WVU Student Discovers Psychedelic Fungus that Could Be Used to Treat Addiction, Depression
- WVU junior Corinne Hazel discovered a new fungus species, Periglandula clandestina, growing on morning glory plants, and the finding was published in Mycologia on April 22.
- Scientists had long suspected a fungus producing LSD-like ergot alkaloids lived symbiotically with morning glories, and Hazel found it while studying protective chemicals.
- The fungus produces ergot alkaloids efficiently, similar to ones Albert Hofmann modified to invent LSD, and these compounds give morning glories psychedelic properties.
- Hazel expressed gratitude for unexpectedly coming across this opportunity, while Panaccione described the name as ideal, highlighting the fungus’s elusive nature and its promising research possibilities.
- The discovery may advance pharmaceutical uses for ergot alkaloids in treating conditions like addiction and depression, opening new research avenues for medicine and agriculture.
21 Articles
21 Articles

WVU student discovers long-awaited mystery fungus sought by LSD’s inventor
MORGANTOWN — Making a discovery with the potential for innovative applications in pharmaceutical development, a West Virginia University microbiology student has found a long sought-after fungus that produces effects similar to the semisynthetic drug LSD, which is used to treat…
Elusive LSD Fungus Finally Discovered on Flower
An elusive fungus capable of generating quantities of a compound used to synthesize the hallucinogen LSD has finally been discovered on the morning glory vine after decades of searching. Almost a century ago, the Swiss chemist Albert Hoffman hypothesized the whimsical plant might harbor a species that belongs to a family of ergot-generating fungi. As the man who discovered and was first to synthesize LSD ( lysergic acid diethylamide) fro…
Student discovers long-awaited mystery fungus sought by LSD's inventor
Making a discovery with the potential for innovative applications in pharmaceutical development, a microbiology student has found a long sought-after fungus that produces effects similar to the semisynthetic drug LSD, which is used to treat conditions like depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and addiction.
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