Psilocybin mushroom hand.., p.16
Psilocybin Mushroom Handbook, page 16
Higher Doses
We do not recommend doses much beyond 0.5mg/kg, even for the most experienced and intrepid traveler. After this point the law of diminishing returns sets in, and the experience becomes longer and more intense without necessarily being more rewarding.
As we explained in chapter 14, psilocybe alkaloids are extremely benign to human health and it is practically speaking impossible to take an “overdose,” at least one that is physically harmful to human health. If you find you have taken more than you should have, accidentally or otherwise, rest assured that, despite the intensity of the experience, you will surely survive. Even at extremely high doses, the experience will last no longer than 8 hours, with the most intense part over far sooner than that.
Monoamine Oxidase (MAO) Inhibitors and Psilocybe Alkaloids
If you are currently taking monoamine oxidase medications of any kind, you should not ingest psilocybin (or any psychedelics, for that matter.) These drugs are designed to deactivate the human enzyme system responsible for the metabolism of many drugs and common food toxins. With MAO inactive, compounds the body would otherwise degrade can have unpredictable and potentially dangerous effects. If you are taking MAO inhibitors for depression (their most common indication), you will need to wait until you have stopped taking them before experimenting with psilocybin.
Another psychedelic, the Amazonian brew ayahuasca, deliberately combines an MAO inhibitor from the vine Bannisteriopsis caapi with a tryptamine-containing plant to produce its effects. Some clever “psychonauts” have used this model to create a “mycohuasca” by combining Psilocybe mushrooms with B. caapi or other MAO-inhibiting plants, dramatically potentiating and altering their effects. We don’t recommend doing so, but if you decide to experiment with such a thing yourself, please be careful and, as always, do your homework.
Tolerance
When psilocybin is used more than once a week, tolerance generally occurs.The exact causes behind this phenomenon are not well understood, but the overall effect is that the brain becomes temporarily desensitized to a specific drug after each exposure. While tolerance to psilocybin can be overcome by significantly increasing the dose, it is best to simply wait at least a week between voyages to give the brain (as well as your psyche) an opportunity to return to baseline.
Methods of Ingestion
Most people simply chew and swallow the dried mushrooms. For those who find them somewhat less than palatable, it is simple enough to make an extract, since the alkaloids in Psilocybe mushrooms are freely soluble in both ethanol and hot water.
No matter what method of ingestion you use, it is advisable to fast for a least 6 hours before using Psilocybe mushrooms, to minimize indigestion and to maximize absorption of the alkaloids.
Mushroom Tea
Simply make a pot of your favorite herbal tea using one and one-half cups of water per person, preferably using aromatic herbs and spices such as mint, cinnamon, or cloves to help mask the taste of the mushrooms and to calm the stomach. After steeping the tea for 10 minutes or so, pour it into a second pot containing the requisite amount of fresh or dried mushrooms. Cover this and allow to steep for at least one hour, stirring occasionally. Strain and pour into the appropriate number of teacups. The remaining mushroom solids may be eaten, but this is generally not necessary, since most of the alkaloids will have infused into the tea.
High temperatures will rapidly degrade alkaloids, so the steeping liquid should never be allowed to boil once the mushrooms have been added. If the tea is not used immediately, it should be refrigerated. Once prepared, mushroom tea should be used within 48 hours.
Alcohol Extract
For a longer lasting preparation, consider making an extract. Crushed or powdered mushrooms can be soaked in high-proof alcohol (150-proof or greater) such as rum or Everclear, using 25-50 milliliters of alcohol per dose. After soaking for 3 days or longer, the extract can be filtered or decanted and stored for several months or longer without considerable loss of potency.
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CONCLUSION: WHERE TO GO FROM HERE
If you made it to this point in the book, chances are you are eager for more. We know of few people who have gotten a taste of the wonders of mushrooms through the cultivation of Psilocybes and simply left it at that. We have met more than a few mycologists or mushroom cultivators who were initially drawn in with the simple goal of growing a few mushrooms for themselves, only to discover that the experience was just the first step on the path to a lifelong passion for mycology, or even a full-fledged career in the field. There are at least two reasons for this phenomenon. First, as you are now surely aware, cultivating mushrooms is not trivial work, even with the many improvements that have been developed over the years.The skills and discipline that must be practiced in order to succeed at it are too precious to be simply abandoned once a particular goal has been met. Once acquired, such talents naturally demand continued application. Second, the science and behavior of fungi are simply so marvelous and fascinating that it is nearly impossible to avoid being drawn deeper into their world. Like a mycelial colony expanding exponentially through a rich substrate, the mind awakened to the wonders of mycology must continue to explore toward its farthest reaches.
