Psilocin

Psilocin
The skeletal formula of 4-HO-DMT.
Chemical Nomenclature
Common names	Psilocin, 4-HO-DMT
Substitutive name	Psilocine, Psilocyn, or Psilotsin
Systematic name	3-[2-(Dimethylamino)ethyl]-4-indolol
Class Membership
Psychoactive class	Psychedelic
Chemical class	Tryptamine
Routes of Administration
Oral Dosage WARNING: Always start with lower doses due to differences between individual body weight, tolerance, metabolism, and personal sensitivity. See responsible use section. DISCLAIMER: PW's dosage information is gathered from users and resources for educational purposes only. It is not a recommendation and should be verified with other sources for accuracy. The dosage below assumes that one is using dried psilocybin mushrooms and not pure psilocin as this is extremely uncommon. If you are using fresh mushrooms simply multiply weight by ten. Threshold 0.15 - 0.25 grams Light 0.25 - 1 grams Common 1 - 3 grams Strong 3 - 6 grams Heavy 6 grams + Duration Onset 15 - 30 minutes Peak 90 - 180 minutes Offset 2 - 6 hours After effects Up to 8 hours

Summary sheet: Psilocin

Psilocin (also known as 4-HO-DMT, psilocine, psilocyn, or psilotsin) is a substituted tryptamine alkaloid and a serotonergic psychedelic drug.

Psilocin is the active component in psilocybin mushrooms in roughly equal amounts along side of its phosphorylated counterpart psilocybin (the pro-drug for psilocin). Its mind-altering effects are highly variable and subjective, resembling those of LSD and DMT.

Chemistry

Psilocin or 4-HO-DMT is a synthetic indole alkaloid molecule of the tryptamine class. Tryptamines share a core structure comprised of a bicylic indole heterocycle attached at R₃ to an amino group via an ethyl side chain. 4-HO-DMT is substituted at R₄ of its indole heterocycle with an hydroxyl (HO) functional group OH−; it also contains two methyl groups CH₃- bound to the terminal amine R_N of its tryptamine backbone (DMT). 4-HO-DMT is the hydroxy analogue of psilocin and the N-substituted methyl homologue of 4-HO-MET.

Pharmacology

Skeletal formula of psilocybin molecule.

The diagram above demonstrates the neural connections associated with sobriety in comparison to being under the influence of psilocybin as demonstrated through the use of MRI scans.

Main article: Serotonergic psychedelic

Psilocin's psychedelic effects are believed to come from its efficacy at the 5-HT_2A receptor as a partial agonist. Unlike LSD, this compound has no significant effect on dopamine receptors and only affects the noradrenergic system at very high dosages. However, the role of these interactions and how they result in the psychedelic experience continues to remain elusive.

Psilocybin

Within psychedelic mushrooms, a compound known as psilocybin is found in roughly equal amounts along side of psilocin and is therefore commonly associated with it. However, this substance is not thought to be active in itself and instead acts as a pro-drug to psilocin within the body via dephosphorylation under strong acidic or alkaline conditions.

Subjective effects

The effects listed below are based upon the subjective effects index and personal experiences of PsychonautWiki contributors. The listed effects will rarely (if ever) occur all at once, but heavier dosages will increase the chances and are more likely to induce a full range of effects.

Physical effects

• Spontaneous tactile sensations - The "body high" of psilocin can be described as a pleasurable, soft and all-encompassing tingling sensation or glow. This maintains a consistent presence that steadily rises with the onset and hits its limit once the peak has been reached. Once the peak of the experience or sensation is reached it can feel incredibly euphoric and tranquil or heavy and immobilizing depending on the dose.
• Tactile enhancement - This effect is less prominent than with that of LSD or 2C-B but is still present and unique in its character. It is repeatedly described as feeling very primitive in its nature often times with the small hairs on the users arms or legs feeling slightly itchy or even ticklish against the skin.
• Sedation - In terms of its effects on the physical energy levels of the tripper; stoning and mildly sedating. This sense of sedation is often accompanied by compulsive yawning though the yawning can also occur later in the experience as well.
• Changes in felt bodily form - This effect is often accompanied by a sense of warmth or unity and usually occurs around the peak of the experience or directly after. Users can feel as if they are physically part of or conjoined with other objects, usually reported as feeling comfortable in its sensations and even peaceful.
• Changes in gravity
• Excessive yawning
• Frequent urination
• Nausea
• Physical euphoria
• Pupil dilation
• Runny nose
• Salivation
• Watery eyes

Cognitive effects

The cognitive effects of psilocin are described by many as extremely relaxing, profound and stoning in style when compared to other commonly used psychedelics such as LSD or 2C-B which tend to be energetic and stimulating. It contains a large number of psychedelic typical and unique cognitive effects.

