|
[print
friendly page]
Psilocybin
& Psilocyn and other Tryptamines
A number of Schedule
I hallucinogenic substances are classified chemically as tryptamines.
Most of these are found in nature but many, if not all, can be produced
synthetically. Psilocybin (O-phosphoryl-4-hydroxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine)
and psilocyn (4-hydroxy-N, N-dimethyltryptamine) are obtained from
certain
mushrooms indigenous to tropical and subtropical regions of South America,
Mexico, and the United States. As pure chemicals at doses of 10 to
20
mg, these hallucinogens produce muscle relaxation, dilation of pupils,
vivid visual and auditory distortions, and emotional disturbances.
However,
the effects produced by consuming preparations of dried or brewed mushrooms
are far less predictable and largely depend on the particular mushrooms
used and the age and preservation of the extract. There are many species
of "magic" mushrooms that contain varying amounts of these tryptamines,
as well as uncertain amounts of other chemicals. As a consequence, the
hallucinogenic activity, as well as the extent of toxicity produced by
various plant samples, are often unknown.
Dimethyltryptamin
(DMT) has a long history of use and is found in a variety of plants and
seeds. It can also be produced synthetically. It is ineffective when taken
orally, unless combined with another drug that inhibits its metabolism.
Generally it is sniffed, smoked, or injected. The effective hallucinogenic
dose in humans is about 50 to 100 mg and lasts for about 45 to 60 minutes.
Because the effects last only about an hour; the experience has been referred
to as a "businessmans trip."
A number of other
hallucinogens have very similar structures and properties to those of
DMT. Diethyltryptamine (DET), for example, is an analogue of DMT and produces
the same pharmacological effects but is somewhat less potent than DMT.
Alpha-ethyltryptamine (AET) is another tryptamine hallucinogen added to
the list of Schedule I hallucinogens in 1994. Bufotenine (5-hydroxy-N-N-dimethyltryptamine)
is a Schedule I substance found in certain mushrooms, seeds, and skin
glands of Bufo toads. In general, most bufotenine preparations from natural
sources are extremely toxic. N,N-Diisopropyl-5-methoxytryptamine (referred
to as Foxy-Methoxy) is an orally active tryptamine recently encountered
in the United States.
|