When people talk about mushroom strength, the conversation usually focuses on psilocybin content. While psilocybin is the best‑known compound, modern research shows that psilocybin mushrooms contain a family of related tryptamine alkaloids, sometimes called secondary metabolites. These compounds may subtly shape the overall experience. source: Science Direct

Psilocybin itself is actually a prodrug—after ingestion, it is converted in the body into psilocin, the molecule primarily responsible for psychedelic effects through activation of the 5‑HT2A serotonin receptor in the brain.

However, psilocybin mushrooms also naturally produce several related compounds including:

  • Baeocystin

  • Norbaeocystin

  • Aeruginascin

  • Norpsilocin

These molecules are structurally similar to psilocybin and psilocin and arise from the same biosynthetic pathway derived from the amino acid tryptophan.

Early work identifying these compounds dates back to the 1960s, when researchers first isolated baeocystin and norbaeocystin as psilocybin analogues in psychedelic mushroom species.

More recent pharmacological studies show that many of these tryptamines can bind to serotonin receptors with similar affinity to psilocin, suggesting they may contribute to the pharmacological profile of different mushrooms. source: PubMed

At the same time, research also shows the picture is complex. For example, some studies suggest baeocystin alone may have limited psychedelic activity, potentially due to lower ability to cross the blood‑brain barrier or differences in metabolism.

This is why many researchers increasingly discuss a possible “entourage effect”—the idea that the mixture of alkaloids in a mushroom may influence how the experience feels, even when total psilocybin content is similar.

In practical terms, this helps explain something cultivators and explorers have noticed for years:
two mushrooms with similar psilocybin numbers can still feel noticeably different.

Measuring Potency

To help quantify potency, we use the QTest by MyraCulix, which measures total psilocybin content in milligrams per gram (mg/g) of dried material.

For reference:

  • Typical cubensis mushrooms: ~5–10 mg/g total psilocybin

  • Strong cultivars: ~10–20 mg/g

  • Exceptional genetics: 20+ mg/g

Many of our top strains consistently test above 24 mg/g, placing them near the upper end of the commonly observed potency scale.

While potency can be helpful for understanding dose, the complete chemical profile—including secondary metabolites—likely contributes to the character of each strain.

That’s why we view potency as one metric among many, rather than the entire story.