Should you find that this book has awakened your curiosity, we have offered recommendations for further reading in the resources section of the appendix. Psilocybe mushrooms and other gilled Basidiomycetes are but the tip of the iceberg. We suggest exploring the world of edible and medicinal mushroom cultivation next, since it offers many delights. There are a number of edible mushroom species to which the skills described in this book are easily adapted. The common and tasty oyster mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus, is perhaps the ideal beginner’s edible, since it is even easier to grow than Psilocybe cubensis. It fruits quickly and abundantly from nearly any substrate you can throw at it: paper, wood, straw, grains, spent coffee grounds, just about anything containing a moderate amount of cellulose. In addition, its mycelium is so fast growing that it easily outruns competing molds and bacteria, making it one of the most contamination-resistant fungi around. Finally, it is easily cloned onto agar from grocery store-collected specimens.29
Oyster mushrooms fruiting from toilet paper rolls inoculated with grain spawn.
When it comes to using grain as a fruiting substrate, Psilocybe cubensis is the exception rather than the rule. While Pleurotus ostreatus will fruit from grain, it does much better on woody substrates. Other species are more demanding in their nutritional requirements, and they should be thoroughly researched before attempting to grow each of them. Other indoor species for the beginning edible mushroom cultivator to try are Pleurotus pulmonarious (the “Phoenix Oyster”), Hypsizygus ulmarius (the “Elm Oyster”), and Agrocybe aegarita (the “Poplar Mushroom”).
A number of edibles can be grown outdoors using almost exactly the same methods utilized to grow the wood-loving Psilocybes. One of our favorite outdoor-cultivated edibles is Stropharia rugosoannulata (or “Wine-Cap Stropharia,” photo on p. 82). Its fruits are meaty, firm, and delicious and are often produced in great quantities. Much like Psilocybe azurescens, the wine-cap can be grown on a bed of wood chips. It fruits in summer and early fall rather than during the colder months, and sometimes does not fruit until the second full season after planting. Fruits can often be enormous, occasionally weighing as much as a pound each, but they are more flavorful and better textured when picked at the earlier “button” stage, before the cap has expanded and the partial veil has broken. A number of other delectable edible species conform to more or less the same cultivation strategy; additional suggestions include Hypholoma capnoides (the “Smokey Gilled Woodlover”) and Hypholoma sublateritum (the “Brick Cap” or “Cinnamon Cap,” photo on p. 82).
Wine-cap stropharia fruiting from a bed of alder chips cased with peat moss.
Some fungi are “psychedelic” without ever being ingested by humans. Although they are inedible, bioluminescent fungi, species that produce their own light from mycelium and fruitbodies, are a delight to grow and observe. There are at least forty well-documented bioluminescent Basidiomycetes, but perhaps the easiest to grow and most radiant species is Panellus stipticus. Its mycelium and diminutive, oyster-like fruits shed an eerie, warm green light that can be easily seen with the naked eye when viewed in total darkness. Exactly why Panellus and similar fungi luminesce remains a mystery to science, though one theory is that they use light to attract night-flying insects to assist them in spore dispersal.
From tasty edibles to spooky glow-in-the-dark mycelium, the world of mycology offers a nearly endless supply of delights and wonders. We hope that you have enjoyed learning more about these beautiful, fascinating, and truly extraordinary organisms here, and that the Psilocybe mushrooms you grow will impart to you valuable insights about yourself and the world. Wherever your mushroom pursuits lead you next, we wish you safe travels and the best of luck.
A jar of Panellus stipticus mycelium growing (and glowing) on grain.
Appendix A
Quick Reference for Substrate and Casing Recipes
PF Technique Jars
Per ½ pint jar:
40 mL (scant ¼ cup) organic brown rice flour
140 ml (½ cup) vermiculite, plus extra for casing layer
For full instructions, see p. 85.
Malt Yeast Agar (MYA) Medium
22 g agar
12 g light malt extract
1 g yeast extract
¼ tsp organic grain flour (rotate among oats, cornmeal, amaranth, rice,
millet, rye or any other starch or sugar you can think of)
5 g hardwood sawdust or wood fuel pellets
1 L tap water
8mL 3% hydrogen peroxide (optional, added after sterilization & cooling)
For full instructions, see p. 95.
“Anything” Agar Medium
20 g anything
22 g agar
1 L tap water
8 mL 3% H2O2 (optional, added after sterilization & cooling)
For full instructions, see p. 97.
Grain Spawn
For additional information, see p. 110.
30
Casing Soils
For more information, see p. 124.
All formulas are given on a by volume ratio.
Pure Vermiculite
10 parts coarse vermiculite
½ part gypsum (Ca2SO4)
½ part chalk (CaCO3)
Peat Moss Casing
10 parts peat moss
½ part gypsum (Ca2SO4)
½ part chalk (CaCO3)
“50/50” Mix
5 parts peat moss
5 parts coarse vermiculite
½ part gypsum (Ca2SO4)
½ part chalk (CaCO3)
To each of these formulas, you may add ½-teaspoon water crystals per liter or quart of casing soil. Always add these after any optional heat treatment.
Wood-Based Primary Spawn
For more information, see p. 145.
For one standard spawn bag or 6 quart jars:
3 lbs. dry wood chips
or
4 lbs. fresh wood chips
or
3 lbs. birch dowels
Wood-Based Secondary Spawn
For more information, see p. 147.
