Death cap poisoning can now be alleviated. According to a new report, an antidote for the deadliest mushroom has been found.
Deadliest Mushroom Death Cap Antidote Discovered
It remains unclear why the death cap mushroom is so deadly. In a previous report from Science Times, death cap (Amanita phalloides) is responsible for 90% of fatalities associated with mushrooms worldwide.
It is a little challenging to figure out how to stop its damaging effects. Fortunately, researchers may have found a compound that could be an antidote for poisoning caused by the notoriously lethal Amanita phalloides mushroom, ScienceAlert reported.
Researchers from Sun Yat-sen University in China, under the direction of chemists Guohui Wan and Qiaoping Wang, have now demonstrated that indocyanine green can lessen the potency of the primary death cap toxin, α-amanitin, in human cells and mice by blocking the α-amanitin-induced cell death. Indocyanine green has previously received FDA approval and is utilized as a medical diagnostic imaging dye.
Death Camp Antidote Should Be Given Immediately
The researchers observed that the cell death caused by the toxin, α-amanitin, was significantly influenced by the creation of proteins called N-glycans. Further investigation found that the toxicity of α-amanitin seems to depend on an enzyme called STT3B, which is necessary to manufacture N-glycans.
They then searched existing FDA-approved drugs for potential antidote options. They discovered indocyanine green as a possible STT3B inhibitor.
The studies were run on a variety of subjects, including both mice and humans. Indocyanine green pre-treatment significantly increased the resistance of two distinct human cell lines, HAP1 and Hep G2, to amanitin-induced cell death.
Organoids from the mouse liver were then handled. The resistance to cell death was also higher in them.
They also tested live mice in their experiment. To simulate the likely course of treatment for poisoned humans, the poison was injected into the mice, and they were then given indocyanine green 4 hours later. The researchers were keeping an eye on their organs.
The treated mice outlived the untreated controls with less organ damage, reduced cell death, and higher survival.
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However, treatment with indocyanine green lost its therapeutic effect at intervals of 8 and 12 hours after poisoning, indicating that irreparable damage begins early and that treatment for death cap mushroom poisoning should be given immediately.
The results of the study were published in Nature Communications.
What Happens During Mushroom Poisoning
Death cap mushrooms are why you shouldn't just eat any mushroom you pick up in the forest. They were originally found in Europe but are now widespread.
They are frequently selected and eaten by mistake because of their attractiveness and striking resemblance to other edible mushrooms.
Consuming a deadly dosage of these substances is far too simple because there are no obvious warning indicators of toxicity in their flavor, and symptoms develop gradually. The patient may have gastrointestinal symptoms a few hours after eating that go away a day or two later, giving the misleading impression that everything is fine.
According to Better Health, other symptoms of mushroom poisoning include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. If the person who consumes mushrooms collapses or stops breathing, one should immediately call an ambulance.
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