The Destroying Angel (Amanita virosa) is another poisonous mushroom, although quite a rare species, which is distinguished from the other type of Death Cap (A. phalloides ssp. yam) by its sharp club-shaped cap and frayed stipe. It grows predominantly in mountain forests on a limestone subsoil. It is as potentially dangerous as the Death Cap and its fruit-bodies contain another type of toxin called virosin, whose toxic effects can be compared with those of amanitoxins. It should also be mentioned that amanitoxins are present in some other fungi, which are not necessarily related to the Amanita genus. These poisonous substances were in clusters on rotten wood. It can quite easily be mistaken for the edible mushroom Kuehneromyces mutabilis.

Experiments have proved that although high temperatures lessen the virulence of the poison, they do not destroy the toxic substances. Finally the character of the Death Cap arises during which the poison fully penetrates the blood stream so that any late stomach-pumping is ineffective.

Agaric has a stupefying effect and in some countries it is used as a narcotic. It resembles the deistic potion known as Soma, which dates back. more than 3,000 years. It is also the same hallucinogenic drug: which was used long ago in Siberia, Kamchatka and Chukotka.’ by the indigenous population.

A perspective can be realized when it is known that 100 g of the fresh fruit-bodies of the Death Cap, or the equivalent of 5 g of dried mushrooms, contain approximately 10 mg of this poisonous substance.

The Panther Cap (Amanita pantherina) occupies second place, after the Death Cap in terms of the number of accidents caused’ by poisoning in the majority of European countries. In this instance the nature of the poisoning is similar to that caused by Fly Agaric, but it is stronger and more dangerous.

The number of cases of poisoning caused by this Amanita has multiplied in recent years due to an increase in the collection of the Blusher mushroom (A. rubescens) and also occasionally that of A. spissa..

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