Ethanol and tolerated doses of Amanita phalloides protect against lethal doses of the mushroom.

Abstract

Single tolerated doses of a lyophilizate from Amanita phalloides (ADL) failed to increase the survival rate of mice after the LD90 of the mushroom. Also, pretreatment with large doses of ethanol did not protect against lethal doses of APL. However, with combined administration of single tolerated doses of APL and of ethanol, the survival rate of mice after a lethal challenge with APL was increased from 13% to up to 100%. Both ethanol and APL potentiated the effect of barbiturate narcosis, but the combined pretreatment was not more effective. The protection against APL afforded by the combined regimen may be due to inhibition of activating hepatic microsomal enzymes, but biochemical studies are needed to support this hypothesis.