Two outbreaks of mushrooms poisoning involving 3 and 9 soldiers respectively with one death on 9 March 1980 in Perak are described. The symptoms were compatible with muscarine [a neurotoxin] poisoning which was detected in the stomach contents of the dead soldier and the mushrooms consumed by one group.
Despite being a favorite delicacy, only 200-300 of the 5,000 known mushroom species have been clearly established to be safe for consumption. Cases of mushroom poisoning have been reported with diverse clinical syndromes. A syndromic classification of mushroom poisoning has recently been developed to facilitate early interventions. We present a series of five cases of mushroom poisoning with muscarinic manifestations to highlight the difficulties we faced with exact species and toxin identification and the importance of this syndromic classification. The common symptoms in our case series are blurred vision, diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps.
Insect resistance to toxins exerts not only a great impact on our economy, but also on the ecology of many species. Resistance to one toxin is often associated with cross-resistance to other, sometimes unrelated, chemicals. In this study, we investigated mushroom toxin resistance in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster (Meigen). This fruit fly species does not feed on mushrooms in nature and may thus have evolved cross-resistance to α-amanitin, the principal toxin of deadly poisonous mushrooms, due to previous pesticide exposure. The three Asian D. melanogaster stocks used in this study, Ama-KTT, Ama-MI, and Ama-KLM, acquired α-amanitin resistance at least five decades ago in their natural habitats in Taiwan, India, and Malaysia, respectively. Here we show that all three stocks have not lost the resistance phenotype despite the absence of selective pressure over the past half century. In response to α-amanitin in the larval food, several signs of developmental retardation become apparent in a concentration-dependent manner: higher pre-adult mortality, prolonged larva-to-adult developmental time, decreased adult body size, and reduced adult longevity. In contrast, female fecundity nearly doubles in response to higher α-amanitin concentrations. Our results suggest that α-amanitin resistance has no fitness cost, which could explain why the resistance has persisted in all three stocks over the past five decades. If pesticides caused α-amanitin resistance in D. melanogaster, their use may go far beyond their intended effects and have long-lasting effects on ecosystems.
In Malaysia, mushroom poisoning poses a significant public health concern, particularly as local communities frequently consume wild mushrooms without fully recognizing the potential dangers they present. Ingestion of wild mushrooms, which resemble edible species but contain deadly chemicals, is the main cause of poisoning risk. The genus Entoloma (Fr.) P. Kumm is dispersed worldwide, with over 1500 species recorded. Entoloma mastoideum, a poisonous mushroom, was recorded for the first time at Kota Marudu district, Sabah, Malaysia, where ten cases of mushroom poisoning outbreaks were recorded during the rainy season of October 2019. The morphological characters of the specimens were documented and their microscopic features were analyzed using compound microscope and scanning electron microscope. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using Maximum likelihood and Bayesian analysis. Chemical profiling of the poisonous mushroom specimen was done via liquid chromatograph mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to identify toxic metabolites. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the Bornean E. mastoideum is closely related to the Chinese isolates (100% BS/1.0 PP). LC-MS/MS profiling detected a total of 162 metabolites that were classified into ten general groups, where several toxic compounds were detected amongst the aromatics, essential amino acids, and fatty acid derivatives. The toxic compounds identified in the mushroom extract, including amino acid derivatives such as 3,4,5,6-tetrahydroxyynorleucine, valpromide, and betaine, have been reported to cause neurotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, liver damage, and gastrointestinal harm. The presence of these toxic compounds underscores the need for caution when consuming wild mushrooms. Further research on poisonous Entoloma species is vital for developing accurate identification methods and understanding their toxic potential. This knowledge is essential for enhancing public awareness, preventing mushroom poisoning incidents and safeguarding public health.
Coriolus versicolor, which is known as Yun Zhi, is one of the commonly used Chinese medicinal herbs. Recent studies have demonstrated its antitumor activities on cancer cells which led to its widespread use in cancer patient. However, little toxicological information is available regarding its safety. The present study evaluated the potential toxicity of Coriolus versicolor standardized water extract after acute and subchronic administration in rats.