A poisoning syndrome

Amatoxin poisoning

α-amanitin and its relatives: the death cap, the destroying angels, the deadly webcap’s relatives among the Lepiota and Galerina.

Amatoxin poisoning: how soon does it show?

6 to 24 hours, usually 10 to 12, with no symptoms before: the long latency is the mark of it.

How does it run?

A day of violent vomiting and diarrhoea, then an apparent recovery of a day or two while the liver and kidneys fail; death, where it comes, after four to nine days. α-amanitin stops RNA polymerase II, so the cells that take it up can make no protein.

What is done for it?

Fluids; activated charcoal; silibinin from the milk thistle, and penicillin G in some protocols; transplant where the liver is lost. There is no antidote.

Historical and descriptive, not medical advice. In a poisoning, call a poison centre or emergency services.

Which substances in the database cause it?

Death cap (Amanita phalloides), plate: Death cap (Agaricus phalloides)
FungusDeath capAmanita phalloides A greenish, white-gilled mushroom of oak and beech woods, now spread worldwide.Deadly
Destroying angel (Amanita virosa), plate: Destroying angel (Amanita virosa)
FungusDestroying angelAmanita virosa, A. bisporigera, A. ocreata Pure white amanitas of Europe and North America.Deadly
Funeral bell (Galerina marginata), plate: Funeral bell (Galerina marginata, as Agaricus/Pholiota marginatus)
FungusFuneral bellGalerina marginata A small brown mushroom of rotting wood.Deadly

Sources

  • Bresinsky, A., and Besl, H. (1990). A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Fungi. Book, seen in reviews
  • Goldfrank’s Toxicologic Emergencies, 11th ed. (2019), “Mushrooms.” Standard reference work