title: Metabolism of psilocybin and psilocin: clinical and forensic toxicological relevance.
abstract: Psilocybin and psilocin are controlled substances in many countries. These are the two main hallucinogenic compounds of the "magic mushrooms" and both act as agonists or partial agonists at 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)2Asubtype receptors. During the last few years, psilocybin and psilocin have gained therapeutic relevance but considerable physiological variability between individuals that can influence dose-response and toxicological profile has been reported. This review aims to discuss metabolism of psilocybin and psilocin, by presenting all major and minor psychoactive metabolites. Psilocybin is primarily a pro-drug that is dephosphorylated by alkaline phosphatase to active metabolite psilocin. This last is then further metabolized, psilocin-O-glucuronide being the main urinary metabolite with clinical and forensic relevance in diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Sciences, IINFACTS - Institute of Research and Advanced Training in Health Sciences and Technologies , University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS), CESPU, CRL , Gandra , Portugal.|b Department of Biological Sciences, UCIBIO-REQUIMTE, Laboratory of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy , University of Porto , Porto , Portugal.|c Department of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine , University of Porto , Porto , Portugal.
authors.forename: Ricardo Jorge
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Dinis-Oliveira
mesh_terms: D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006801:Humans; D055432:Metabolomics; D011355:Prodrugs / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D011562:Psilocybin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D006213:Hallucinogens; D011355:Prodrugs; D011562:Psilocybin; C009105:psilocin
keywords: Psilocybin; metabolism; metabolomics; psilocin; toxicity; toxicokinetics