MYCOLab Ai Logo - gold and army green

DNA Authentication and Chemical Analysis of Psilocybe Mushrooms Reveal Widespread Misdeterminations in Fungaria and Inconsistencies in Metabolites

Summary

Researchers examined museum specimens of magic mushrooms and found that many are mislabeled and don’t reliably contain the psychoactive compounds they should. The study shows that psilocybin breaks down unpredictably during storage, and these mushrooms contain thousands of unknown chemical compounds. These findings suggest that current regulations and our understanding of these mushrooms need significant updates.

Background

Psilocybe mushrooms are known for their psychoactive properties and potential therapeutic applications, yet basic information about their diversity, taxonomy, chemistry, and biology remains largely lacking. Museum specimens and public DNA databases contain significant errors in identification and sequence quality that undermine research reliability.

Objective

To evaluate the taxonomic accuracy of Psilocybe specimens in fungaria through DNA barcoding, assess the stability of psilocybin and related alkaloids in preserved specimens over decades, and characterize the metabolomic profile of cultivated P. cubensis.

Results

Approximately 13% of specimens identified as Psilocybe belonged to other genera. Many P. cubensis fungarium specimens showed undetectable or very low psilocybin levels, while P. cyanescens maintained better alkaloid preservation over time. Metabolomic analysis identified 1,465 distinct spectral features, with only 0.2% matching known compounds, including potential bioactive compounds similar to serotonin and antidepressants.

Conclusion

Widespread misidentifications exist in fungarium collections and public databases, psilocybin and psilocin degrade unpredictably in preserved specimens, and P. cubensis contains thousands of largely uncharacterized compounds with potential bioactivity. These findings have significant implications for regulatory policies, research reliability, and therapeutic applications of psilocybin-containing mushrooms.
  • Published in:Applied and Environmental Microbiology,
  • Study Type:Comparative Laboratory Study,
  • Source: PMID: 36445079, DOI: 10.1128/aem.01498-22
Scroll to Top