[Itsgotatail]

I've had psilocybe extracts clean enough that a sufficient (strong) dose was less than 0.25cc of tincture. Extracted from mycellium, not fruited bodies (mushrooms). It takes more than a simple alcohol/solvent extraction to make something very potent like this and not just purple sludge. I believe they did an acid-base extraction and had to go back and forth from base to salt form several times, similar to DMT. Still, this will pull ALL of the alkaloids together (psilocin, psilocybin, baeocystin, norbaeocystin and others). Separating them from each other would likely require chromotography or something. Something similar is done with San Pedro cactus to make what they call "Pan Pedro crystals" as they contain about 1/2 mescaline and 1/2 other alkaloids but will still crystalize into beautiful formations. Separated from the other alkaloids, mescaline sulfate crystals are very striking. Long needles just 1/16" wide by 1-2" long. But actual crystals of psilocin/psilocybin would be very difficult. Psilocybin isn't very stable and wants to break down into psilocin in the presence of heat/air.

[G.O. Joe]

The article Shulgin mentions can also be interpreted as enzymatic breakdown of psilocybin by the water in the solvent - producing the psilocin. It's a lot like THCA and THC I think. The problem with sassafras root bark I should clarify is nonaggressive nonpolar solvent against a tree. High enough pressure and maybe some ethanol sure it's possible if you're already set up for it. How to conveniently reduce the outside of a sassafras taproot to an extractable form?

[WaterFarmFan]

This seems to be one of the better explanations of the process:

https://www.trufflemagic.com/blog/si...in-extraction/

Simple Method of Psilocybin Extraction - Peter de Boer

Magic mushrooms are used for a wide variety of practical, culinary and recreational purposes. However, it is the psychoactive component, psilocybin, which is responsible for its hallucinogenic effects. Scientists study the effects of the drug through psilocybin extraction before administering doses to human subjects.

Psilocybin is present in over 200 species of mushrooms where it can be easily extracted. In general, mushrooms that contain psilocybin have several similar features such as:

Dark spores
Gills
Growing in humus-rich soil in meadows and woods of tropical and sub-tropical regions
Bruising blue when handled or damaged due to oxidization

Once inside the body, psilocybin is converted into psilocin to produce a mind-altering effect similar to LSD. In general, the effects include euphoria, visual and mental hallucinations, changes in perception, distortion of sense of time, and spiritual experiences.

Researchers also point to psilocybin’s effects on increasing a person’s suggestibility, making an individual more receptive to interpersonal interactions and environmental stimuli. These findings were confirmed in a later review which concluded that dosage, set, and setting were important in shaping the desired results. However, it can also lead to adverse reactions such as nausea and panic attacks.

The mind-altering effects of psilocybin last from 2 to 6 hours but it seems longer for people under its effects due to its distortion of one’s sense of time. Some psilocybin users use the drug as a tool to supplement practices such as rituals and meditation to achieve spiritual transcendence.

Since the 1990s, interest in psilocybin has been renewed and the scientific community is now looking into the drug’s potential to treat obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety, cluster headaches, and anxiety in patients undergoing cancer treatment. For scientific purposes, psilocybin can be extracted from magic mushrooms through different methods.

Psilocybin Extraction

Before you start psilocybin extraction, you need to remember that both caps and stems contain the psychoactive compounds but the caps consistently contain more. The spores of these mushrooms do not contain psilocybin.

Potency varies greatly between species and even between specimens of the same species ranging from almost nothing to 1.5% of the dry weight. It also depends on species strain, drying condition, and mushroom size. Cultivated mushrooms though have more consistency in psilocybin content than wild mushrooms.

The drug is also more stable in dried than fresh magic mushrooms. Dried magic mushrooms can retain their potency for months or even years while fresh magic mushrooms can only store psilocybin for a limited time and within four weeks, only traces of the drug will remain.

When choosing magic mushrooms, younger, small mushrooms tend to have a higher concentration of psilocybin because the synthesis of the drug takes place in the early formation of fruit bodies or sclerotia. The more mushrooms used in the beginning, the more potent the concentration when finished. It’s best to use several grams of dried magic mushrooms to make the process worthwhile and effective.

Once you have gathered your magic mushrooms, it’s time to gather the other supplies:

200 proof ethyl alcohol
Drinking glass
Funnel
Bottles with tight caps
Dust pollen masks
Small desk fan
10cc syringe

Procedure:

Get your hands on Psilocybe cubensis mushrooms. Remember to harvest them before the veils open. Cool dry the magic mushrooms in a desiccant. The mushrooms need to be dry enough to be pulverized.
Pulverize the mushrooms by putting them in a small zip lock plastic bag and pound them with a pestle.
After pulverization, pour the shroom material into a bottle and seal it tightly with a leak-proof cap.
Add enough alcohol to cover the powdered magic mushroom material to make a loose slurry.
Shake the bottle and let it sit for 24 hours. Shake it every now and then to activate the extraction.
After 24 hours, filter the alcohol. Pollen masks make for excellent, inexpensive filters. Shape the filter over the mouth of a drinking glass. Shake the bottle of slurry and pour some slurry into the filter. Squeeze the filter slurry to extract the alcohol.
Store the extracted alcohol in a separate, fresh bottle.
Retrieve the shroom materials from the filters and re-soak the extracted shroom material with fresh alcohol and repeat steps 1 to 6 for the secondary filtration.
Combine the alcohol extracts into one clean glass.
Let the air flow directly into the glass by placing it in front of a small electric fan until the alcohol’s surface ripples. This will speed the evaporation and concentration but will still take several hours. The more alcohol extract, the longer the evaporation time. As the alcohol evaporates, the level in the glass should recede.
Evaporate the extract until the desired concentration is attained. 1 to 3 grams of dried magic mushrooms should produce 1cc of the solution.
The concentrated magic mushroom extract should have a pungent aroma. Store it in a small screw cap bottle or vial and keep in the freezer. Because of the small amount of alcohol remaining, it will still remain liquid even in freezing temperature.

