Mushroom Toxins: Medical Botany Study Guide for Biology

Toxins causing cellular destruction, liver, and kidney damage and possible death; onset of symptoms following ingestion usually over 6 hours; usually longer with rare specimens as long as several weeks

- Cyclopeptides - Amanita, Galerina, Lepiota, (6-10 hr)

- Monomethylhydrazine (gyromitrin)- Gyromitra, Helvella, Sarcosphaera (6-10hr)

- Orellanine- Cortinarius orellanus (as long as several weeks)

Toxins principally affecting the autonomic nervous system; onset of symptoms 20 min to 2 hours

- Coprine (antabuse -like) Coprinus (inky cap)

- Muscarine (PSL syndrome)- Clitocybe, Inocybe ( note: do not confuse toxin with Amanita muscaria (A-a above and C-a below)

Toxins principally affecting the central nervous system with onset of symptoms 20 min to 2 hours

- Ibotenic acid-muscimol- Amanita muscaria

- Psilocybin, Psilocin- Psilocybe and Paneolous

Toxins principally causing GI irritation; onset of symptoms about 30min-3 hr-many genera:

Agaricus, Amanita, Boletus, Chlorophyllum

Cap

pileus

Stipe

stalk

Gills

lamellae (on surface bearing basidia/hymenium)

Ring

annulus (remnants of partial or inner veil)

Cup

volva

Scale

(remnants of universal veil)

identification features

Spore Prints

Type of Hymenium

Features of Gill trama

Features of cystidia

Coprine

Coprinus atramentarius, (?) Coprinusspp.;

Clitocybe clavipes

Coprinus

Ink cap

As cap matures , tissue deliquesces; spores able to disperse into wind

Coprinopsis atramentaria (inky cap, edible)+ alcohol

coprine (heat stable)

• inhibits aldehyde dehydrogenase

• facial flushing, headache, nausea, vomiting, tachycardia

Coprine is metabolized into glutamic acid and 1-aminocyclopropanol, the biologically active substance which inhibits the enzyme acetaldehyde dehydrogenase. This enzyme is involved in the metabolism of alcohol. When it is blocked, acetaldehyde accumulates, causing an alcohol flush reaction.

Muscarine

Clitocybe cerussata, C. dealbata, C.rivulosa, C. sudorifica;

Inocybe geophylla, I. lilacina, I. pudica.

Muscarine chemical

Being a quaternary ammonium salt, muscarine is less completely absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract than tertiary amines, and it does not cross the blood-brain barrier.

causes profound activation of the peripheral parasympathetic nervous system that may end in circulatory collapse and death

Muscarinic agonists activate muscarinic receptors while nicotinic agonists activate nicotine receptors. Both are direct-acting cholinomimetics; they produce their effects by binding to and activating cholinergic receptors.

Ibotenic acid, muscimol

Amanita cokeri, A. cothurnata, A.gemmata, A. muscaria,A. pantherina;(?)

Panaeolus campanulatus

Conocybe cyanopus; Gymnopilusspectabilis, Gymnopilus spp.

Amanita muscaria

muscimol, the principal psychoactive constituent

Muscimol

(also known as agarin or pantherine) is one of the principal psychoactive constituents of Amanita muscaria and related species of mushroom

is a potent, selective agonist for the GABAA receptors and displays sedative hypnotic, depressant and hallucinogenic psycho activity. This colorless or white solid is classified as an isoxazole.

• Psilocybin, psilocin

Conocybe cyanopus; Gymnopilusspectabilis, Gymnopilus spp.;

Panaeolus foenisecii, P. subbalteatus;

Psilocybe cubensis, P. cyanescens, P.semilanceata, P. silvatica

Psilocybe cubensis

As a prodrug, psilocybin is quickly converted by the body to psilocin, which has mind-altering effects similar, in some aspects, to those of LSD, mescaline, and DMT.In general, the effects include euphoria, visual and mental hallucinations, changes in perception, a distorted sense of time, spiritual experiences, and can include possible adverse reactions such as nausea and panic attacks.

Amanitins (cyclopeptides)

Amanita bisporigera, A. ocreata, A.phalloides, A. verna,A. virosa, etc.;

Galerina autumnalis, G. marginata, etc.;

Lepiota spp

.Conocybe filaris

Gyromitrin, monomethyl hydrazine

Gyromitra brunnea, G. caroliniana, G.esculenta, G. fastigiata, G. infula;

(?) Helvella elastica, (?) H. lacunosa;

Sarcosphaera crassa

Monomethylhydrazine (MMH) is a match to Gyromitrin

.MMH- hemolytic, toxic to CNS

.Depletes CNS pyridoxine

.reduces GABA synthesis

Orellanine (symptoms may not show forup to 8 days)

Cortinarius orellanus, C. orellanoides, C.rainierensis