its activity is undetermined. Norbaeocystin O-phosphoryl-4-hydroxy-tryptamine C10H13N2O4P Aeruginascin is a indoleamine derivative which occurs naturally only within the mushroom Inocybe aeruginascens. It is the N-trimethyl analogue of psilocybin. It is closely related to the frog skin toxin bufotenine (5-hydroxy-dimethyltryptamine), a potent 5-HT3 receptor agonist, and has been found exclusively in Inocybe aeruginascens so far. [1][2][3] O-phosphoryl-4-hydroxy-N,N,N-trimethyltryptamine C13H20N2O4P