A chemical analysis of “magic mushroom” edibles sold in Portland, Oregon, has found that most contain no psilocybin – and instead feature a variety of undisclosed compounds, including caffeine, cannabinoids, kava, and synthetic tryptamines.
The study, published in JAMA Network Open, analyzed 12 products – 11 gummies and one chocolate bar – using dispersive solid-phase extraction followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) with high-resolution mass spectrometry, and tandem mass spectrometry on three different platforms. The analytical workflow enabled detection of both known psychoactive compounds and previously unreported synthetic analogues.
None of the products tested positive for psilocybin, the hallucinogenic compound produced by Psilocybe species, or for muscimol, found in Amanita muscaria. However, eight of the 12 products contained psychoactive constituents not listed on the label. These included synthetic tryptamines such as mipracetin and 4-hydroxy-diethyltryptamine – termed “syndelics” by the authors – alongside ingredients like cannabidiol, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and kavalactones.
“Syndelics represent a rapidly growing area of drug design, where medicinal chemists create novel compounds inspired by known psychedelic agents like psilocybin and LSD,” said the study’s lead author Richard van Breemen in a press release. “Premature exposure to these compounds poses significant public health risks due to unknown pharmacology and toxicity.”
The researchers also identified psilocin – the active metabolite of psilocybin – in three products, but without evidence of its biosynthetic precursors. This pattern suggests possible adulteration with synthetic psilocin rather than natural mushroom extracts.
“For safety, psilocybin products require both analytical standardization and production that follows current Good Manufacturing Practices,” van Breemen added. He emphasized the need for “advances in analytical chemistry… to expose misbranding, to support law enforcement and regulatory agencies, and to assist poison control centers and hospitals as they encounter overdoses caused by unknown compounds.”
The authors call for stronger regulation, improved analytical testing, and better enforcement to protect public health moving forward.
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