Toxic components and toxicology of wild mushrooms

Abstract

Wild mushroom foraging has always come with the risk of mistaking edible mushrooms with poisonous ones. Poisonous mushrooms can cause a diverse spectrum of clinical signs and symptoms, ranging from simple, self-limited gastrointestinal upset to fatal multi-organ failure. Depending on the mechanism of action, affected organ(s), and clinical presentation, mushroom poisonings can be divided into several syndromes. Some mushroom poisoning syndromes are well characterized, but many are yet to be fully understood; some of the responsible toxins are known, but many are yet to be isolated. New poisonous mushrooms and new poisoning syndromes are being recognized in recent times, as well as the fact that mushroom toxicity is in many cases relative – there is a great inter-individual difference in susceptibility to some mushrooms toxins. Hepatotoxic mushrooms that contain amatoxins, mostly those of the genus Amanita, are still responsible for the great majority of mushroom poisoning-associated deaths worldwide. Other species can exert nephrotoxicity and lead to renal failure; more species however show neurotoxicity, while the greatest number of species primarily causes gastrointestinal disorders. Some species are still debated whether they are toxic or not. In the end, edible mushrooms can cause poisonings as well, if improperly handled, and are actually the most frequently reported cause of mushroom poisonings.