The most prominent of these typical effects generally include:

• Emotion enhancement - This effect can be described as being more prominent, consistent and profound when compared to other psychedelics such as 2C-B or LSD and often tends to possess and generate a lighthearted bias. This effect is unique for psilocin in how often and clearly it manifests in contrast to other common psychedelics.
• Empathy, love and sociability enhancement - This effect differs from MDMA and other entactogens in that it isn't as central to the experience, feels less forced and more natural and is experienced at a less consistent rate. The sociability enhancement in particular only occurs rarely and it appears to be more so emotional.
• Enhancement and suppression cycles - This can be described as constant waves of extremely stimulated and profound thinking which are spontaneously surpassed in a cyclic fashion by waves of general thought suppression and mental intoxication. These two states seem to switch between each other in a consistent loop once every 20 - 60 minutes.
• Language suppression - Similar to ayahuasca this effect can be described as a perceived inability or general unwillingness to talk aloud despite feeling perfectly capable of formulating coherent thoughts within one's internal narrative. Individuals will at times reach states where they just don't know what to say or they'll feel that vocal syntax though possible is unnecessary in the moment. It is much more common among inexperienced users.
• Addiction suppression
• Analysis enhancement - This effect is consistent in its manifestation and outrospection dominant.
• Catharsis
• Cognitive euphoria
• Conceptual thinking
• Creativity enhancement
• Delusions
• Déjà vu
• Direct communication with the subconscious
• Existential self-realization
• Exposure to inner mechanics of consciousness
• Feelings of eternalism
• Feelings of impending doom
• Feelings of interdependent opposites
• Feelings of predeterminism
• Feelings of self-design
• Immersion enhancement
• Increased music appreciation
• Memory suppression
  • Ego death
• Mindfulness
• Novelty enhancement
• Personal bias suppression
• Rejuvenation
• Simultaneous emotions
• Spirituality enhancement
• Thought connectivity
• Thought organization
• Time distortion
• Unity and interconnectedness
• Wakefulness

Visual effects

Enhancements

• Colour enhancement - In comparison to other psychedelics, this effect can be described as tending to appear more saturated.
• Pattern recognition enhancement
• Visual acuity enhancement

Distortions

• Drifting (Melting, Flowing, Breathing and morphing) - In comparison to other psychedelics, this effect can be described as highly detailed, realistic, slow and smooth in motion and static in appearance.
• After images
• Colour shifting
• Depth perception distortions
• Diffraction
• Environmental orbism
• Perspective distortions - This effect is quite commonly described as tending towards perceiving massive increases in the size of objects and sometimes even the individual. Commonly reported sensations and feelings such as feeling like a giant, often times incredibly tall or perceiving people and objects as much bigger than usual.
• Scenery slicing
• Symmetrical texture repetition
• Tracers
• Visual haze

Geometry

The visual geometry that is present throughout this trip can be described as more similar in appearance to that of 4-AcO-DMT, ayahuasca and 2C-E than LSD or 2C-B. It can be comprehensively described through its variations as intricate in complexity, abstract in form, organic in feel, structured in organization, brightly lit, often times luminous and multicoloured in scheme, glossy in shading, soft in its edges, large in size, slow in speed, smooth in motion, rounded in its corners, non-immersive in depth and consistent in intensity. They have a very "natural" feel to them and at higher dosages are significantly more likely to result in states of Level 8B visual geometry over Level 8A.

Hallucinatory states

Psilocin and its various other forms produce a full range of high level hallucinatory states in a fashion that is more consistent and reproducible than that of many other commonly used psychedelics. These effects generally include:

• Machinescapes
• Transformations
• Internal hallucinations (autonomous entities; settings, sceneries, and landscapes; alterations in perspective and scenarios and plots) - This effect is very consistent in dark environments at appropriately high dosages. They can be comprehensively described through their variations as lucid in believability, interactive in style, new experiences in content, autonomous in controllability, geometry-based in style and almost exclusively of a personal, religious, spiritual, science-fiction, fantasy, surreal, nonsensical, primordial or transcendental nature in their overall theme.
• External hallucinations (autonomous entities; settings, sceneries, and landscapes; alterations in perspective and scenarios and plots) - In comparison with other psychedelics these effects are commonly reported as often being very zany in nature and at times even anthropomorphic in its sensations and effects. Anthropomorphism is a psychological effect that is unique to psilocin in how consistently and regularly it is experienced. This specific effect is usually accompanied with the presence or even sudden appearance of pareidolia. Other common external sensations and hallucinations have been described as being very alien, ethereal, organic and ominous in nature when compared to other psychedelics. Other repeated mythical and "exotic" motifs are also commonly recognized and claimed by some as being part of the quintessential psilocin experience. Common external hallucinations and related sensations on psilocin have been identified as often vaguely or accurately resembling elves, insectoids, highly polished machines, alien technology, flowing rivers, other worlds, megaliths, 4 dimensional "impossible geometry" comparable to that of DMT.
• Shadow people - This unique effect is hard to describe and is continuously regarded as being less rigid as well as less menacing in form when compared to deliriants such as Datura or DPH. With psilocin they usually appear to be fleeting and more calm in contrast to deliriants and is generally recognized as being more in the background and far less psychotomimetic. Setting seems to be the biggest factor in the possible manifestation of this effect.

