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. (GABAA)
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 GABAA 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
External links
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.