Origin of LSD and Psilocybin: Home Sweet Home Both these psychological drugs do not come in handy packages, all gift-wrapped and perfectly ready for the user to high on. Whether it is psilocybin being nicknamed “magic mushroom” or LSD in its natural pure state, it is not the organism itself, but a component that is found inside it and constantly produced as a “weapon” to fend off any predators, mainly herbivores and omnivores (obviously), those that do try to eat it.
For psilocybin, they can be found in the genus Agaricales which include numerous species, listed in following along with the number of organisms per species: genera Psilocybe (117 species), Gymnopilus (13 species), Panaeolus (7 species), Copelandia (12 species), Hypholoma (6 …show more content…
Dating back to medieval times, theses fungi was never seen as a threat by the farmers and were hauled along with the collected wheat and rye, which was later grinded up into flour and used for baking. Under high temperatures and consumption, many people became victims to the frightening disease ergot of rye , back then nicknamed “holy fire” or “St. Anthony’s Fire”;nowadays, the only victims of this disease is seen among animals that consume plants holding the Ergot parasite (Schumann 2005). Although the genus Claviceps has only 50 species under its name, Claviceps purpurea (purple ergot) is the only one presently found on over 200 grass species that are commonly found in temperate regions located among Africa, Asia, Australasia and Oceania, Europe, and the Americas (Toxinology.no 2016). Whichever Claviceps species is brought up and discussed about, all species contain Indole diterpenes, a structurally diverse group of secondary metabolites, and most importantly Ergot alkaloids that have three subclasses: clavines, peptide ergot alkaloids, and simple lysergic acid derivatives (most notably lysergic acid diethyl amide or LSD) (Toxinology.no 2016). Besides the Ergot fungi species, there have been rumors of another plant organism by the name of “Morning Glories” that also produces and contains LSD; however, studies later proved that the seeds located within it instead contained a naturally occurring tryptamine called Lysergic Acid Amide (LSA), which is closely related to LSD in lines of being a “hallucinogen” with very similar effects it causes onto users once when consumed (Azarius
For psilocybin, they can be found in the genus Agaricales which include numerous species, listed in following along with the number of organisms per species: genera Psilocybe (117 species), Gymnopilus (13 species), Panaeolus (7 species), Copelandia (12 species), Hypholoma (6 …show more content…
Dating back to medieval times, theses fungi was never seen as a threat by the farmers and were hauled along with the collected wheat and rye, which was later grinded up into flour and used for baking. Under high temperatures and consumption, many people became victims to the frightening disease ergot of rye , back then nicknamed “holy fire” or “St. Anthony’s Fire”;nowadays, the only victims of this disease is seen among animals that consume plants holding the Ergot parasite (Schumann 2005). Although the genus Claviceps has only 50 species under its name, Claviceps purpurea (purple ergot) is the only one presently found on over 200 grass species that are commonly found in temperate regions located among Africa, Asia, Australasia and Oceania, Europe, and the Americas (Toxinology.no 2016). Whichever Claviceps species is brought up and discussed about, all species contain Indole diterpenes, a structurally diverse group of secondary metabolites, and most importantly Ergot alkaloids that have three subclasses: clavines, peptide ergot alkaloids, and simple lysergic acid derivatives (most notably lysergic acid diethyl amide or LSD) (Toxinology.no 2016). Besides the Ergot fungi species, there have been rumors of another plant organism by the name of “Morning Glories” that also produces and contains LSD; however, studies later proved that the seeds located within it instead contained a naturally occurring tryptamine called Lysergic Acid Amide (LSA), which is closely related to LSD in lines of being a “hallucinogen” with very similar effects it causes onto users once when consumed (Azarius