Edibles made by Santa Ana-based Prophet Premium Blends linked to 113 illnesses and possibly 2 deaths – Orange County Register

It’s standard practice for scientists and pharmaceutical companies to use synthetic psilocybin formulations when conducting clinical studies or drug trials. But now synthetic psilocybin is also showing up outside the lab in illicit edible “magic mushroom” products that are making consumers sick.

Products made by Santa Ana, California-based Prophet Premium Blends and sold under the brand name Diamond Shruumz have been linked to 113 illnesses and 42 hospitalizations in the U.S., according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s latest outbreak report. The agency is also investigating two potentially related deaths.

On Thursday, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said two local illnesses were linked to products purchased in Mesa County and Denver. CDPHE is investigating those cases with the help of the Rocky Mountain Drug Safety and Poison Control Office, Mesa County Public Health Department and Denver Department of Public Health and Environment.

“People should not eat, sell or serve any flavor of Diamond Shruumz chocolate bars, cones or gummies and should throw away any products they have purchased,” the agency said.

In June, the FDA analyzed two Diamond Shruumz chocolate bars and found they contained a compound called 4-acetoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine, also known as 4-acO-DMT. One of the products also contained several compounds found in the kava plant.

Local experts say synthetic psilocybin is rife in so-called edible mushrooms sold in smoke shops across Colorado and the United States. Not only is it misleading — 4-acO-DMT does not occur naturally in psilocybin mushrooms — it is also potentially dangerous, given the hazardous chemicals needed to create the synthetics. In the underground, manufacturers are not subject to oversight to ensure their products are safe for human consumption.

in Colorado before they were recalled, and similar products are likely still available. The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are still investigating the link between Diamond Shruumz products and the illnesses, which include symptoms such as seizures, abnormal heart rate and vomiting.

In the meantime, it’s worth learning more about 4-acO-DMT and why some in the psychedelic space are wary of it.

What is 4-AcO-DMT?

Simply put, 4-AcO-DMT is a synthetic tryptamine that is not found naturally in mushrooms. It is known as synthetic psilocybin because it is converted to psilocin when metabolized in the human body, according to Scott Thompson, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Psilocin is the psychoactive compound that causes psychoactive effects such as hallucinations.

On the other hand, psilocybin is found naturally in mushrooms. It goes through the same conversion process when ingested and becomes psilocin. The difference is that synthetic psilocybin is created in a laboratory using chemicals and solvents.

Why does 4-AcO-DMT appear in psychedelic mushroom products?

The psychoactive effects of 4-AcO-DMT are similar to those of psilocybin because the two compounds have a similar structure, said Noah Novello, founder and chief scientist at the Friday Ventures drug testing lab in Louisville. But most people won’t notice any difference, he added.

The process of extracting psilocybin from mushrooms is laborious and produces low yields. For making edibles, it would potentially be more effective and cheaper to use something synthetic.

Once Novello learned about synthetic tryptamine, he developed a method to test for it and found that it was widespread among edibles marketed as containing psilocybin.

The chances of finding 4-AcO-DMT in edible psychedelic mushrooms are “at least 50/50 if you buy things online,” he estimates. “If you buy something from a smoke shop or convenience store that has a mushroom label on it, it’s much more like 50 percent.”

Is 4-AcO-DMT dangerous?

4-AcO-DMT has not been studied in depth, so it’s not clear exactly what risks come with ingesting it. Experts say that in theory, it should be safe, but there are inherent dangers in purchasing unregulated products that contain it.

According to Colton Brook, lab manager at Altitude Consulting in Englewood, pure 4-AcO-DMT is likely nontoxic because it is so similar to natural psilocybin, which has a low risk of overdose and addiction.

In clinical trials, professional scientists in regulated laboratories perform tests to ensure their formulas are free of the toxic chemicals and solvents used to make synthetic products. But when 4-AcO-DMT is manufactured clandestinely, there is no guarantee that will happen.

“Typically, there are impurities left behind. That’s where the question of whether 4-AcO-DMT is 100% pure and safe comes in. That’s a different question than eating a chocolate bar that might contain it. Because how do you know it’s 100% pure 4-AcO? You really don’t know,” Brook said.

Thompson of the University of Colorado Anschutz agrees. “It remains a mystery to me why it would kill anyone, because I don’t think 4-AcO-DMT is toxic,” he said.

What can consumers do if they are concerned about 4-AcO-DMT in their products?

The FDA recommends that anyone who has purchased Diamond Shruumz products discard them or return them to Prophet Premium Blends for a refund.

Residents can bring their products to Friday Ventures to have them tested and their contents identified, Novello said. Her general rule is: “Don’t believe what it says on the packaging.”

Novello also advises being skeptical of any lab results published by a mushroom brand, as they may not be telling the whole truth.