Extraction and analysis of indole derivatives from fungal biomass

Abstract

The occurrence and extraction of indole derivatives in six species from four genera of higher fungi were investigated. By using pure methanol for extraction of the mushrooms analysis revealed the highest concentrations of psilocybin and baeocystin. The psilocin content of the species was higher by using aqueous solutions of alcohols than with methanol alone but was an artificial phenomenon caused by enzymatic destruction of psilocybin. The extraction with dilute acetic acid yielded better results than with the water containing alcohols. The simple one-step procedure with methanol for the quantitative extraction is still the safest method to obtain the genuine alkaloids from fungal biomass.

Discovery of a new caerulescent Psilocybe mushroom in Germany: Psilocybe germanica sp.nov.

“…Chemical analyses of the new species were carried out using established methods previously reported in earlier studies. [3,4,8,9] Chemicals and solvents were from Carl Roth (Karlsruhe, Germany) and Sigma-Aldrich (Seelze, Germany). Psilocybin standard was from Merck (Darmstadt, Germany), psilocin was from Sigma-Aldrich and baeocystin was available from previous work following isolation Inocybe aeruginascens Babos.…”

“…[4,14] Briefly, dried, powdered mushrooms (0.1 g) were extracted with methanol (10 mL) for 12 h using a magnetic stirrer at room temperature. Mobile phases used for TLC analysis were n-butanol:acetic acid:water (2:1:1, v/v) (mobile phase 1) (R f psilocybin: 0.28; R f baeocystin: 0.36; R f psilocin: 0.51) and methanol/aqueous ammonia (25%) (100:1.5, v/v) (mobile phase 1) (R f psilocybin: 0.10; R f baeocystin: 0.05: R f psilocin: 0.39).…”

“…Previous investigations in 1994 have shown that the use pure methanol yielded the authentic indole derivatives from dried mushrooms and the use of aqueous solvents resulted in hydrolysis of psilocybin and baeocystin to give psilocin. [4] Conclusion Psilocybe germanica sp.nov. was described as a new taxon from Germany.…”

“…It contained high amounts of psilocybin and baeocystin. This mushroom appears to be [16] 0.34 À 0.98 0.01 À 0.05 0.01 À 0.93 P. cyanescens [17] 0.25 À 0.85 0.01 À 0.03 0.04 À 0.36 P. semilanceata [3,4] 0.19 À 1.34 0.03 À 0.38 nd P. semilanceata [18] 0.55 À 1,96 0,11 À 034 À P. semilanceata [19] 0.41 À 1.41 0.10 À 0.60 traces P. semilanceata [14] 0,91 À 1,05 qualitative nd À 0.02 P. semilanceata [17] 0.05 À 1.70 nd À 0.36 nd À 0.36 P. bohemica [14] 0.25 À 1.14 nd nd À 0.07 P. bohemica [17] 0.28 À 0.80 0.01 À 0.03 nd À 0.02 P. bohemica [20] 0.11 À 1,35 0.01 À 0.03 0.01 À 0.02 P. azurescens [9] 1.17 À the first described species derived from wood chips that contains significant amounts of baeocystin in the absence of psilocin. The novel species was differentiated from other psychoactive taxons such as Psilocybe cyanescens, Psilocybe azurescens and Psilocybe bohemica in combination from features of the stipes and caps.…”

“…[1,2] The species Psilocybe semilanceata (Fr.) Kummer contains comparatively high amounts of psilocybin (around 1% dry weight) and some baeocystin, which is the monomethyl analogue of psilocybin, [3,4] whereas the phenolic compound psilocin is only found in traces in these mushrooms ( Figure 1). This small species usually grows in only scattered patterns on pasture.…”