MUSHROOM POISONING SYNDROMES
Poison Control Center Number:
800-222-1222
Don't eat any mushroom based upon what you see in a video or a book. Always have a local expert show you what is good to eat and what is not.
The following is for educational and reference only -- not for diagnosis and/or treatment.
• Latency = the time from ingestion to onset of symptoms.
I. Cyclopeptide poisoning -- Certain Amanitas, Lepiotas, and Galerinas, etc.
• Latency is around 6 to 24 hours.
First stage symptoms: violent vomiting, diarrhea, and severe abdominal cramps.
Second stage: presumed recovery - 24 hours
The third, and the worst, stage of the illness follows with major liver damage and death possible.
II. Gyromitrin -- Monomethylhydrazine
• Latency is 2 to 24 hours. Symptoms include: headaches, abdominal distress, severe diarrhea, and vomiting. Possibility of liver and kidney damage. In Europe, some of the Gyromitras have been known to cause death.
III. Gastro-Intestinal syndrome -- Different toxins
• Latency: within a couple of hours of ingestion.
General symptoms for this group are: nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea with the possibility of mild to acute stomach or intestinal cramps.
IV. Ibotenic Acid -- Muscimol Poisoning
• Latency is 30 min. to 2 hours.
The symptoms, in order of appearance are:
1. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea,
2. Muscle incoordination, visual distortions, enhanced colors,
3. Drowsiness, deep sleep.
Effects can last 8-24 hours.
V. Muscarine Poisoning
• Latency: 15-30 minutes.
The symptoms of muscarine poisoning are characterized by what is called the "PSL" syndrome: sweating, salivating, tearing, as well as slowed pulse rate and lowered blood pressure and/or vomiting and diarrhea.
"PSL": perspiration, salivation, and lacrymation.
VI. Coprine Poisoning
• Latency: from a few minutes to days.
Symptoms include: hot flashes, heart palpitations or fast heartbeat, headaches, and possibly nausea or vomiting.
VII. Psilocybes -- (Magic Mushrooms)
• Latency: within an hour or so.
Effects can last up to four to six hours or more. Symptoms include: possibility of nausea and/or vomiting first. Then heightened color perception, ecstasy or anxiety, hallucinations, and or delusions.
VIII. Unclassified
1. Amanita smithiana
• Latency: 4-12 hours
Symptoms include: gastrointestinal distress, anxiety, chills, cramps, disorientation, kidney failure and sometimes malaise, sweating, weakness, thirst.
2. Paxillus involutus
Latency and symptoms are similar to number III. Gastro-intestinal Sydrome
• Latency: within a couple of hours of ingestion. Symptoms include: nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea with the possibility of mild to acute stomach or intestinal cramps -- but can also cause hemolytic anemia.
3. Cortinarius -- Orellanine poisoning
• Latency: 36 hours to 3 weeks
Symptoms include: frequent urination, nausea, vomiting, lethargy, thirst, headache, kidney failure.
4. Tricholoma flavovirens
• Affected only people in Europe who ate large quantities.
Symptoms include: fatigue, muscle weakness, myalgia, loss of appetite, mild nausea, and profuse sweating, rhabdomyolysis.
If you want to learn more about identifying mushrooms and learn about the toxic ones, consider purchasing these two DVDs:
