Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Tryptamines Found in Hallucinogenic Mushrooms: Norbaeocystin, Baeocystin, Norpsilocin, and Aeruginascin

Abstract

A general synthetic method was developed to access known tryptamine natural products present in psilocybin-producing mushrooms. <i>In vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i> experiments were then conducted to inform speculations on the psychoactive properties, or lack thereof, of the natural products. In animal models, psychedelic activity by baeocystin alone was not evident using the mouse head twitch response assay, despite its putative dephosphorylated metabolite, norpsilocin, possessing potent agonist activity at the 5-HT_2A receptor.