An Examination of Cholinergic Symptoms Produced by the Fly Agaric Mushroom Amanita muscaria (Agaricomycetes): Revisiting the Role of Muscarine.
International journal of medicinal mushrooms January 1, 2025 Kevin Feeney, James Kababick, Stacy Wise 1 citation
Decades of consensus held that the mushroom Amanita muscaria contains negligible amounts of the toxic compound muscarine, based on a 1950s study reporting 0.0003% concentration. This view persisted despite frequent reports of cholinergic symptoms (e.g., salivation, sweating, nausea) in people who consumed the mushroom. To resolve the discrepancy, researchers surveyed 53 individuals who experienced such symptoms after eating A. muscaria, analyzed mushroom samples from three participants and independently collected specimens using HPLC-MS/MS, and compiled commercial analyses. Muscarine concentrations ranged from 0.004% to 0.043%, far exceeding the historical value. The findings indicate that muscarine levels in A. muscaria vary widely and can reach physiologically significant amounts, contradicting the long-held assumption of insignificance.