Auditory effects

• Enhancements
• Hallucinations - In comparison with other common psychedelics this effect is most often associated with hearing or perceiving strange and unknown languages internally, also a consistently reported high frequency whine or continuous blip that is also experienced with DMT. Regularly occurring high dose auditory hallucinations such as giant transforming machines or moving intricate gears are also reported.
• Distortions - Often described as being more garbled in contrast to other psychedelics.

Multi-sensory effects

• Synaesthesia

Antidepressant effects

While further research is needed to establish the utility of psilocin and other psychedelics in treating depression, a pilot study has observed significantly decreased depression scores in terminal cancer patients six months after treatment with psilocybin.

The mechanism behind this is not known as of yet, but researchers have suggested that psilocin's deactivation of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) may be relevant to its antidepressant effects, as the mPFC is known to be elevated in depression and normalized after effective treatment. mPFC hyperactivity has been associated with trait rumination. Another possible factor to psilocin's potential against depression may be that depressed patients with high levels of dysfunctional attitudes were found to have low levels of 5-HT(_2A) agonism.

Psilocybin mushrooms

Psilocybin mushrooms, also known as psychedelic mushrooms, are fungi that contain psychoactive tryptamine indole alkaloids, including psilocybin and psilocin. Multiple colloquial terms are used for psilocybin mushrooms with the most common being shrooms and magic mushrooms.

Psilocybin mushrooms are the most commonly used form of psilocin. They have likely been used since prehistoric times and may have been depicted in rock art. Many cultures have used these mushrooms in religious rites. In modern Western society, they are used recreationally and spiritually for their psychedelic effects.

Dosage

Psilocybin-containing fungi encompass many species with varying potencies and also include truffles and the Panaeolus genus. When using psilocybin mushrooms for oral consumption, the dose varies by strain, but is generally considered to be:

• Light : 0.25 - 1 grams
• Common : 1 - 3 grams
• Strong : 3 - 6 grams
• Heavy : 6 + grams

Species

Some common psilocin/psilocybin containing species include:

Psilocybe Psilocybe semilanceata, also known as the liberty cap. Psilocybe atlantis Psilocybe azurescens Psilocybe brasiliensis Psilocybe caerulescens Psilocybe columbiana Psilocybe cubensis Psilocybe cyanescens Psilocybe galindoi Psilocybe laurae Psilocybe paulensis Psilocybe plutonia Psilocybe semilanceata Psilocybe subaeruginosa Psilocybe tampanensis Psilocybe weraroa Psilocybe wrightii Psilocybe zapotecorum

Panaeolus Panaeolus cyanescens, also known as the pan cyan. Panaeolus africanus Panaeolus campanulatus Panaeolus cinctulus Panaeolus cyanescens Panaeolus subbalteatus Panaeolus venezolanus Gymnopilus Gymnopilus luteofolius Gymnopilus aeruginosus Gymnopilus luteofolius Gymnopilus luteus Gymnopilus purpuratus

Preparation methods

Preparation methods for this compound within our tutorial index include:

• Simple psilocybin mushroom growing technique
• Outdoor mushroom cultivation
• Mushroom chocolates
• Mushroom tea

Toxicity and harm potential

Main article: Responsible use § Hallucinogens

Psilocin is non-addictive, is not known to cause brain damage, and has an extremely low toxicity relative to dose. Similar to other psychedelic drugs, there are relatively few physical side effects associated with acute psilocin exposure. Various studies have shown that in reasonable doses in a careful context, it presents no negative cognitive, psychiatric or toxic physical consequences of any sort.

Lethal dosage

The toxicity of psilocybin and psilocin is extremely low. In rats, the median lethal dose (LD50) of psilocybin when administered orally is 280 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg). Psilocybin comprises approximately 1% of the weight of Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms and so nearly 1.7 kilograms (3.7 lb) of dried mushrooms or 17 kilograms (37 lb) of fresh mushrooms would be required for a 60 kilogram (130 lb) person to reach the 280 mg/kg LD50 value of rats. Based on the results of animal studies, the lethal dose of psilocybin has been extrapolated to be 6 grams, 1000 times greater than the effective dose of 6 milligrams.

