Healthcare (Commonwealth Union) – Researchers are investigating the most effective ways to identify mushroom species as a foundation for a potential drug-checking program.
Psychedelic mushrooms are receiving increased scientific attention, with University of Auckland researchers gathering data to explore a harm-reduction approach through drug testing.
PhD candidate Sam Lasham is leading efforts to examine both the scientific basis and public acceptance of such a service.
Lasham pointed out that their goal is to assess how well a magic mushroom drug-checking system could be put into place to determine the best way to implement it, and—especially for those seeking mental health benefits—help minimize harm and provide guidance on safe use.
His fascination with fungi began during his genetics and botany studies at the University of Otago, where he focused on native mushroom species found in New Zealand.
Lasham pointed out that he worked with environmental DNA extracted from soil samples taken throughout native beech forests in the South Island to map out which species were present and where they were located.
He indicated that much of the research centered on DNA sequencing and a technique known as ‘DNA barcoding,’ which involves using brief genetic markers to accurately identify different species.
Lasham stated that the experience led him to this project, because from a safety standpoint, the top priority is confirming that a mushroom is the correct species—and not a toxic lookalike that could be dangerous.
Around the same period, Lasham developed a concern for the unregulated use of psilocybin mushrooms and the importance of minimizing associated risks. This led to the establishment of Students for Sensible Drug Policy Aotearoa in Dunedin.
Interest has been steadily growing in the possible positive effects of psychedelic mushrooms, with researchers at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, examining microdosing as a tool for improving mental health and boosting creativity.
Researchers of the study pointed out that psychedelic mushrooms are commonly cultivated from spores or gathered in the wild, then processed in different ways to extend their shelf life and intensify their psychoactive properties.
Psilocybin, the primary psychoactive compound, is generally considered low-risk, though mushrooms also contain other substances that can affect the body.
Possible side effects include nausea, vomiting, elevated heart rate, and headaches.
For those collecting mushrooms in the wild, the most significant danger lies in mistakenly harvesting a toxic species that closely resembles a safe one.
“Galerina are the best example of this as they are very similar to Psilocybe subaeruginosa but they contain some of the same toxins (amatoxins) as the death cap mushroom,” explained Lasham.
Numerous accounts have emerged describing a condition known as ‘wood-lovers paralysis,’ which appears to be linked to certain psilocybin mushroom species that grow on decaying wood.
Lasham, who is part of the School of Pharmacy, uses the laboratory to analyze the chemical makeup of various mushroom species.
He is a member of senior lecturer Dr Rhys Ponton’s research team, which holds the only licence in Aotearoa New Zealand permitting drug testing strictly for scientific research.
Lasham indicated that people can bring in their mushroom samples knowing they are legally protected while they carry out a thorough, confidential, and cost-free analysis.
“We can test the samples to make sure they’re not a poisonous species and also to tell them what dose they have got, which will be another innovation that’s not currently being offered in any drug-checking service.”
The scientists are set to conduct interviews and survey people across New Zealand to find out the way mushrooms are being consumed, the sort of mushrooms people are using, the way they are using them and what sort of effects they get.
An advisory group of individuals with the experience of mushroom usage as set to direct how the research is set up, carried out and interpreted.
