National Institute of Occupational Health and Poison Control, Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China. Electronic address: lihaijiao715@126.com.
2 papers in the library · 9 citations · publishing 2022-2024
A new mushroom species, Pseudosperma arenarium, is described from sandy soils under poplar and pine in northwestern China and northern Europe. It is identified by its robust form, nearly smooth cap, large spores, and unique DNA. Chemical tests show it contains muscarine, with toxin levels about five times higher in the cap (up to 4302 mg/kg) than in the stem (up to 929 mg/kg), indicating that eating different parts of the mushroom can cause varying severity of poisoning. Other toxins such as amatoxins, ibotenic acid, psilocybin, and psilocin were absent.
Two mushroom poisoning incidents in Ningxia, China, were traced to Panaeolus subbalteatus mushrooms. Symptoms appeared about half an hour after eating large amounts, including nausea, vomiting, numbness, dizziness, and disorientation. The mushrooms were identified by morphology and DNA analysis. Psilocybin and psilocin were found in the mushrooms, averaging 1532.2-1760.7 mg/kg and 114.5-136.0 mg/kg respectively. Only psilocin was detected in patients' blood and urine, at average concentrations of 0.5-1.2 ng/mL and 2.5-3.1 ng/mL. These findings can help manage future poisonings.