Summary
Amanita muscaria is visually iconic with its red cap and white spots. Its main active compounds are ibotenic acid (a neurotoxin) and muscimol (the primary psychoactive agent). Effects are highly variable and can include delirium, confusion, euphoria, ataxia, and visual distortions. Potency varies greatly between specimens depending on season, region, and preparation method. Traditional preparation methods (drying, heating/baking at 175°F+) decarboxylate ibotenic acid into the less toxic muscimol.
Dose Information
Light
Common
Strong
Heavy
Onset, Duration & After-effects
| ROA | Onset | Comeup | Peak | Offset | After Effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral | 0.5-2 hrs | 30-60 min | 2-4 hrs | 2-4 hrs | 24 hrs |
| Smoked | 0.5-2 hrs | 30-60 min | 2-4 hrs | 2-4 hrs | 24 hrs |
Tolerance
Build-up
not well studied; likely minimal with infrequent use
Reset
unknown
Effects
Positive
- Muscle relaxation
- Pain relief
- Physical euphoria
- Stimulation
Negative
- Ataxia
- Nausea
- Increased perspiration
- Pupil dilation
- Muscle twitching
- Sedation
- Sleepiness
- Muscle twitches
- Increased salivation
- Spontaneous bodily sensations
- Pupil constriction
Positive
- Cognitive euphoria
- Dream potentiation
- Anxiety suppression
- Empathy enhancement
- Synesthesia
- Empathy, affection and sociability enhancement
- Analysis enhancement
- Unity and interconnectedness
- Immersion intensification
- Increased introspection
- Existential conceptual thinking
Negative
- Delirium
- Confusion
- Amnesia
- Cognitive disconnection
- Anxiety
- Memory suppression
- Time distortion
- Consciousness disconnection
- Depth perception distortions
- Recursion
- Perspective distortion
- Peripheral information misinterpretation
- Existential self-realization
Positive
- Colour shifting
- Synaesthesia
- Tracers
- Increased libido
- Color enhancement
- Visual acuity enhancement
- Increased music appreciation
- Color shifting
Negative
- Double vision
- Visual acuity suppression
- Decreased libido
- Visual distortions
- Drifting
- External hallucination
- Internal hallucination
- Spontaneous physical sensations
- Auditory distortion
- Auditory hallucination
- Magnification
- Visual haze
- Autonomous entity
- Perception of bodily heaviness
- After images
- Perspective hallucination