Taxonomic Identification of Hallucinogenic Mushrooms Seized on the Illegal Market Using a DNA-Based Approach and LC/MS-MS Determination of Psilocybin and Psilocin
Articolo
Data di Pubblicazione:
2015
Citazione:
Taxonomic Identification of Hallucinogenic Mushrooms Seized on the Illegal Market Using a DNA-Based Approach and LC/MS-MS Determination of Psilocybin and Psilocin / V. Gambaro, G. Roda, G.L. Visconti, S. Arnoldi, E. Casagni, C. Ceravolo, L. Dell’Acqua, F. Farè, C. Rusconi, L. Tamborini, S. Arioli, D. Mora. - In: JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL & BIOANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES. - ISSN 2155-9872. - 6:6(2015 Sep), pp. 1000277.1-1000277.6. [10.4172/2155-9872.1000277]
Abstract:
The taxonomic identification of mushrooms suspected to contain hallucinogenic active principles was carried out
using a DNA-based approach, thus highlighting the usefulness of this approach in the forensic identification of illegal
samples also when they are difficult to identify because the morphologic identification is prevented, due to the bad
conservation of the vegetable material.
To confirm the presence of the illegal active principles, the optimization of a LC/MS-MS method for the qualitativequantitative
analysis of psilocin and psilocybin in mushroom samples seized by the judicial authority is described.
For the quantitative determination it was necessary to identify and synthesize a proper internal standard (IS, i.e.,
5-hydroxy-N,N-diethyltryptamine), endowed with chromatographic features suitable for the analysis of the active
principles. LC/MS-MS analysis evidenced that the amount of psilocybin ranged from 0.5 to 1.4% while that of psilocin
from 1.3 to 2.5% (w/w), confirming literature data. The concentration of psilocin was higher in the cap and in the distal
part of the stem (near to the soil) than in the part of the stem proximal to the cap. On the other hand the concentration
of psilocybin was higher in the cap and in the proximal part, being lower in the distal part of the stem.
Tipologia IRIS:
01 - Articolo su periodico
Keywords:
Psilocybin; Psilocin; Hallucinogenic mushrooms; DNAbased identification; LC/MS-MS
Elenco autori:
V. Gambaro, G. Roda, G.L. Visconti, S. Arnoldi, E. Casagni, C. Ceravolo, L. Dell’Acqua, F. Farè, C. Rusconi, L. Tamborini, S. Arioli, D. Mora
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