The most dreadful mushroom toxins

a review of their toxicological mechanisms, chemical structural characteristics, and treatment

Authors

  • Irene Gouvinhas CITAB – Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environment and Biological Sciences/ Inov4Agro - Institute for Innovation, Capacity Building and Sustainability of Agri-Food Production, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, 5001- 801 Vila Real, Portugal. E-mail: igouvinhas@utad.pt https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0575-4958
  • Jani Silva AquaValor – Centro de Valorização e Transferência de Tecnologia da Água – Associação, Rua Dr. Júlio Martins n.º 1, 5400-342 Chaves, Portugal https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5868-4669
  • Maria José Alves AquaValor – Centro de Valorização e Transferência de Tecnologia da Água – Associação, Rua Dr. Júlio Martins n.º 1, 5400-342 Chaves, Portugal https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8506-4393
  • Juliana Garcia AquaValor – Centro de Valorização e Transferência de Tecnologia da Água – Associação, Rua Dr. Júlio Martins n.º 1, 5400-342 Chaves, Portugal. E-mail: juliana.garcia@aquavalor.pt https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3435-577X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2024-7257

Keywords:

mushroom toxins, toxicological mechanisms, chemical structures, treatment

Abstract

Mushroom consumption is a worldwide custom that continues to grow in popularity. On the other hand, foraging for wild mushrooms can lead to serious disease and even death if deadly mushrooms are accidentally consumed. Mushroom poisoning is difficult to diagnose and treat since the symptoms are similar to those of other disorders. In terms of chemistry, mushroom poisoning is associated with extraordinarily strong toxins, meaning that isolating and identifying toxins has substantial scientific relevance, especially in understanding the lethal components of toxic mushrooms. Most of these toxins exhibit exceptional physiological features that might help enhance chemistry, biochemistry, physiology, and pharmacology research. Despite the discovery of more than 100 poisons, several dangerous mushrooms remain unexplored. This review covers the chemistry (including chemical structures, complete synthesis, and biosynthesis), as well as the toxicology, namely the toxicokinetics, mechanisms of toxicology, and clinical toxicology of these poisons, in addition to the discussion of the development of their most effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies with the hopes of spurring additional studies,  focusing on individual classes of toxins found in poisonous mushrooms such as amatoxins, gyromitrin, orellanine, and phallatoxins.

Published

2024-05-28

How to Cite

Gouvinhas, I., Silva, J., Alves, M. J., & Garcia, J. (2024). The most dreadful mushroom toxins: a review of their toxicological mechanisms, chemical structural characteristics, and treatment. EXCLI Journal, 23, 833–859. https://doi.org/10.17179/excli2024-7257

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Section

Review articles

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