Muscimol
/ˈmʌsɪmɒl/noun
A psychoactive isoxazole compound found primarily in Amanita mushrooms, especially Amanita muscaria.
Did you know?Amanita muscaria was traditionally used in fly-killing preparations, helping give the mushroom—and eventually muscimol—its “fly” association.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*muH-s-
“A reconstructed root associated with the word for fly or gnat”
Classical Latin
Latin
musca
“Fly”
18th Century
Latin
Amanita muscaria
“The fly-associated Amanita mushroom; the epithet refers to its traditional use in killing or attracting flies”
19th Century
Scientific Latin
muscarius
“Of or relating to flies; the source of the species association in Amanita muscaria”
1960s
Modern scientific English
muscimol
“Name formed from the muscaria/musc- stem with the chemical suffix -ol, indicating an alcohol”
Modern English
English
muscimol
“The principal intoxicating and hallucinogenic compound of Amanita muscaria”