Auto-SummaryThe post addresses perceived flaws in the "Four Analogs" research paper, arguing that many criticisms stem from misunderstandings of the methodology. The author explains that powdering and homogenizing fungal material was necessary for standardization and that storage improvements don't invalidate the experiment's findings. They highlight a key chart showing potency loss at various temperatures, emphasizing that degradation increases linearly with heat. The author also notes that Psilo-Q test results are less accurate than lab methods like HPLC and mass spectrometry. They cite multiple studies confirming that elevated temperatures degrade psilocybin and its analogs, with no research recommending high-temperature drying or extraction. The post concludes by suggesting vacuum drying as a better alternative to traditional methods.
I love discussing research papers so rest assured I won't find any of your replies confrontational.
If I could address some things people claim are flaws in the "Four Analogs" paper I think I can point out a few things that a lot of people seem to have missed in their reading of the paper.
Firstly, powdering and homogenising the dried fungal material isn't a flaw in the method. It's the only way available to standardise the material across the range of different experiments. Obviously, we can improve on their storage methods at home by using sealed jars rather than plastic bags, removing oxygen from the storage jars, storing under an inert gas, storing in complete darkness etc. but that doesn't negate the results of an experiment where temperature and light were the variables.
They also state that they based their methodology on previous research (which I'll list later) that found that drying the fruits in the dark at room temperature resulted in the highest potency which was why they didn't have to do a dehydration experiment. The best drying method was a laboratory standard that had already been established.
Then there's this chart.
What most people who argue for elevated temperature drying miss is what's written under this chart. It actually shows the potency loss that occurs when dried fungal powder was exposed to the various temperatures for just 30 minutes. And they state that "Degradation of tryptamines was observed at 25°C, 50°C, 75°C, 100°C, 125°C, and 150°C for 30 minutes". And we can see from the chart that degradation is linear and increases with temperature up to a point where a catastrophic loss of potency occurs between 125 and 150C.
Oxygen exposure aside, we know that the alkaloids are more stable as solids than in solution and research into the stability of the alkaloids in solution found exactly the same pattern. Potency degrades in a linear fashion temperature/time. So what ever the form the alkaloids are in, solid or solution, they degrade faster when exposed to higher temperatures.
The other thing I'd gently point out is that Psilo-Q test results can't be compared to the accuracy of HPLC testing and Mass spectrometry under laboratory conditions. The manufacturers state a deviation of error of 10% compared to HPLC testing and differences in the temperature of the solution and agitation and development times can all skew the results.
When I said all the published research concurs that elevated temperatures increase potency losses during the drying process and extractions I was stating a fact because I've read all the published research on the subject. Not a single research paper has ever been published that recommends drying or extracting at elevated temperatures. This is a list of the relevant papers with their pertinent quotes that I've used as source material.
Stability of psilocybin and its four analogs in the biomass of the psychotropic mushroom Psilocybe cubensis.
"Degradation of tryptamines was observed at 25C, 50C, 75C, 100C, 125C, and 150C for 30 min according to the procedure attached in the supporting information."
"The temperature of 25 C was chosen for the extraction as it reached the highest yield of analytes, which is in line with the previously published work."
"To prevent the degradation of fungal tryptamines during sample processing, the most suitable conditions were to dry the fruiting bodies in the dark at room temperature (20-25C)."
Forensic analysis of hallucinogenic mushrooms and khat (Catha edulisForsk) using cation-exchange liquid chromatography
"Drying at room temperature or extraction of fresh fungi obviously led to partial decomposition of the alkaloids so that only about half of the total calculated psilocin content was recovered. Partially, psilocybin seems to be dephosphorylated to psilocin during the procedure. Drying at elevated temperature (60C) is not recommendable since 90% of total calculated psilocin content is decomposed."
Direct Phosphorylation of Psilocin Enables Optimized cGMP Kilogram-Scale Manufacture of Psilocybin.
"With concern for the stability of psilocybin in boiling water for the extended hold times required on large-scale, thermal stability studies on psilocybin in water at 90 °C were per-formed, which demonstrated about 17% hydrolysis of psilocybin back to psilocin after 1 h; at a lower temperature of 70 °C, psilocybin in water was found to hydrolyze to psilocin at a rate of 3–4% per hour."
Optimization through a Box–Behnken Experimental Design of the Microwave-Assisted Extraction of the Psychoactive Compounds in Hallucinogenic Fungi (Psylocibe cubensis).
"Psilocin and psilocybin are known to be thermolabile compounds."
"However, since psilocybin and psilocin are thermolabile compounds, they are prone to suffer thermal degradation when subjected to high temperatures for a prolonged period of time."
"As it can be observed, the optimal temperature obtained concurs with the minimum value studied. Lower temperature levels could not be tested since the extraction equipment used cannot operate under 50 °C."
Magic Mushrooms around the World. A Scientific Journey. Jochen Gartz
"Temperatures over 50°C cause psilocybin to break down into its derivatives. In laboratory settings, mushrooms are usually dried at room temperatures.”
Indole Alkaloids from Psychoactive Mushrooms: Chemical and Pharmacological Potential as Psychotherapeutic Agents.
Table 3. Structure, sources, and extraction methods of some representative mushroom-derived indole alkaloids.
"Dry fungal biomass in the dark and at temperatures below 25 °C."
Extensive Collection of Psychotropic Mushrooms with Determination of Their Tryptamine Alkaloids. 2022.
"The collectors were instructed to dry the mushrooms gently in the air (near a heater or in an air dryer at no more than about 40 °C and promptly sent them to the Forensic Laboratory of Biologically Active Substances in Prague."
Chapter 84 - Assays for Detection of Fungal Hallucinogens Such as Psilocybin and Psilocin.
"Fruit bodies, if dried at temperatures not exceeding 40 °C, maintain high psilocybin content for a long time."
"To avoid psilocybin dephosphorylation, it is recommended not to exceed the temperature of 40 °C during the procedures of drying and extraction."
So the science is clear on the subject.
Have you thought about drying your extracts in a vacuum chamber rather than dehydrating them at elevated temperatures?
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