Psilocybin (also known as psilocybine), is a psychedelic alkaloid of the tryptamine family.

It is present in many species of fungi, including those of the genus Psilocybe, such as Psilocybe cubensis and Psilocybe semilanceata, but also reportedly isolated from a dozen or so other genera.

Psilocybin-containing mushrooms are commonly called magic mushrooms, or simply "shrooms".

Effects of psilocybin are comparable to LSD, but last for a shorter time, although intensity and duration vary depending on dosage, individual physiology, and set and setting.

Psilocybin and psilocin are listed as Schedule I drugs under the United Nations 1971 Convention on Psychotropic Substances.

Schedule I drugs are illicit drugs that are claimed to have no known therapeutic benefit.

For more information about the topic Psychedelic properties, read the full article at Wikipedia.org, or see the following related articles:

Psychedelic drug — Psychedelic drugs are psychoactive drugs whose primary action is to alter the thought processes of the brain. Many psychedelic drugs are thought to ...  > read more

Psychedelic mushroom — Psychedelic mushrooms are fungi that contain psychedelic substances, such as psilocybin, psilocin, or muscimol. The most common colloquial terms for ...  > read more

Alkaloid — An alkaloid is a nitrogenous organic molecule that has a pharmacological effect on humans and animals. The name derives from the word alkaline; ...  > read more

Serotonin — Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, or 5-HT) is a monoamine neurotransmitter synthesised in serotonergic neurons in the central nervous system and ...  > read more

Editor's Note: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

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