psilocybin: A hallucinogen, similarin effect to psimescaline, found incertain species of mushroom. It is accompaniedby a related, more active,compound psilocin. Both are classifiedas class A drugs in the UK. Theycan be detected by the Marquis testor the Froehde test.
Psilocybin is the phosphoric acid ester of psilocin and appearsto be converted to psilocin as the active species invivo. It occurs in a mushroom, Psilocybe mexicana. Bothdrugs are active orally, with a short duration of action.
Synthetic α-methyl–substituted relatives have a muchlonger duration of action and enhanced oral potency.Thissuggests that psilocin is metabolized by MAOs.
