Abstract:
Prevalence of major depression in people with chronic heart failure is higher than in normal
populations. Depression in heart failure has become a major issue. Psilocybin-containing mushrooms
commonly known as magic mushrooms, have been used since ancient times for their mind healing
properties. Their safety in cardiovascular disease conditions is not fully known and may pose as a risk
for users suffering from these illnesses. Study investigates the effects and safety of Psilocybe cubensis
and Panaeolus cyanescens magic mushrooms use from genus Psilocybe and Panaeolus respectively, in
a pathological hypertrophy conditions in which endothelin-1 disorder is a contributor to pathogenesis.
We examined the effects of the mushrooms extracts on endothelin-1-induced hypertrophy and
tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF- α)-induced cell injury in H9C2 cardiomyocytes. Mushrooms were
oven dried and extracted with cold and boiling-hot water. H9C2 cardiomyocytes were induced with
endothelin-1 prior to treatment with extracts over 48 h. Cell injury was stimulated with TNF-α. Results
proposed that the water extracts of Panaeolus cyanescens and Psilocybe cubensis did not aggravate
the pathological hypertrophy induced by endothelin-1 and also protected against the TNF-α-induced
injury and cell death in concentrations used. Results support medicinal safe use of mushrooms under
controlled conditions and cautioned use of higher concentrations.
