ABSTRACT
Histological analysis of the viscera in experimental poisoning with psilocybin-containing mushrooms showed nonspecific changes in all examined organs, presenting as expressed hemocirculatory disorders and intracellular dystrophy. Quantitative histochemical analysis showed appreciable shifts in the activities of enzymes involved in the cytoplasmic and mitochondrial redox processes and of specific enzymes involved in nerve tissue metabolism. This may reflect some features in the direct effects of narcotic alkaloids contained in psilocybin-producing mushrooms.
Subject(s)
Disease Models, Animal , Hallucinogens/poisoning , Psilocybin/poisoning , Viscera/physiopathology , Aggression/drug effects , Analysis of Variance , Animals , Histocytochemistry , Male , Poisoning/metabolism , Poisoning/physiopathology , Rats , Statistics, Nonparametric , Viscera/metabolismABSTRACT
A method for isolating the main components (psilocybin and psilocine) from Psilocybe semilanceata mushrooms, their identification and measurement by thin-layer and gas-liquid chromatography, chromatographic mass-spectrometry, and inverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography is developed.
Subject(s)
Agaricales/chemistry , Forensic Medicine/methods , Hallucinogens/analysis , Psilocybin/analysis , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid/methods , Chromatography, Thin Layer/methods , Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/methods , Psilocybin/analogs & derivativesABSTRACT
Cases involving the investigation of psylocybin-containing mushrooms became more frequent in forensic chemical and criminological expert evaluation in recent years. The authors present the data on the main chemical factors contained in these mushrooms, on the mechanism of their toxic effect, clinical picture of poisoning, and methods of chemical and toxicological analysis.
