Gamma-amanitin Research Articles

Lepiota castanea mushroom growing in Turkiye does not contain phallotoxins and amatoxins

The number of poisoning cases caused by the Lepiota genus is globally increasing. This genus has more poisonous species than the Amanita genus, and many Lepiota species can cause severe toxicity and death if ingested. As recognized in the literature, L. castanea is a toxic species containing amatoxin. Although crude analytical methods have shown that L. castanea contains amatoxins, more recent and sensitive analyses suggest otherwise. Toxin concentrations can vary even among the same fungal species due to geographical and climatic differences. Therefore, this confusion can be resolved by analyzing L. castanea toxins from different geographical regions. This study aimed to demonstrate the toxin levels of L. castanea collected from forests in different regions of Turkiye (Istanbul and Kocaeli) using sensitive methods. The collected mushrooms were analyzed for alpha amanitin, beta amanitin, gamma amanitin, amanin, phallacidin, and phalloidin levels using RP-HPLC-UV and LC-ESI-MS/MS methods. L. castanea mushroom was found to be free of amatoxin and phallotoxin. Our study revealed for the first time that L. castanea mushrooms from different geographical regions of Turkiye do not contain amatoxin and phallotoxin. Supporting these findings with new studies from different parts of the world would be appropriate.

Lepiota cristata does not contain amatoxins or phallotoxins

It is believed that Lepiota cristata is inedible and slightly poisonous, so it should always be avoided. This study analyzed the alpha, beta and gamma amanitin, phalloidin (PHN) and phallacidin (PCN) content of L. cristata collected from different regions of Turkey. Toxin levels have been assessed using a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) system with ultraviolet detectors. In this study, the L. cristata mushroom was not found to contain any amatoxins or phallotoxins. However, this finding does not mean that this mushroom is edible. New studies regarding the toxin content of L. cristata may be useful to understand the toxicity of this species.

Purification and in vitro toxicity of gamma amanitin

We aimed to obtain gamma amanitin with high purity through a purification process and compare toxic effects of alpha, beta, and gamma amanitin. Specific concentrations of the toxins (25, 10, 1, and 0.1 μg/mL) were applied to the C3A human hepatocytes. A MTT test was performed to determine the level of toxicity. Alpha amanitin showed a higher toxicity in 48 h while the lowest toxicity was observed in beta amanitin. The toxicity level of gamma amanitin was found between the alpha and beta amanitin toxicity. Our method is suitable for obtaining gamma amanitin with high purity (>99%) as well as for obtaining alpha amanitin and beta amanitin. Gamma amanitin has been shown to have equal responsibility for toxicity as alpha amanitin in amanita poisoning.

Toxin content and toxicological significance in different tissues and development stages of Lepiota brunneoincarnata mushroom

We investigated the quantity and concentration of toxins in different parts and in different growth phases of Lepiota brunneoincarnata mushroom. The amatoxins and phallotoxin levels were measured using the reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method. Alpha amanitin (2.38 ± 0.70 mg/g) was followed by beta amanitin (1.97 ± 0.52 mg/g) and gamma amanitin (0.04 ± 0.01 mg/g) in trace amounts; it did not contain any phallotoxin. The cap part is richer in amatoxins than the stipe part. While medium mushrooms were quite rich in amatoxins, less levels of toxin were measured in fully developed mushrooms. The study showed in detail the toxin concentrations of L. brunneoincarnata with regard to different developmental stages and different segments.

Clinical importance of toxin concentration in Amanita verna mushroom

Poisoning from Amanita group of mushrooms comprises approximately 3% of all poisonings in our country and their being responsible for nearly the entire fatal mushroom poisonings makes them important. These mushrooms contain primarily two types of toxins, amatoxins and phallotoxins. Phallotoxins have a more limited toxicity potential and they primarily consist of phalloidin (PHN) and phallacidin (PCN). Amatoxins, on the other hand, are very toxic and they primarily consist of alpha-amanitin (AA), beta-amanitin (BA) and gamma-amanitin (GA). Toxin levels can vary among various species, even among varieties of the same species, of Amanita mushroom family. Revealing the differences between the toxin compositions of the Amanita species that grow in our region may contribute to the clinics of poisonings. Our study aims at showing in detail the toxin levels in various parts of Amanita verna mushroom.A. verna mushrooms needed for toxin analysis were collected from Kozak Plateau near Ayvalik county of Balıkesir, Turkey in April 2013. The mushrooms were divided into their parts as pileus, gills, stripe and volva. Following the procedures required before the analysis, the AA, BA, GA, PHN and PCN levels were measured using the RP-HPLC method.While the lowest level of amatoxin was in the volva of the mushroom, the highest was measured in the gills. This was followed by pileus and stripe where the levels were close to each other. Similarly, the highest level of phallotoxin was measured in the gills. Gamma toxin and phalloidin were at lower amounts than the other toxins.A. verna is frequently confused with edible mushrooms with white caps due to its macroscopic similarity. If just one of them is eaten by mistake by an adult person with no mushroom experience, it can easily poison them. The amount of amatoxin is more as compared to Amanita phalloides and A. phalloides var. alba. Particularly, the AA and BA levels are approximately three times higher, whereas GA levels are lower. Similarly, the level of PCN is approximately four times higher as compared to A. phalloides and A. phalloides var. alba; by contrast, the level of PNH is about a half of theirs.In summary, it can be said that A. verna is a more toxic mushroom than A. phalloides and has a higher rate of mortality. With our study, the amatoxin and phallotoxin concentrations and distribution in A. verna mushrooms were shown in detail for the first time and it would be useful to carry out more similar studies with other members of Amanita family growing in various parts of the world.

