Intoxication caused by muscarine

Incubation : short (1 to 4 hours after ingestion, less than 6 hours). The intoxication may prove deadly in the most serious cases.

Toxic compound involved : muscarine

Signs of intoxication :

• Nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, increased gastric acid secretion, diarrhea and polyuria, digestive pains.
• lacrimation, rhinorrhea (runny nose), increased salivation, intense sweating.
• Tremor, convulsions and hypothermia.
• Bradycardia.
• Hot sweats, blurred vision.
• Constriction of the pupil (miosis).

Treatment :

• Antidote : atropine sulfate, either by oral medication, or injections in serious cases (0,25 to 1 mg, depending on situation)
• possibly, gastric lavage

Responsible species :

• Numerous Inocybes : White Fibrecap, Lilac Fibrecap, Deadly Fibrecap, Split Fibrecap, etc.
• Small white Clitocybes: Fool's Funnel, Clitocybe gallinacea, Frosty Funnel, Clitocybe diatreta, Chicken Run Funnel, Fragrant Funnel, Clitocybe dilatata, Clitocybe leucodiatreta, etc.
• Members of the Lilac Bonnet group: Lilac Bonnet , Pink Mycena (which contains other toxic compounds), etc.

Note: the Fly Agaric contains only a very small amount of muscarine, in spite of what its name would suggest.

Other intoxications by mushrooms

page updated on 25/06/15