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‘Dark magic mushrooms’ in Florida found to have ‘remarkable’ double effect if you eat them
Researchers have identified Galerina indica, a mushroom found in Florida, that contains both psilocybin, a psychedelic compound, and amatoxin, a potentially lethal poison. The combination is unusual because the compounds had not previously been found together in one mushroom species, raising questions about how the species acquired them and how they help it survive.
The researchers say the mushroom’s blueing flesh prompted them to test for psilocybin, and chemical analysis confirmed its presence alongside amatoxin. They suggest the psilocybin genes may have arrived through horizontal gene transfer, and that both compounds could deter animals from eating the mushroom. The team did not test its effects on people; amatoxins can cause fatal organ damage, while psilocybin can alter perception and carry other risks.
In short
- A Florida mushroom contains both psilocybin and amatoxin.
- Researchers say the combination is unprecedented in a mushroom species.
- The mushroom’s effects on people were not tested.
Explained simply
Psilocybin is a naturally occurring compound that can alter perception, while amatoxins are poisons that can cause severe, sometimes fatal, organ damage. Mushrooms may contain chemicals that affect animals which eat them, but finding both of these compounds in one species is unusual.
Galerina indica is a mushroom found in Florida. Researchers noticed that its flesh turned blue when damaged, a feature that can occur in mushrooms containing psilocybin, and examined it for chemicals.
The discovery raises questions about how the species acquired the genes that produce psilocybin and what role the compounds play in its survival. The researchers did not test the mushroom’s effects on people, and its amatoxin content makes it dangerous to eat.