PSILOCYBIN MUSHROOMS

The naturally occuring indoles responsible for the hallucinogen properties in some species of mushrooms are psilocybin and psilocin. 12 The use of hallucinogenic mushrooms dates back to the 16th century occuring during the coronation of Montezuma in 1502.8 In 1953, R. G. Wassen and V.P. Wasson were credited with the rediscovery of the ritual of the Indian cultures of Mexico and Central America. 13 They were able to obtain samples of these mushrooms. The identification of the mushrooms as the species Psilocybe is credited to the French mycologist, Roger Heim. 14

Albert Hofmann (the discoverer of lysergic acid diethlamine) and his colleagues at Sandoz laboratories in Switzerland are credited with the isolation and identification of psilocybin (phosphorylated 4-hydroxydimethyltryptamine) and psilocin (4-hydroxydimethyltryptamine).15

Psilocybin was the major component in the mushrooms, and psilocin was found to be a minor component. However, psilocybin is very unstable and is readily metabolized to psilocin in the body. This phonomenon of phosphate cleavage from the psilocybin to form the psilocin occurs quite easily in the forensic science laboratory. This can be a concern in ensuring the specifity of identification.

The availability of the mushroom has existed worldwide wherever proper climactic conditions exist — that means plentiful rainfall. In the U.S., psilcoybib mushrooms are reported to be plentiful in Florida, Hawaii,16 the Pacific Northwest, and Northern California.17 Mushrooms that are analyzed in the forensic science laboratory confirm the fact that the mushrooms spoil easily. The time factor between harvesting the mushrooms and the analysis proves to be the greatest detriment to successfully identifying the psilocybin or pscilocyn. Storage prior to shipment is best accomplished by drying the mushrooms. Entrepreneurs reportedly resort to
storage of mushrooms in honey to preserve the psychedelic properties.18

Progressing through the analytical scheme of separating and isolating the psilocybin and psilocin from the mushroom matrix, cleavage of the phosphate occurs quite easily. Prior to beginning the analysis, drying the mushrooms in a desicator with phosphorous pentoxide ensures a dry starting material. In many instances, the clean-up procedure involves an extraction process carried out through a series of chloroform washes from a basic extract and resolution of the components by TLC.

The spots or, more probably, streaks are then scaped from the plate, separated by a back-extraction, and then analyzed by IR. Direct analysis by GC is very difficult because both psilocybin and psilocin are highly polar and not suitable for direct GC analysis. Derivatization followed by GC/MS is an option except in those instances where the mushrooms have been preserved in sugar.19 With the development and availability of HPLC, the identification and quatitation of psilocybin and psilocyn in mushrooms are becoming more feasible for many forensic science laboratories. 20