XPost: alt.drugs.mushrooms   
   From: cosmicaug@hotmail.com   
      
   Frederick Burroughs wrote:   
   > Shaun aRe wrote:   
   >>  wrote:   
   >>   
   >>>   
   >>> I guess I worry about your sources. Please read Denis Benjamin's   
   >>> Mushrooms: Poisons and Panaceas.   
   >>>   
   >>> Here is a small quote:   
   >>>   
   >>> from pg. 141: "Collections of Amanita muscaria lacking appreciable   
   >>> concentratins of ibotenic acid or muscimol have been described.(3)   
   >>> People in a number of communities, especially in the southwestern   
   >>> portion of Washington State, claim to have eten Amanita muscaria for   
   >>> many years without any ill effects. Great variabion in toxicity is the   
   >>> rule, although the factors influencing the concentration of any   
   >>> particular toxin are entirely unknown."   
   >>>   
   >>> Perhaps one of the best resources for poisoning cases in the world in   
   >>> the poisoning registrar of the North American Mycological Association   
   >>> (NAMA). On page 155 of "Mushrooms: Poisons and Panaceas" Benjamin notes   
   >>> that for the years 1984-87, 14 cases of Amanita muscaria poisoning were   
   >>> reported. In defense of the mushroom, it should also be noted that NAMA   
   >>> poisoning guidelines include mild fever (which could also indicate   
   >>> immuno-activation), and hallucinations (which A.m. is noted for).   
   >>   
   >>   
   >> Exactly - their definition of poisoning is wide beyond sense. I have   
   >> still yet to be able to find any case of an A.m. death.   
   >>   
   >>   
   > Do a combined search of "ibotenic acid" and "neurotoxic." Ibotenic acid   
   > is a neurotoxin used to produce brain lesions in medical research.   
      
            To be fair, the same could be said of glutamate and I have no   
   fears whatsoever about eating at Chinese restaurants (or having the soup   
   of the day). On the other hand, I get the impression that this is   
   effectively a much more excitotoxic substance than glutamate (from how   
   it tends to get mentioned in the same paragraph as domoic acid). It is   
   described as a potent neurotoxin.   
      
   > Granted, most research involves injecting pure ibotenic acid directly   
   > into brain structures,   
      
            It's not usually delivered intraperitoneally on rat neonates?   
   That's how it's done with brain lesion models created by the use of   
   glutamate, I think.   
      
   >                        and does not model most forms of recreational   
   > use. Still, one should exercise caution when ingesting a known   
   > neurotoxin. Are there cumulative effects? Are toxic effects increased   
   > under some circumstances? Are there a delayed neurological effects   
   > (degenerative brain diseases), that may take years to develop?   
      
            Cumulative effects resulting from repeated excitotoxicity   
   induced damage would be a concern of mine.   
      
   August Pamplona   
   --   
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