There are five categories of toxins found in mushrooms.
- Amatoxins
- Monomethylhydrazine (NMH)
- Coprine
- Hallucinogenic
- Gastrointestinal
Amatoxins are found in the amanita mushrooms, causing about 90% of all mushroom deaths in the world. These toxins are so deadly that often just one bite of these mushrooms containing it can cause death because these toxins are ten times deadlier than cyanide. The most common amanita mushrooms are the Destroying Angel, which has the white cap, and the Death Cup, which has an olive green cap. These are to be avoided at all cost.
There are 5 species of amanitas known as the Destroying Angel.
- Amanitas verna
- Amanitas virosa
- Amanitas bisporigera
- Amanitas tenuifolia
- Amanitas suballiacea
- Amanitas ocreata
Symptoms usually appear 6-10 hours after eating amanitas. These symptoms include severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting and usually last a day. After the patient seems to improve, this is the dangerous time when the toxins have been attacking liver and kidney cells. About the fourth day after eating an amanita, the liver and kidneys may fail and death will occur.
NMH is a chemical that is found in rocket fuel. This toxin is broken down from a toxic chemical called gyromitrin which has been found in false morel mushrooms. Symptoms usually appear 6-8 hours after eating a false morel mushroom. Symptoms include a feeling of fullness in the stomach, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, cramps, and abdominal pain. Liver damage may also occur. The most severe symptoms are convulsions and coma, and death.
Coprine is a substance found in inky cap mushrooms. It has the characteristic of being toxic only when mushrooms containing this toxin are eaten when someone drinks alcholic beverages. So, be it said if you eat inky cap mushrooms, do not drink. Coprinus altramentarius is a gray mushroom found around decaying trees. If you eat these particular mushrooms while consuming alchohol the symptons of this type of poisoning are seen within 10-30 minutes. The face and neck become flush, the heart races, and you have a metallic taste in your mouth. Also, your hands may swell, arms and legs will tingle, and you become light headed. Nausea and vomiting will probably follow these symptoms. These symptoms usually disappear after about two hours.
Hallucinogenic Mushrooms are small, brown, and belong to the genre Psilocybe, Panaeolus, and conocybe which grow on or near dung. Their stems turn blue when handled, thus the name “Blue Legs”, were given to this specie of mushrooms. Two toxins can be found in these mushrooms, the first is psilocybin and the second is psilocin, which oxidizes into a blue substance seen in the stems of psilocybe mushrooms. Within 30 minutes of eating these mushrooms, a person will trip out, as if they were on LSD. Nausea, vomiting, and paralysis can occur. Eating these mushrooms can also lead to convulsions and death, especially in children.
Gastrointestinal Irritants are found in milky caps, russulas, coral mushrooms and boletes. Symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea. These symptoms can also occur from eating raw or spoiled mushrooms.
When the first symptom appears afer eating any of the above mushrooms, make it to the hospital or call your Poison Control Center. Patients are usually treated with Thioctic acid in conjunction with glucose which is intravenously fed. Some are treated by passing blood through a device containing charcoal. Pencillin has also been known to aid in amanita mushroom poisoning. Atropine has been known to help in muscarine poisoning of the Amanita muscaria.
CONSULT WITH YOUR DOCTOR! DO NOT TAKE ANY OF THESE REMEDIES OR MEDICATIONS WITHOUT A DOCTOR’S PRESCRIPTION