Conocybe mushrooms

Such alkaloids can be found particularly in the Myristicaceae, Malpighiaceae, Rutaceae, Apocynaceae, Rubiaceae, Loganiaceae, and Convolvulaceae. Such compounds are also found in mushrooms from the genera Conocybe, Panaeolus, Psilocybe, and Stropharia (Agaricaceae), which where used by the Aztecs of pre-Columbian America for their psilocin. 

The main indole alkaloid present in the mushroom Psilocybe mexicana (Agaricaceae). Psilocybin is also present in the mushrooms Stropharia cubensis and Conocybe spp. 

Conocybe cyanopus Tiny Mushrooms of Remarkable Potency 3.7Pluteussalicinus A Little-known Wood-Inhabiting Species... 

CONOCYBE CYANOPUS - TINY MUSHROOMS REMARKABLE POTENCY... 

The Conocybe genus is a member of the Bolbitiaceae family, which is similar to the Coprinaceae, a family of dark-spored mushrooms that includes the Panaeolus species. 

The Conocybe species are very rare in Europe. The mushrooms are hardly ever found among lists of mushroom discoveries from European countries. Aside from Schaffer s discovery, the mushroom was reportedly found or described only twice ( ) within the territory of the former East Germany over the last 60 years (both discoveries were made during the 1980s). However, there are only few mycologists who specialize in the study of the Conocybe genus, due to its lack of attractiveness. 

Even though the mushroom is very rare, I was able to include one picture of Conocybe cyanopus in this book (see Figure 36, p. 57). 1 also had the good fortune to obtain a dried Conocybe cyanopus sample for chemical analysis (see Table 9, p. 56). 

Psilocybin Mushrooms of genus Psilocybe, Conocybe, Panaeolus, and Throughout the world Teonanacatl... 

Psilocybin (4-phosphoryloxy-iV,A -dimethyltryptamine) (9.31) and the parent alcohol, psilocin, were first isolated from the Mexican mushroom Psilocybe mexicana by Hofmann in 1959. Since then these hallucinogenic metabolites have been reported in more than 30 species of this genus and its relatives. The highest concentration (over 0.5% dry weight) of psilocybin has been detected in Conocybe cyanopus and Psilocybe semilanceata. The hallucinogenic properties of these organisms have led to their colloquial name as magic mushrooms . P. semilanceata, which is quite widespread in Europe, is sometimes known as the Liberty Cap. A biosynthetic sequence from tryptophan to psilocybin has been established. 

Alkaloids occur in many other botanical families. Moreover, these alkaloids, derived from L-tryptophan, occur in mushrooms genera Hericium mushrooms (Hericium erinaceum), Psilocybe mushrooms (Psilocybe), Con-ocybe mushrooms (Conocybe), Haymaker s mushrooms (Panaeolus), and Stoparia mushrooms (Stoparia). Hericirine, serotonin, psilocin, and psilocybin are basic alkaloids derived from these mushrooms (Figure 1.19). They... 

Christiansen et al. developed an HPLC method of screening Norwegian mushrooms for the presence of psilocin and psilocybin. The alkaloids were extracted from powdered dried mushrooms with methanol which contained 10% IN ammonium nitrate (Christiansen et al. 1981). The recovery of psilocybin was at least 98%, whereas the recovery of psilocin was not reported. The analytes were separated on an unmodified silica column using an alkaline eluent (Christiansen and Rasmussen 1983). After separation, the effluent was split to UV and FL detectors, and an EC detector was connected downstream of the UV detector. Psilocybin was identified and determined by both UV and FL detection. EC was optimized for psilocin due to its low concentration in the mushroom. The detection limit of psilocin by EC was 100 and 250 times lower than by UV and FL, respectively. Psilocybin gave only a small response by EC, since it is optimally oxidized at a higher potential. By this method, it was found that Conocybe cyanopus and Pluteus salicinus also contained psilocin and psilocybin (Christiansen et al. 1984). 

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