When taking a dose from this preparation, it’s best to dispense the solution with a syringe for accuracy.

Psilocybin Crystallization

Crystallizing pure psilocybin is a good preservation technique and can also help purify the stored psilocybin. This procedure picks up from the last step of the previous method.

Procedure:

Add a few drops of hydrochloric acid to achieve pH 3.0.
Evaporate down to 1/10 of the original volume.
Add a nonpolar solvent such as cigarette lighter or paint thinner and mix slowly.
Let it stand for a couple of hours.
The solvent will float on top of the extract and can be removed by syringe or by freezing the water and pouring off the solvent.
Remove the rest by slowly adding acetone to the extract. Let it stand.
Two layers will eventually form. On the bottom is a dark layer while a yellowish to greenish layer will appear on top. Remove the top layer by syringe.
Add new acetone. Mix slowly and remove the acetone once more.
Collect all the dark, sticky residue and let it dry. Large transparent crystals will start to form. The slower the evaporation, the bigger the crystals.
Weigh the crystals to determine their potency.

And that’s it. These psilocybin crystals can last longer than their liquid form.

Although psilocybin may be extracted, consuming psilocybin by eating magic mushrooms is just as effective and is more convenient than going through the entire extraction process.

You can consume fresh or dried magic mushrooms, prepare mushroom tea, or combine them with different foods to mask the bitter taste. Enjoy the effects of psilocybin and order magic mushrooms online.

[G.O. Joe]

Originally Posted by WaterFarmFan

This seems to be one of the better explanations of the process

Compare the extraction to the first and last paragraphs of Shulgin's answer you posted before. And the crystallization part is in a word dubious.

Dry and powder, Soxhlet with methanol for a few hours or until a color test is negative - maybe nonpolar defat then methanol extract.

Psilocybin is quite stable, except in water especially with phosphatases and oxygen, but the first step is to psilocin - which is much less stable now without that phosphate ester protecting it from oxidation. It recrystallizes from 120 parts of boiling methanol, and has also been crystallized by adding hot dry IPA to hot concentrated methanol solution until precipitation starts, adding the minimum amount of methanol to clear the solution, and freezing. Crystals this way, from methanol, or 20 parts boiling water contain solvent of crystallization. The melting point after heat or vacuum is above 200, so it won't be easy to vape.

[Itsgotatail]

The mycellium extract (vs. the mushroom extract) is said to have a higher psiocybin to psilocin ratio. In my experience, I've found higher psilocybin content extracts (and 4-AcO-DMT but that's another story) to be preferable to straight psilocin (4-HO-DMT). All three pure or near pure compunds are preferable to older dried mushrooms which likely contain higher ratios of baeocystin and norbaeocystin and other breakdown products to psilocin/psilocybin. The latter generally makes me feel a bit more icky and slimy.

[HWY36]

Originally Posted by WishDoctor

xtc wannabe maker for sure.

why not just go to your local occult bookshop and buy the 98% pure safrole oil, do a sulphuric acid clean up?
then start there, whole step eliminated. hell, back in the day on the hive when certain things were lets say easy, just listen to Eleusis!!!

I remember those days. I remember watching "Strike" basically indict himself on national TV. Wonder if they ever came after him for conspiracy or anything. I know he had priors. I still have the book with the little bees on the cover.

[SkyHighLer]

Originally Posted by SkyHighLer

Anyone tried growing just the mycelium mat, drying it, and then extracting the psilocybin with solvent?

I'm attaching the relevant pages describing the process from "The Psychedelic Guide to the Preparation of the Eucharist in a few of it's many guises" as edited by Robert E. Brown & Associates of the Neo American Church League for Spiritual Development & The Ultimate Authority of the Clear Light.

The entire book can be found here,

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread....05#post7646205

Here's a couple of follow ups to the above,

https://erowid.org/archive/rhodium/p...ed.culture.pdf

https://erowid.org/archive/rhodium/c...xtraction.html

[merkaba]

Regarding using BHO .....

Molecules 2012, 17, 10550-10573; doi:10.3390/molecules170910550


I have the full article but it is probably too long to post. Essentially, it is totally feasible to extract other volatile oils via SFE if not yielding higher returns than H2O steam distillation.

[bigtacofarmer]

Originally Posted by merkaba

Regarding using BHO .....

Molecules 2012, 17, 10550-10573; doi:10.3390/molecules170910550


I have the full article but it is probably too long to post. Essentially, it is totally feasible to extract other volatile oils via SFE if not yielding higher returns than H2O steam distillation.

Link?