Per tub:
5 lbs. dried wood chips (or 10 lbs. fresh)
2 lbs. sawdust or fuel pellets, preferably from a harder species such as oak
Wood-based Fruiting Substrate
For more information, see p. 149.
Per 4’ x 4’ x 10” bed:
20-40 pounds dried wood chips (or 30-60 pounds fresh)
10-15 pounds sawdust each 10- to 20-pound container of secondary
spawn prepared
Appendix B
GLOVE BOX & FLOW HOOD PLANS
While hydrogen peroxide will protect your agar and grain cultures from contamination, there are times when it cannot be used, such as when germinating spores on cardboard discs or agar, or transferring cultures onto wood or paper pellets for storage. In these cases, it is necessary to physically, rather than chemically, eliminate contaminants from your cultures and your work area. There are two basic approaches growers use to maintain sterility in the absence of peroxide: a glove box or a laminar flow hood.
CONSTRUCTING A GLOVE BOX
A glove box is essentially a “room within a room,” an enclosed work space large enough to hold your tools and materials, but small enough to easily maintain a relatively sterile interior atmosphere. The inside of the glove box is rendered more or less sterile by wiping down its insides with alcohol and misting the air inside with a dilute bleach solution before use.True glove boxes are completely sealed off from the external environment, and their interiors are accessed by having the operator slide her hands into attached gloves. In our simplified design, the operator simply slides her hands into the box through holes on two of its sides. By keeping hand movements inside the box to a minimum, the chances of contaminants falling into the culture containers remains extremely low. A glove box is a cheap and effective tool for maintaining sterility in any home lab setting.
All you really need to create a glove box is a container large enough to create a suitable workspace, preferably made of materials that are easy to modify and chemically resistant enough to stand wiping down with alcohol before each use. We chose to utilize a cardboard box in our system, since it is both light and collapsible for storage when not in use.
Materials
A clean cardboard box, 2’ x 2’ x 2” (or thereabouts)
1 roll of glossy, white contact paper
1 clear, vinyl shower curtain (or similar sheet of thick completely translu-
cent plastic)
Sticky-backed Velcro tape (10’ or more)
Clear packing tape
1. With a sharp pair of scissors or a utility knife, remove the four top flaps from the box.
2. Cut out a wedge from the box by drawing a line from two corners of the box that are diagonal from one another, meeting at a point halfway down the edge of the corner in between them.The short side you cre ate will be the front of the box, pointing toward you as you work.
3. Line the entire inside surface of the box with contact paper, including the upper faces of all four bottom flaps.
4. Cut two 6-inch circles out of the two adjoining front sides of the box, 3 inches from the bottom and 6 inches back from the front corner.
5. Lay the clear plastic sheeting over the box, and cut it to fit the large opening, leaving at least 3 inches of overlap on all four sides.
6. From the remaining plastic, cut two 8” x 12” squares.
7. Attach the cover to the box by taping it to one of the long rear sides.
8. Use the Velcro tape to attach the plastic top to the box along the other three sides. Be sure to use one continuous strip of tape along each side to create a continuous seal.
9. Attach the squares of vinyl with tape to the box so they hang loosely over each of the armholes. Place a strip of Velcro tape along the bottom edge to secure them when not in use.
10. Use Velcro tape to attach the outer bottom box flaps to the inner ones. The various Velcro attachment points allow the box to be easily flattened when not in use.
Using Your Glove Box
1. Wipe all inside surfaces including the vinyl cover and armhole flaps with an alcohol-soaked paper towel.
2. Close the armhole flaps.
3. Load your prepared materials and tools into the box.The items you are working with should, of course, be more or less sterile at this point.
4. Holding the cover off loosely with one hand, liberally mist the insides of the box with a 10% bleach/water solution31. You should mist it enough that the air within is fully saturated, but not so much that you make a mess of your materials.
5. Seal the top of the box completely, and allow it to sit for 5 minutes or so.
6. Wash your arms and hands thoroughly with soap and water, don your gloves, and wipe down your gloves and forearms with alcohol. (Make sure the alcohol has fully evaporated before you go near any open flames.)
7. Lift the flaps and let them drape over your hands and arms as you access the inside of the box.
8. Work carefully and deliberately, putting your hands only as far into the box as necessary, and avoiding any fast movements.
9. When you have finished your work, carefully seal all containers before opening the cover of the glove box to remove them.
10. A note of caution: If you are using an alcohol lamp inside your glove box, be careful to keep it as far back in the box as possible, to prevent the heat of the flame from melting the vinyl cover.
Laminar Flow Hood
While glove boxes can be useful tools to help minimize contamination in cultures without peroxide, they are not 100% effective, and are limited by their small size. They are perfect for inoculating a single sleeve of Petri dishes or a few grain jars, but become unwieldy and lose efficiency as soon as you try working with larger quantities of materials. A much more effective and versatile tool for these purposes is the laminar flow hood. Composed of a fan that blows a continuous stream of air through a HEPA filter, the flow hood creates a wide sterile zone within which to work.
