Toxins from Mushrooms

Toxic substances from certain snecies of various genera of the poisonous mushrooms have been isolated, and their chemical structures have been elucidated. Cyclic octapevtides(amatoxins) which derived from several species of Amanita and Galerina mushrooms seem to be the most toxic fungal toxin presently known. These compounds are very potent nonspecific cytotoxin, producing damages to various organs, notably the liver and the kidney. To make thinp even worse, clinjcian who takes care of the patients with tr.is type of poisoning may be mis-leading because the patients seem to recover after the initial phase of gastrointestinal disorders; however, serious effects such as acute fatal hepatitis usually occur after four to five days of ingestion. ~Aost patients died unless intensive treatments had been early intro-duced. Muscimol and psjlocybin are two mushroom toxins that primarily affect th.e central nervous system. Funri containing these compounds have been used as hallucinogens, and the epidemic of the abuse of these mushrooms have been reported in some countries. Psilocyhin also stim-ulates the sympathetic nervous system leading to mydriasis ano tachy-cardia. Mushroom toxjr.s that act principally on the autonomic nervous system include 1-arninocyclopropanol and muscarine. 1-Aminocyclopropa-nol possesses a disulfirarn-like action, while muscarine stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system. Little is known about the chemical I. nature and mechanism of action of the gastrointestinal irritants. This group of toxins produces varying degrees of abdominal disturbances, depending on the species of funp,i, individual sensitivity, and age of the consumers. Although the incidence of mushroom poisoning in Thai-land is relatively low, knowledge of the nature of each type of fungal intoxication may h.e helpful jn treatment of the patients, particularly in amatoxin poisoning. il ~ c I lJ • IJ •-ii. IJ, illcC1Dc( •.