Psilocin is a psychedelic compound, the active metabolite of psilocybin. It acts on serotonin receptors to induce hallucinogenic effects and is found in certain psychedelic mushrooms. In pharmacology, it’s studied for its psychoactive properties and potential therapeutic research, though legal restrictions apply in many jurisdictions.
"You’ll often encounter psilocin when discussing the pharmacology of magic mushrooms."
"Researchers measured psilocin levels after psilocybin administration to understand the dose–response relationship."
"The compound psilocin is responsible for the rapid onset of perceptual effects following ingestion."
"Some jurisdictions regulate psilocin similarly to psilocybin due to its psychoactive properties."
Psilocin derives from the Greek psych = mind, meaning ‘soul’ or ‘breath’ in some contexts, combined with the general scientific suffix -in, common to amines and alkaloids. It is the dephosphorylated active metabolite of psilocybin, produced in the body by the removal of the phosphate group. The term psilocybin itself is formed from psilo- (bare, splendor, or hinted meaning of ‘bare mind’ depending on source) and -cybin (a fungus-related diminutive form). The first identification of psilocybin and its active metabolite psilocin dates to the 1950s-1960s research era exploring naturally occurring psychoactive mushrooms. The naming convention follows typical pharmacological nomenclature: a parent compound (psilocybin) with its active metabolite (psilocin). The earliest widely cited chemical characterizations appeared in the mid-20th century as researchers isolated the compounds from Psilocybe mushrooms and studied their effects on the serotonin system. Historically, the discovery and naming reflect a period of rapid expansion in psychotropic research, which has since influenced modern neuropharmacology and ethnobotany study. First known use in scientific literature appears around the 1950s-1960s as part of psychedelic mushroom research developments.
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Words that rhyme with "Psilocin"
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Psilocin is pronounced sə-YLO-sən or sigh-LO-sin depending on accent, with stress on the second syllable: /ˈsaɪləˌsɪn/. The first syllable sounds like sigh, the second like loh, and the final syllable rhymes with in. It’s three syllables total, with a light secondary stress after the first, and the vowel in the second syllable is a short i or ih sound.
Common errors include misplacing stress (treating it as psy-LO-sin rather than psy-LO-cin), mispronouncing the second syllable as 'lee' or 'lay' instead of a short 'loh' sound, and final consonant confusion where the ending is sounded as 'sin' with a clear 's' rather than the lighter 'z' or a softer 'n' in connected speech. Correct by emphasizing the /ˈsaɪləˌsɪn/ pattern, with the middle vowel as a short, lax 'i' and the final 'n' as a light nasal.
In US, UK, and AU, the primary difference lies in the final syllable’s vowel quality and the first syllable’s vowel length. US tends to have a slightly tenser 'i' in the first syllable and a crisper ending; UK often aligns with rhotic vs non-rhotic tendencies in connected speech, though the word is typically unaltered. AU generally mirrors US pronunciation but with subtle vowel shifts in quick speech. Overall, the word remains /ˈsaɪləˌsɪn/ across three varieties, with minor vowel length and flapping tendencies in fast speech.
The difficulty comes from the three-syllable structure that forces a clear stress shift after the first syllable and the short, clipped 'sin' ending, which can blur in fast speech. The sequence 'si-lo-sin' demands precise articulation of /ˈsaɪ/ (diphthong) and the mid-central /ə/ or reduced schwa before '-lin' sound. You’ll find it challenging if you’re not used to multi-syllabic technical terms with a three-syllable rhythm and a non-typical English intonation pattern in scientific vocabulary.
The word includes a rare occurrence of initial 'P' that is strongly aspirated in careful speech, even though in rapid scientific talk some speakers may lightly voice the first /s/ or drop it slightly in fast phrases. The key feature is the prominent diphthong /saɪ/ in the first syllable followed by a concise /lə/ and final /sɪn/. Practicing with deliberate, slow enunciation helps prevent swallowing or blending, especially in lengthy, data-driven sentences.
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