← DISCOVERY / OTHER ALKALOID

Muscimol

Potent GABA-A receptor agonist. Primary psychoactive compound in Amanita muscaria responsible for sedative, oneirogenic, and deliriant-like effects.

sedativeoneirogendeliriant

Structure · Wikimedia contributor See Wikimedia

THREE-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURE

The molecule, in space.

Atoms positioned in their lowest-energy 3D geometry, sourced from PubChem. Drag to rotate · scroll to zoom · switch between stick, sphere, and line representations to feel the shape from different angles.

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3D structure · PubChem CID 4266 · drag to rotate · scroll to zoom

SMILES NOTATION

C1=C(C(=O)N(C1=O)O)N

PubChem CID 4266 →

RECEPTOR PROFILE

The pharmacological targets through which this compound exerts its effects.

GABA-A agonist

NATURAL SOURCES

Living organisms in which this compound is naturally found.

Iconic red-and-white spotted mushroom containing muscimol and ibotenic acid. Produces distinctly sedative, dream-like, and sometimes deliriant effects.

Close relative of the fly agaric whose tan-brown cap conceals a substantially higher concentration of ibotenic acid and muscimol — making it both more potent and more dangerous than A. muscaria.

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REFERENCES

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Michelot & Melendez-Howell 2003 DOI
Traditional use

RELATED MOLECULES

Other other alkaloids

1,3,7-Trimethylxanthine

stimulant

The most widely consumed psychoactive substance on Earth. Acts primarily as a competitive antagonist of adenosine receptors, indirectly raising dopamine, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine signaling — producing wakefulness, alertness, and mild euphoria.

Coffea arabicaCamellia sinensisTheobroma cacao

Excitotoxic glutamate-receptor agonist (NMDA and AMPA) found in Amanita muscaria and A. pantherina. Decarboxylates to the much less excitotoxic muscimol when the mushroom is dried, aged, or passed through a mammalian kidney — which is why dried muscaria (and reindeer-filtered urine) are traditionally preferred over fresh.

Amanita muscariaAmanita pantherina

Best-characterized of the kavalactones of Piper methysticum. Modulates GABA-A receptors and inhibits voltage-gated sodium and calcium channels — producing a clear-headed, sociable anxiolytic effect quite distinct from alcohol or benzodiazepines.

Principal alkaloid of fermented Sceletium tortuosum. A selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and PDE4 inhibitor with mild mood-elevating, anxiolytic, and pro-social effects.

Sceletium tortuosum

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