Amatoxin
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Amatoxins are a subgrup of toxins found in Amanita phalloides and also in Galerina and Lepiota mushroom species.
Their swift intestinal absorption coupled with their thermostability explains why their toxic effects occur in a relative short period of time. The most severe effects are toxic hepatitis with centrolobular necrosis and hepatic steatosis, as well as acute tubulointerstitial nephropathy, which altogether induce a severe hepatorenal syndrome (with a potential fatal outcome). The estimated minimum lethal dose is 0.1 mg/kg or 7 mg of toxin in adults, a dosage that can be found in 50g of mushrooms. There are 8 amatoxins of which the most active is alpha-amatoxin.
