In recent years, scientists have found some success in treating mental health disorders like major depression and post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) with hallucinogens like methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) or ketamine. Now, researchers may have advanced the potential of this field further with the discovery of a fungus that generates a substance that is chemically similar to lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). The findings have been reported in Mycologia by researchers at West Virginia University (WVU).
LSD is a semisynthetic drug that was first synthesized by Albert Hofmann, a Swiss chemist, in the 1930s. He suspected that a fungus that grows in morning glory flowers generates organic chemicals called alkaloids, which are similar to LSD.
"Morning glories contain high concentrations of similar lysergic acid derivatives that give them their psychedelic activities," explained senior study author Daniel Panaccione, a Professor of Plant and Soil Sciences at WVU. Scientists analyzed morning glories to try to find a fungus that might have been generating those chemicals, and while they found some that are similar, they never found the actual fungus, explained Panaccione. But now, such a fungus has been discovered.
The new fungal species, which has been named Periglandula clandestina, was first identified by environmental microbiology student Corinne Hazel of WVU. Hazel found it while studying the dispersion of ergot alkaloids in morning glories, working in the Panaccione lab. During this work, she saw fungus growing in morning glory roots.
"We had a ton of plants lying around and they had these tiny little seed coats. We noticed a little bit of fuzz in the seed coat. That was our fungus," said Hazel, who is first study author.
DNA was isolated from the fungus and the investigators had it sequenced. This showed that the fungus was a novel species, which has now been recorded in a database.
Periglandula clandestina can easily produce large amounts of ergot alkaloids, which could play a role in future pharmaceuticals. Now that the fungus has been identified, new research questions can be pursued, said Panaccione.
Ergot alkaloids are only made by fungi, which grows on morning glories as well as some grains like rye. They can be toxic, but they also have potential therapeutic applications. The scientists noted that many things can be toxic at the wrong levels, but at the right level, they can have a good effect, and without unwanted side effects. It may sometimes only depend on dosage.
Now, Hazel is investigating the best ways to grow the fungus and wants to determine whether other species of morning glories have similar, undescribed fungal symbionts.
Sources: West Virginia University, Mycologia