Ibotenic Acid as a Neuroecological Stressor: Environmental Modulation of the Ibotenic Acid–Muscimol Ratio in Amanita muscaria and Its Toxicological Implications
Preprints.org June 22, 2026 Andrzej Günther, Barbara Bednarczyk-Cwynar preprint
The ratio of ibotenic acid to muscimol in Amanita muscaria mushrooms may be a dynamic marker influenced by environmental and post-harvest conditions, rather than a fixed species trait. Ibotenic acid has excitatory glutamatergic effects, while muscimol is a potent GABAergic compound, and ibotenic acid can convert to muscimol through decarboxylation. Abiotic stressors like temperature, drought, and soil chemistry, along with biotic factors such as microbial interactions and host-tree physiology, may affect the biosynthesis and transformation of these compounds. Post-harvest processes like drying, heating, and storage can further alter their ratio, potentially shifting neurotoxicological outcomes between excitatory and inhibitory effects. Direct controlled studies linking specific stressors to ibotenic acid biosynthesis remain limited.