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Amanita muscaria (also known as fly agaric or fly amanita) is a psychoactive mushroom that grows widely in the northern hemisphere. The fly agaric is a large white-gilled, white-spotted, usually red mushroom that is one of the most recognizable and widely encountered in popular culture 🍄. The mushroom is arguably<ref>Soma and "Amanita muscaria" Author(s): John Brough Source: Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 34, No. 2 (1971), pp. 331-362 Published by: Cambridge University Press on behalf of School of Oriental and African Studies Stable URL: <nowiki>http://www.jstor.org/stable/612695</nowiki></ref> the ''[[Soma]]-plant'' in Vedic religion<ref>Soma and "Amanita muscaria" Author(s): John Brough Source: Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 34, No. 2 (1971), pp. 331-362 Published by: Cambridge University Press on behalf of School of Oriental and African Studies Stable URL: <nowiki>http://www.jstor.org/stable/612695</nowiki></ref> as it is noted for its hallucinogenic properties, which derive from its primary psychoactive constituents ibotenic acid and muscimol<ref>Hallucinogenic Species in Amanita Muscaria. Determination of Muscimol and Ibotenic Acid by Ion Interaction HPLC M. C. Gennaro a , D. Giacosa a , E. Gioannini a & S. Angelino a a Università di Torino Dipartimento di Chimica Analitica Via P. Giuria , 5 10125, Torino, Italy Published online: 23 Sep 2006.</ref>. | Amanita muscaria (also known as fly agaric or fly amanita) is a psychoactive mushroom that grows widely in the northern hemisphere. The fly agaric is a large white-gilled, white-spotted, usually red mushroom that is one of the most recognizable and widely encountered in popular culture 🍄. The mushroom is arguably<ref>Soma and "Amanita muscaria" Author(s): John Brough Source: Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 34, No. 2 (1971), pp. 331-362 Published by: Cambridge University Press on behalf of School of Oriental and African Studies Stable URL: <nowiki>http://www.jstor.org/stable/612695</nowiki></ref> the ''[[Soma]]-plant'' in Vedic religion<ref>Soma and "Amanita muscaria" Author(s): John Brough Source: Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 34, No. 2 (1971), pp. 331-362 Published by: Cambridge University Press on behalf of School of Oriental and African Studies Stable URL: <nowiki>http://www.jstor.org/stable/612695</nowiki></ref> as it is noted for its hallucinogenic properties, which derive from its primary psychoactive constituents ibotenic acid and muscimol<ref>Hallucinogenic Species in Amanita Muscaria. Determination of Muscimol and Ibotenic Acid by Ion Interaction HPLC M. C. Gennaro a , D. Giacosa a , E. Gioannini a & S. Angelino a a Università di Torino Dipartimento di Chimica Analitica Via P. Giuria , 5 10125, Torino, Italy Published online: 23 Sep 2006.</ref>. | ||
Although classified as poisonous, reports of human deaths resulting from its ingestion are extremely rare. This is further compounded by several recorded cases of ingestion without issue<ref>Buck, R. W. (1963). ''Toxicity of Amanita muscaria. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 185(8), 663.'' doi:10.1001/jama.1963.03060080059020 </ref>. The key to its safety is differentiation from the Destroying Angel and the Death Cap (90% of all fatal mushroom poisonings) and then parboiling—which weakens its toxicity and breaks down the mushroom's psychoactive substances. To this day, the dried mushroom is used as a medicinal ingredient, and as a substitute for alcohol in parts of Russia as a narcotic by the Koryak people<ref>Russian Use of Amanita muscaria: A Footnote to Wasson's Soma Author(s): Ethel Dunn Source: Current Anthropology, Vol. 14, No. 4 (Oct., 1973), pp. 488-492 Published by: The University of Chicago Press on behalf of Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research Stable URL: <nowiki>http://www.jstor.org/stable/2740856</nowiki> . Accessed: 16/02/2015 19:02</ref>. | Although classified as poisonous, reports of human deaths resulting from its ingestion are extremely rare. This is further compounded by several recorded cases of ingestion without issue<ref>Buck, R. W. (1963). ''Toxicity of Amanita muscaria. JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 185(8), 663.'' doi:10.1001/jama.1963.03060080059020 </ref>. The key to its safety is differentiation from the Destroying Angel and the Death Cap (90% of all fatal mushroom poisonings see '''figure 1''') and then parboiling—which weakens its toxicity and breaks down the mushroom's psychoactive substances. To this day, the dried mushroom is used as a medicinal ingredient, and as a substitute for alcohol in parts of Russia as a narcotic by the Koryak people<ref>Russian Use of Amanita muscaria: A Footnote to Wasson's Soma Author(s): Ethel Dunn Source: Current Anthropology, Vol. 14, No. 4 (Oct., 1973), pp. 488-492 Published by: The University of Chicago Press on behalf of Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research Stable URL: <nowiki>http://www.jstor.org/stable/2740856</nowiki> . Accessed: 16/02/2015 19:02</ref>. | ||
=== Toxicity === | === Toxicity === |