Toxins
March 27, 2015
О. В. Жук, Іzabela Jasicka-Misiak, Anna Poliwoda et al.
64 citations
Psilocin and dried extracts from Psilocybe semilanceata and Pholiotina cyanopus mushrooms collected in northeastern Poland were tested in mice for toxicity and effects on the serotonergic system. Pure psilocin was most toxic, with an LD50 of 293.07 mg/kg, while extracts from Ph. cyanopus and P. semilanceata had LD50 values of 316.87 mg/kg and 324.37 mg/kg, respectively. In behavioral head-twitch response tests, a 1 mg/kg dose of psilocin reduced head-twitches by about 46% compared to a 5-HTP control, and mushroom extracts reduced them by about 30%. Psilocin acted as a partial agonist on the serotonergic system.
Toxins
March 28, 2019
Iris Holderied, Michael Rychlik, Paul Elsinghorst
22 citations
An improved protocol for analyzing ergot alkaloids using liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (LC-FLD) was developed, introducing lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) as an internal standard. The method optimizes extraction with ethyl acetate, methanol, and aqueous ammonia, followed by clean-up with basic aluminum oxide. Using a keeper during evaporation was found inappropriate because it interfered with analysis, and polytetrafluoroethylene syringe filters were most suitable. The method provides limits of detection and quantification adequate for evaluating ergot alkaloid contamination in rye and bakery products, with superior precision enabled by the internal standard.
Toxins
January 20, 2022
Jensen Cherewyk, Taylor Grusie-Ogilvie, Barry Blakley et al.
12 citations
A new ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method was validated to quantify six R and six S-epimers of ergot alkaloids in hard red spring wheat, using deuterated lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD-D3) as an internal standard. The method showed low limits of detection and quantification, matrix effects between 101–113%, recovery of 68.3–119.1%, and inter-day precision below 24% relative standard deviation. These validation parameters align with previous studies and reveal differences between R and S-epimers that have rarely been documented. The sensitive method can be adopted by research or diagnostic laboratories.
Toxins
November 25, 2025
Stanila Stoeva, Ivanesa Yarabanova, Maya Radeva–ilieva et al.
4 citations
Amanita muscaria, or fly agaric, causes uncommon but clinically important mushroom poisoning. Its toxic effects vary widely and stem mainly from ibotenic acid and muscimol. This review covers the mushroom's biochemistry, how it affects the body, and the symptoms of poisoning. It also describes two recent cases of severe poisoning in elderly people. Both patients quickly developed gastrointestinal problems, deep central nervous system depression, and cholinergic signs. They needed intensive supportive care, atropine, and continuous monitoring, and both fully recovered. These cases highlight the need for greater clinical awareness, better public education, and improved readiness to diagnose and treat poisonings from psychoactive wild mushrooms.