Death cap

Poisoning and sometimes death from eating (unidentified) mushrooms is well known. In particular, Amanita sp. are particularly dangerous, with much emphasis on the death cap fungus , Amanita phalloides.24 The best known toxins are the amatoxins and phallotoxins, which are complex, bicyclic peptides. An unusual feature relates to sulfur a tryptophan (or substituted tryptophan) unit is linked to a cysteine sulfur at the carbon atom next to the NH group of the pyrrole ring, forming the unit, -CH2-S-C(NH)=C, e.g. in... 

Fungi produce two of the most potent toxins affecting the liver. The death cap and death angel mushrooms from the Amanita family kill several people every year when they mistakenly consume these mushrooms (see case study example). 

Ingestion of as little as 3 g of the death cap mushroom Amanita phalloides may constitute a lethal dose for some people. 

The poisonous components of the most deadly mushroom Amanita phalloides (the Death Cap) are bicyclic heptapeptides which have an additional covalent bond that connects the ( -sulfur atom of an l-cysteine residue with the carbon atom in position 2 of the indole ring of the L-tryptophan. Phalloidin (or phalloidine) is the most abundant member of a whole family of related cyclic heptapeptides called phallotoxins (for a review, see Wieland1 1). These poisonous peptides, therefore, contain a cross-linking moiety consisting of L-tryptophan coupled to L-cysteine, designated tryptathionine (1), alternatively called 5-(trypto-phan-2-yl)cysteine or 2-(L-3-alanylsulfenyl)-L-tryptophan (Scheme 1). 

Amanita phalloides, an extremely poisonous mushroom, popularly known as "Death Cap. ... 

Muscarine, the poisonous principle of the death cap mushroom, has the following structure and proton NMR spectrum. Assign the spectrum. Can you see definite evidence for the stereochemistry All couplings in Hz signals marked exchange with D20. 

Amanita bisporigera, A. phalloides (death cap mushroom), A. ocreata, A. verna, A. virosa (destroying angel mushroom) (Agaricaceae) Amanita phalbides (death cap mushroom) (Agaricaceae)... 

All the substances that cause these unpleasant and possibly lethal effects are chemicals, albeit manufactured by a plant, micro-organism, or animal. They may be simple irritant chemicals such as the formic acid in ant bites (formica is the Latin for ant), or complex protein molecules such as is found in bee venom. Proteins are relatively large molecules, one of the main building blocks of the body and also the main component of enzymes (biological catalysts). The venom of animals such as snakes often contains enzymes which degrade flesh. Mushrooms and toadstools are another source of poisonous chemicals, for example the Death Cap mushroom found in Britain which can be lethal if eaten. 

The death cap mushroom, one of the most poisonous, which is sometimes responsible for human poisoning. 

Hepatotoxic, e.g. from Amanita phalloides (death cap mushroom), from Senecio (ragwort) and Crotalatia and from bush teas prepared from these plants in the Caribbean. Aflatoxin, from Aspergillus flavus, a fungus which contaminates foods, is probably a cause of primary liver cancer. 

Historically, the Pluteus species were classified as belonging to the Amanitaceae family, which also include the "death cap" and its relatives, as well as the fly agaric mushroom, both of which belong to the genus Amanita. Unlike all the other psychoactive mushrooms mentioned here in this book, the Pluteus species are classified as light-spored mushrooms, because of their rose-colored spore dust. 

An immigrant from eastern Europe is rushed into the emergency room with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. His family indicates he has eaten wild mushrooms. They have brought a bag of fresh, uncooked mushrooms from a batch he had not yet prepared. You note the presence of Amanita phalloides, the death-cap mushroom. A liver biopsy indicates massive hepatic necrosis. Care is supportive. A major toxin of the death-cap mushroom is the hepatotoxic octapeptide a-amanitin, which inhibits... 

Death cap mushroom. Responsible for > 90% of mushroom deaths in the UK. Contains the peptides, amanitine and phalloidine. Hepato-toxic a-amanitine is the major toxic component. Direct attack on hepatocyte nuclei. Vomiting 8-12 h post-ingestion cramping abdominal pain diarrhoea. 2-3 days latent period then jaundice, circulatory collapse, haemorrhage, death. Death rate 30% in best hands . 

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