Psilocin is ultimately detoxified by the MAOs, but unlike most DMTs, it is just naturally more resistant to the MAOs. Psilocybe mushrooms, also called magic mushrooms, have another trick up their sleeves. They produce both the psilocybin and the beta-carbolines — the psychedelic substance and the MAOIs. So, when animals consume these mushrooms, the psilocybin cannot easily be deactivated by their body’s MAOs, thanks to the beta-carbolines that are also in the mix. This biochemical interaction is an example of biological evolution and human cultural evolution both creating the same innovation —
...more
