Biological Study of Mushroom Extract and Effect of Sodium Ricinoleate on its Toxicity.

Abstract

A watery extract of the poisonous mushroom, Amanita-phalloides, was prepared according to the method of Ford. 1 , 2 The extract was concentrated and sterilized by filtration. Using 1 cc. of a 5 per cent suspension of red blood corpuscles, 0.02 cc. of the extract produced complete hemolysis of guinea pig corpuscles. When injected into guinea pigs 1 cc. of the extract was sufficient to kill a 300 gm. guinea pig in 5 days. Upon the addition of sodium ricinoleate a precipitate was formed. A modified extract was prepared by the addition of sodium phosphate (Na₃PO₄), the precipitate being removed by filtration. Modified extract gave a clear, dark brown solution with sodium ricinoleate. 0.10 of this extract was necessary to hemolyze 1 cc. of a 5 per cent suspension of guinea pig erythrocytes. 1 cc. of the modified extract killed a 300 gm. guinea pig in 7 days. The addition of non-toxic amounts of castor oil soap to the mushroom poison greatly increased its toxicity. The addition of 0.03 gm. of castor oil soap to 1 cc. of toxin reduced the life interval from 7 days to 1 ½ hours. A similar increase in toxicity has previously been noted by Larson 3 upon the addition of castor oil soap to Botulinus toxin. Various mixtures of castor oil soap and mushroom toxin were studied and it was found that increase in toxicity depended both upon the concentration of the soap and the concentration of toxin.

This is a preliminary report.