Unregulated sales of a poisonous and hallucinogenic mushroom are endangering public health, according to research

Americans’ interest in a potentially harmful “magic mushroom” is soaring, with Google searches skyrocketing 114% between 2022 and 2023, according to a new study from researchers at the University of California San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science. In a paper published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicinethe scientists suggest that the growing market for Amanita muscaria may be fueled in part by emerging clinical research supporting the safety and efficacy of psilocybin as a treatment for depression.

Like psilocybin mushrooms, Amanita muscaria mushrooms produce psychotropic effects. These include a feeling of weightlessness, visual and auditory hypersensitivity, distortion of space, unawareness of time and colored hallucinations. The psychotropic effects are caused by compounds naturally occurring in the mushroom called muscimol and ibotenic acid, its biosynthetic precursor.

However, in addition to being psychotropic, these compounds may also be more toxic than fentanyl, cocaine and PCP, according to the scientists’ review of estimates from published mouse studies. Nevertheless, gummies and chocolates containing these compounds are marketed with health-related claims such as relieving anxiety, depression and other conditions, often making vague references to clinical studies involving psilocybin, which is not as toxic and produces various psychotropic effects.

“There is a lot of interest in the therapeutic potential of psilocybin, and for good reason. But at the same time, a growing industry may be trying to capitalize on this interest by bringing other mushrooms to market. For example, some manufacturers call Amanita muscaria products ‘shroom gummies’ and do not disclose which mushroom they contain, or do not make it clear Amanita muscaria is a different mushroom than psilocybin and has essentially no clinical evidence to support its use as a therapy,” says Eric Leas, Ph.D., MPH , assistant professor at UC San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science and senior author on paper.

Psilocybin and muscimol work in different ways. Psilocybin is an antidepressant that binds primarily to serotonin receptors, activating a neural pathway that mediates happiness and optimism. However, Amanita muscaria is a depressant, similar to alcohol and benzodiazepines, which depress the central nervous system. Leas believes that marketing Amanita muscaria as a psilocybin-like product violates consumers’ right to informed consent.

“There may be some pharmaceutical potential in Amanita muscaria, but muscimol does not have the same effects on the body as psilocybin, so it would likely not have the same treatment options if drugs were ever developed for it. For this reason, it is misleading not to make a clear distinction between muscimol and psilocybin When someone consents to a psychedelic experience, they have the right to know what substance they are taking and to receive accurate information about its potential health benefits and health risks.

False marketing may be made possible by a lack of federal regulation of Amanita muscaria. Under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, psilocybin is a Schedule 1 drug, making its manufacture, distribution, import/export, possession, and use illegal. In 2017, the FDA designated psilocybin as a “breakthrough therapy,” and in 2023, restrictions were loosened to allow drug developers and scientists to conduct clinical trials of psilocybin, including some taking place at UC San Diego. Nevertheless, it remains a Schedule 1 controlled substance and therefore its use outside the context of clinical trials is not permitted.

This is not the case with Amanita muscaria. Although there are several published case studies of hospitalizations and deaths resulting from the consumption of Amanita muscaria, to date it has not been included on a list of controlled substances (except in the state of Louisiana, where sales are restricted). However, it is often marketed as a dietary supplement, products subject to regulation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission.

“We found that many manufacturers are using supplement labeling, including ‘Supplement Facts’ panels,” says Leas. “However, there is a process for bringing a supplement to market, which involves presenting safety data and submitting an application. We cannot find any evidence that any of these manufacturers have gone through this process, and this makes the current products sold in this way illegal.

“If a manufacturer wanted to develop a dietary supplement from Amanita muscaria, in my opinion the application would likely not be approved due to the inherent risks of muscimol and ibotenic acids,” he added. “But right now it’s the ‘Wild West’ and companies are benefiting from delayed enforcement while putting consumers at risk.”

The authors make a number of general recommendations. The most restrictive would be to place Amanita muscaria on the Controlled Substances List, where it can first be assessed for its medical potential and susceptibility to abuse before being widely sold. However, if Amanita muscaria is not placed on a drug schedule, they recommend common sense precautions such as age restrictions, precise dosage standards, child-resistant packaging, and marketing aimed at adults rather than children, all of which are now necessary for the legal sale of recreational cannabis. The authors would also like to see mental health professionals help their patients distinguish between psilocybin and Amanita muscaria.

The authors’ main conclusion is that “companies that make these products are pushing the boundaries of our regulations. They get away with making money until someone tells them they can’t. Given the significant risks associated with using Amanita muscaria products, it is a ‘buyer beware’ marketplace where consumers are at risk and not accurately informed. Now is the time for an initial public health response.

Co-authors include Nora Satybaldiyeva, Wayne Kepner, Kevin H. Yang, Raquel M. Harati, Jamie Corroon and Matthieu Rouffet of UC San Diego.