Psychedelic mushrooms: Their history, biology, growing methods, medical uses, and biotechnology

Psychedelic mushrooms containing psilocybin may have therapeutic potential for treating neurological and psychiatric disorders.

• Traditional uses of psychedelic mushrooms are discussed alongside emerging research trends.
• Knowledge gaps exist in the diversity and distribution of psilocybin-containing mushrooms.
• Technologies for quantifying tryptamines and related metabolites are outlined.
• Current understanding of how psilocybin and related compounds are metabolized in humans is summarized.
• Both beneficial and hazardous health implications of psilocybin use are identified.
• Opportunities for using biotechnology and machine learning to modify metabolite profiles are explored.

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