Muscimol

Muscimol
Chemical name	5-(Aminomethyl)-3(2H)-isoxazolone
Chemical formula	C4H6N2O2
Molecular mass	114.10 g/mol
Melting Point	184-185°C
Solubility	Very soluble in water or methanol, slightly soluble in 100% ethanol
CAS number	18174-72-6
SMILES	NCc1cc(O)no1

Muscimol (agarin, pantherine) is the major psychoactive alkaloid present in many mushrooms of the Amanita genus. Unlike psilocybin, a tryptamine, muscimol is a potent, selective agonist for one of the brain's primary neurotransmitters. (GABA_A)

Chemistry

Muscimol is the product of the decarboxylation or drying of ibotenic acid.

Biology

Muscimol is produced naturally in the mushrooms Amanita muscaria, Amanita pantherina, and Amanita gemmata, along with muscarine, muscazone, and ibotenic acid. It is thought that, in A. muscaria, the layer just below the skin of the cap contains the highest amount of muscimol, and is therefore the most psychoactive portion.

Pharmacology

Muscimol is a potent GABA_A agonist, which is a receptor for the brain's major inhibitory neurotransmitter, GABA. The primary use for muscimol has become lab research of this chemical. When muscimol is administered to the brain, has been shown active in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum.
When used in vivo, muscimol will pass through the human body, and be excreted in the subject's urine.
The psychoactive dose of muscimol is 15-20mg.

See also

• Psychedelic drug
• Psychoactive drug

External links

• Psychoactive Amanitas on Erowid

References

• Merck Index, 12th Edition
• Ito Y, Segawa K, Fukuda H. 1995 "Functional diversity of GABAA receptor ligand-gated chloride channels in rat synaptoneurosomes" Synapse 19(3):188-96.
• Rätsch, Christian. (1998). The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants. Rochester, VT: Park Street Press.