Muscimol: What Is It And Does It Have Therapeutic Potential?

Psychedelics are becoming increasingly popular in the health and wellness sectors of 2023. And if you've been seeing anything psychedelic on your timeline, it's likely those red-capped fairytale-looking mushrooms, otherwise known as amanita mushrooms.

Key Facts

• Muscimol is a psychoactive compound found in amanita muscaria mushrooms
• It is a potent agonist of GABA receptors, though some research suggests it is only a partial agonist
• Muscimol has been studied for its potential anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects
• For the most part, muscimol tends to produce sedative, depressant, and hallucinogenic psychoactive effects
• Consumers of muscimol often report feelings of euphoria, tranquility, and contentment
• As a non-selective agonist, muscimol actives both pre- and post-synaptic inhibition, which may prevent hyperexcitability by providing activity-depend inhibition

Muscimol is the main psychoactive compound in these mushrooms. But the potential benefits it has to offer remains firmly up in the air.

That being said, researchers have been investigating this alkaloid intensely in an effort to prove their therapeutic potential once and for all. So, what kind of therapeutic potential have they found? Keep reading to find out.

See Related: What Is A Cannabis Cola?

Muscimol In Amanita Muscaria

Muscimol is a potent psychoactive and primary amino compound found in several mushrooms of the Amanita genus. While many confuse muscimol for psilocybin, these two compounds are very different from one another.

That being said, the magic often associated with "magic mushrooms" is still present in amanita mushrooms, even with muscimol as the main compound driver.

History Of The Amanita Muscaria Mushroom

Muscimol is a potent partial agonist of GABA receptors. When ingested, muscimol can produce feelings ranging from anywhere to euphoria, tranquility, altered hearing and taste, and more.

This has made the amanita mushroom a highly sought-after commodity in the world of modern psychedelics. And, in fact, muscimol itself has been defined as a psychotropic drug.

Many people have nicknamed amanita mushrooms "the delta 8 of the psychedelics world." While delta 8 can certainly produce a high, it is reported to produce a milder high than delta 9.

In this instance, one could view amanita mushrooms as delta 8 and psilocybin mushrooms as delta 9. All of this is to say the effects of both differ greatly. So if you've ever experienced psilocybin for yourself, don't expect the same results from muscimol.

Muscimol And Ibotenic Acid

The risk of amanita mushroom poisoning, though, comes from ibotenic acid. When the mushroom has not been processed thoroughly and ibotenic acid fails to convert to muscimol, this can produce negative effects such as sweating, nausea, loss of balance, and other involuntary body movements.

That's why it is extremely important for consumers of amanita mushrooms to make sure their products have been thoroughly vetted.

The Psychotropic Effects Of Muscimol

As we said earlier, the effects of muscimol vary greatly from the effects of psilocybin. But first, it's important to understand why.

Psilocybin works by activating the serotonin receptors in the brain. This part of the brain can affect mood, cognition, and perception.

But muscimol, on the other hand, affects the GABA receptors of the brain, not the serotonin receptors. GABA receptors have more to do with the central nervous system, making muscimol a less threatening psychedelic, at least in the eyes of the law.

Research into the psychotropic effects of muscimol is still ongoing. But here's what researchers know about muscimol as a potent agonist to GABAa receptors.

The Role Of GABA Receptors

GABA, or gamma-aminobutyric acid, is the chief inhibitory compound that exists within the central nervous system. A GABA receptor, in turn, responds to the acid however it gets stimulated.

As a potent GABA agonist, muscimol tends to produce sedative effects, similar to a muscle relaxant. It also inhibits and alters neuronal activity in multiple regions of the brain.

As only a partial agonist, medicinal chemistry is finding that muscimol may affect various mental and physical properties, potentially influencing issues like sleep, insomnia, addiction, and pain. 

Still, the question remains: does muscimol have any therapeutic potential? Simply put, the answer is maybe. 

Bonus: 6 Ways CBD Interacts With Your Brain

Does Muscimol Have Any Therapeutic Potential?

While amanita mushrooms are only now becoming popular within mainstream media, their use has been documented throughout time. In the "old world," this psychoactive mushroom was often associated with northern European and Asiatic shamans for their spiritual rituals.

In fact, even anecdotal evidence from this time suggests that muscimol may have a hand in reducing stress, and pain, and perhaps even increasing longevity.

Psychedelics are making some major strides in terms of both research and legalization. So what clinical evidence is there of muscimol's potential therapeutic effects?

What Researchers Are Now Discovering

A 2022 animal study indicated muscimol's potential to protect against systemic inflammatory responses, independent of GABA receptor stimulation. While the connection to inflammatory responses remains unclear, it's significant to note that muscimol effectively protected against such responses, likely highlighting the compound's potential anti-inflammatory effects.

Additionally, Psyched Wellness is conducting a study on the potential antioxidant properties of muscimol, finding substantial evidence to support the potential therapeutic benefits of this special compound.

Muscimol is also currently being researched for its potential to treat symptoms associated with Huntington's Disease as well as Alzheimer's.

Suffice it to say that there are plenty of ways researchers are interested in utilizing this compound's potential therapeutic effects.

Final Thoughts

If you're like us at Clean Remedies, then any news about the potential therapeutic benefits of psychedelics just makes you tingle inside. As a CBD company, we're used to being at the forefront of new, developmental research.

So any new waves within the health and wellness sector having to do with nontraditional medicines are always guaranteed to make us giddy. But first and foremost, we believe in the facts.

As new research rolls out to document the effects of muscimol, we'll be the first to keep you updated. The world of wellness is changing drastically and we pride ourselves on being at the very forefront of that change.

So as you navigate the newfound world of psychedelics and nontraditional medicines, know that you can trust us at Clean Remedies to back up our products with only the facts and none of the frills. 

Keep Reading: Amanita Muscaria Mushrooms: What Effects Should I Expect?

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