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Toxins of Amanita

Heather E. Hallen, editor
166 Plant Biology Laboratories
Department of Plant Biology
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-1312
USA

Note: Readers are encouraged to supply us with information about laboratories,
individual projects, and research publications to which links can be created.

[ mushroom poisoning (general) ]  [ links to amatoxin-related publications & sites ]  [ organizational links ]

Page background tile depicts Amanita exitialis.
Editor's bacground tile depicts Amanita bisporigera.

MUSHROOM POISONING (GENERAL)

[ recommended general poisoning reference ]  [  links to amatoxin-related publications & sites ]  [ organizational links ]

US poison control centers:  Many of the US poison control centers share a common telephone number: 800 222-1222.

If a victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call 911.

For the localities of US poison control centers and selected centers in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, visit www.AAPCC.org.

Mushrooms. Poisons and Panaceas by Denis R. Benjamin, MDRecommended reference: If not the most valuable, certainly one of the few most valuable works on mushroom poisoning, is the work of Denis Benjamin, MD, entitled Mushrooms. Poisons and Panaceas.  In the opinion of RET, this book should be accessible in every emergency room and poison control center in North America at least (with local taxonomic knowledge added, its applicability is broader).  Dr. Benjamin does not stint  on the taxonomic information.  In addition, importantly, he provides the information most accessible to physicians, persons receiving calls in a poison control center, and other emergency medical personnel -- the symptoms presented by a patient in his/her home, an ambulance, or an emergency room.  The book presents poisonings, causes, and treatments organized by toxins and by symptoms.  Taxonomic descriptions are offered; but taxonomy of poisonous mushrooms is not the core of this very useful book. Benjamin points out that support of a taxonomist can be useful to reduce any confusion or misunderstanding of book users.

  • Summary of the book (originally used as supporting material for an introductory seminar on mushroom toxicology to parataxonomist volunteers supporting the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System (NJPIES) by R. E. Tulloss, Dorothy Smullen, and Glenn Boyd (New Jersey Mycological Association) is available here with the permission of Dr. Benjamin.  (download, PDF, 506 Kb)

  • Publication data: Benjamin, Denis R. 1995. Mushrooms. Poisons and panaceas. (W. H. Freeman, New York). xxvi+422 pp. ISBN: 0-7167-2600-9 (hard cover), 0-7167-2649-1 (soft cover).

  • Obtaining a copy:  (t.b.d.)  [NB: The Amanita Studies site earns no income from sales of this book.]

[ mushroom poisoning (general) ]  [  links to amatoxin-related publications & sites ]  [ organizational links ]

 

PUBLICATIONS RELATING TO AMANITA TOXIN CHEMISTRY:

SITES RELATING TO AMANITA TOXIN CHEMISTRY:

  • The Amanita genome project (site) - toxin-related effort to sequence the genome of Amanita bisporigera G. F. Atk. and identify genes associated with toxin production.

  • Amanita and amatoxins (page) - a summary of H. E. Hallen's hypotheses particularly as related to amatoxins as adaptation (for what sort of defense from what sort of thing?) and the history of amatoxin facilitating genes in the four genera known to include species that produce amatoxins.

LINKS TO ORGANIZATIONS (e.g., POISON CONTROL CENTERS):

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[ mushroom poisoning (general) ]  [ links to amatoxin-related publications & sites ]  [ organizational links ]

Last change to this page 22 April 2009.
This page is maintained by R. E. Tulloss.
Copyright 2007, 2008, 2009 R. E. Tulloss.