It is strongly recommended that one use harm reduction practices when using this drug.

Tolerance and addiction potential

Psilocin is not habit-forming and the desire to use it can actually decrease with use. It is most often self-regulating.

Tolerance to the effects of psilocin are built almost immediately after ingestion. After that, it takes about 3 days for the tolerance to be reduced to half and 7 days to be back at baseline (in the absence of further consumption). Psilocin presents cross-tolerance with all psychedelics, meaning that after the consumption of psilocin all psychedelics will have a reduced effect.

Species Confusion

As psilocin/psilocybin is found in psychedelic mushrooms, there can be some risk in misidentifying mushroom species and accidentally consuming poisonous varieties. This can be avoided by educating oneself in advance on how to properly identify the correct species of mushroom and the potential look alike mushrooms found within one's local area.

Legal issues

The possession and sale of psilocin (including psilocybin and psilocybin-containing mushrooms) is prohibited in most countries.

• Brazil: Psilocybin is illegal, but mushrooms fall under religious use laws.
• British Virgin Isles: The sale of mushrooms is illegal, but possession and consumption is legal.
• Bulgaria: The sale of mushrooms is illegal, but possession and consumption is legal.
• Belgium: Possession and sale of mushrooms have been illegal since 1988.
• Canada: Psilocybin and psilocin are illegal to possess, obtain or produce without a prescription or license as they are Schedule III under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
• Czech Republic: The distribution (including sale) of mushrooms is illegal, but consumption is legal. The possession of over 40 hallucinogenic caps is considered a crime if they contain more than 50mg of psilocin or the corresponding amount of psilocybin. The possession of more than 40g of hallucinogenic mycelium is considered a crime. If these limits are not exceeded, the act is considered a minor offence and a fine of up to 15 thousand CZK may be imposed.
• Cyprus The possession, sale and consumption of mushrooms is illegal.
• Denmark: The possession, growth, sale and consumption of mushrooms is illegal.
• Finland: The possession, growth, sale and consumption of mushrooms is illegal.
• Germany: The possession, growth, sale and consumption of mushrooms is illegal.
• Greece: The possession, growth, sale and consumption of mushrooms is illegal.
• Ireland: The possession, growth, sale and consumption of mushrooms is illegal.
• Japan: The possession, growth, sale and consumption of mushrooms is illegal.
• Latvia: Hallucinogenic mushrooms, psilocin and psilocibyn are Schedule I controlled substances.
• Mexico: The possession, growth, sale and consumption of mushrooms is illegal. Rules are relaxed regarding religious use however.
• The Netherlands: The possession, growth, sale and consumption of mushrooms is illegal. However, due to a legal loophole, psilocybin truffles can be legally possessed, grown, sold and consumed.
• New Zealand: Psilocybin is Class A.
• Norway: Possession, growth, sale and consumption of mushrooms is illegal. Spores, even though not containing psilocybin, are also illegal.
• Turkey: The possession, growth, sale and consumption of mushrooms is illegal.
• UK: According to the 2005 Drugs Act, fresh and prepared psilocybin mushrooms are Class A.
• USA: Psilocybin and psilocin are illegal Schedule I drugs.

Experience reports

Anecdotal reports which describe this compound within our experience index include:

• Experience:1.5 Grams Psilocybe Cubensis
• Experience:2.5g - Swim's first mushroom trip
• Experience:225ug LSD + 9g cubensis - Galactic Melt and the Meverse
• Experience:3.5g psilocybe cubensis - Relinquishing of Material Chains/Fear and Desolation
• Experience:3g - I found god inside of myself
• Experience:4.5g - The Grand Introduction to Beauty and Fear
• Experience:4g - States of unity and interconnectedness
• Experience:5.3g psilocybe cubensis - Dimensional Circumstance and the Fabric of Understanding
• Experience:The Psilohuasca Albino Fox
• Experience:Unknown Dosages: 1 psilocin chocolate, 1 hit LSD; Lawing the Mown
• Experience:Unknown dosage - An omniscient sphere

Additional experience reports can be found here:

• Erowid Experience Vaults: Psilocin

See also

• Responsible use
• Psychedelics
• Tryptamines
• 4-AcO-DMT

External links

• Psilocybin mushrooms (Erowid)
• Psilocybin mushrooms (Wikipedia)
• Psilocybin mushrooms (TripSit)
• Psilocin (TiHKAL)
• Psilocybin mushrooms (Bluelight)
• Psilocybin mushrooms (Disregard Everything I Say)
• Psilocybin mushroom experiences (Erowid)