Return of the Magic Mushroom
Super Mario fans play with them. They are studied by doctors. Around the globe, chefs cook with them. They appear over night, disappear almost as quickly and leave no trace. Mycologists are students of this world. The fungus has been studied as a potential treatment for cancer, PTSD and other psychological disorders. Read more now on Soulcybin
Mushrooms are fungi that grow on the surface of soil or food sources. Myceteae is a separate kingdom from plants because mushrooms do not have chlorophyll.
Some mushrooms can obtain nutrients without photosynthesis by breaking down organic material or feeding on higher plants. Decomposers are also known as these mushrooms. Parasites are another group that attacks and kills living plants. Mycorrhizal fungi are poisonous and edible and can be found near or on the roots of oaks, pines, and firs.
Humans can use mushrooms to heal, nourish, or poison. Few mushrooms are benign. Three of the most popular edible varieties of this “meat of the veggie world” are oysters, morels and chanterelles.
In China, Korea and India, they are widely used in the cuisine. China produces more than half of the mushrooms consumed around the world. The majority of edible mushrooms in our supermarkets are grown on commercial farms, including shiitakes, portobellos and enokis.
Since centuries, Eastern medicine, and especially traditional Chinese medicine, have used mushrooms. Early 1960s studies in the U.S. were done to see if extracts from cancer research could modulate the immune systems and inhibit tumor growth.
Since thousands of years, the natives of Mesoamerica have also been using mushrooms in rituals. Mushrooms were consumed by many cultures in the Americas during religious ceremonies. They were called the “flesh” of the gods by the Aztecs. In Spain and Algeria, cave paintings show ritualized consumption dating back to 9000 years. Psilocybin was suppressed for many years by Christian authorities both on the Atlantic and in Europe.
The article “Seeking the Magic Mushroom”, published in Life Magazine in 1957, sparked the interest of Americans. Albert Hofman, a Swiss-born scientist, discovered that psilocybin, and psilocin were the active compounds found in the “magic” mushrooms the following year. The Harvard Psilocybin Project, led by American psychology Timothy Leary at Harvard University, was created to study the effects on humans.
In the quarter-century that followed, 40,000 people were treated with psilocybin as well as other hallucinogens like LSD and Mescaline. Over 1,000 research papers have been produced. Regulations were introduced by the government after it became aware of the subculture that was adopting this use.
Nixon’s administration began to implement regulations, including the Controlled Substances Act (1970). The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 created five schedules, each with a progressively higher severity level. Psilocybin, marijuana and MDMA were all placed in schedule 1, the most restrictive. Each substance was classified as having “a high potential for abuse, a lack in accepted safety and no current acceptable medical use.”
In the last few years, studies have been conducted to determine if PTSD (post-traumatic disorder) and anxiety can be treated or resolved. In June 2014, 32 human clinical studies registered with the U.S. National Institutes of Health examined whole mushrooms or their extracts for potential effects on various diseases and conditions. Cancer, glaucoma and immune function are among the maladies that have been studied.
Research on the controversial use of psilocybin is a natural chemical found in some mushrooms. The ability of psilocybin to treat psychological disorders like obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), PTSD, and anxiety is still being investigated. In some studies, psilocybin was also shown to be effective at treating alcoholism and cigarette addiction.
Fungus has been a fascination for people for centuries. However, its unknown properties and healing powers may be being discovered. The mushroom may hold the key to long-forgotten mysteries and diseases.