Amanitin and phallotoxin concentration in Amanita phalloides var. alba mushroom

Although rarely seen, Amanita phalloides var. alba, a variety of A. phalloides type mushrooms, causes mushroom poisoning resulting in death. Since it is frequently confused with some edible mushrooms due to its white colored cap and macroscopic appearance, it becomes important in toxicological terms. Knowledge of the toxin amount contained in this mushroom type is invaluable in the treatment of cases involving poisoning. In this study, we examined the toxin levels of various parts of the A. phalloides var. alba mushroom growing Duzce region of Turkey.Toxin analyses were carried out for A. phalloides var. alba, which were collected from the forests Duzce region of Turkey in 2011, as a whole and also separately in its spore, pileus, gills, stipe and volva parts. The alpha amanitin, beta amanitin, gamma amanitin, phalloidin and phallacidine analyses of the mushrooms were carried out using the RP-HPLC method.A genetic analysis of the mushroom showed that it had similar genetic characteristics as A. phalloides and was a variety of it. The lowest toxins quantity was detected in spores, volva and stipe among all parts of the mushroom. The maximum amount of amatoxins was measured in the gills. The pileus also contained a high amount of amatoxins.Generally, amatoxins and phallotoxin concentrations were lower as compared to A. phalloides, but interestingly all toxins other than gamma toxin were higher in the spores of A. phalloides var. alba. The amount of toxin in all of its parts had sufficient concentrations to cause death. With this study, the amatoxin and phallotoxin concentrations in A. phalloides var. alba mushroom and in its parts have been revealed in detail for the first time.

Alpha-Amanitin uptake into hepatocytes. Identification of hepatic membrane transport systems used by amatoxins.

Hepatic transport studies with amatoxins, toxic bicyclic octapeptides from poisonous mushrooms of the genus Amanita were performed, using [(6'-O,1'-N-di[3H]methyl)trp4]-alpha-amanitin and [(6'-O,1'-N-di-methyl)trp4]-[4-[3H]desmethyl)hyi3]-gamma-ama nitin. Uptake into hepatocytes from rat liver was inhibited by taurocholate and antamanide. Photoaffinity labeling studies with isolated hepatocytes and basolateral plasma membranes, using the sodium salt of (7,7-azo-3 alpha, 12 alpha-dihydroxy-5 beta-[3 beta-3H]cholan-24-oyl)-2- aminoethanesulfonic acid demonstrated that the presence of alpha-amanitin decreased the labeling of the two sinusoidal bile salt-binding membrane polypeptides with the apparent molecular weights of 54,000 and 48,000. In basolateral plasma membrane vesicles amanitin uptake was temperature-dependent and could be stimulated 1.5 to 2-fold by an out to in Na+ gradient as compared to a K+ gradient or sucrose and 2 to 2.5-fold as compared to amanitin equilibration (overshoot). Kinetic studies proved saturability of amanitin uptake in the presence and absence of a Na+ gradient. Membrane transport could be inhibited by taurocholate, antamanide, phalloidin, prednisolone, and silybin, but not by penicillin G or thioctic acid. Hepatic uptake of amatoxins is mediated by the sinusoidal bile salt-transport systems which are also involved in the uptake of antamanide and phalloidin. This supports the concept of a multispecificity of hepatic transport systems for a wide variety of amphipathic molecules.

Fatal mushroom poisoning. Report of a case confirmed by toxicologic analysis of tissue.

FATAL mushroom poisoning is uncommon in this country. Although it was first recorded in 18711 few reports have since appeared in the American literature. Buck2 has reviewed 24 fatal cases reported since 1924. Eleven of these were due to Amanita verna and its subspecies and the American phenotypes of A. phalloides. The highly lethal toxins contained in these mushrooms of the bulb-agaric group are phalloidin, phalloin and alpha, beta and gamma amanitin. (The bulb-agaric group does not include A. muscaria, which contains the rapid-acting but less fatal toxin, muscarin.) Identification of the "amanita toxins" in human tissues has . . .