Methods for the Determination of Toxins and Biologically Active Components of Higher Fungi

Toxic mushrooms can be categorized into different groups depending on their constituents: cyclopeptides, hyromitrin, muscarine, isoxazoles (muscimol, ibotenic acid), orellanin, psilocybin and gastrointestinal irritants. Mushrooms containing cyclopeptides are the most toxic species worldwide and are responsible for 90–95% of human deaths. Rapid and accurate identification of toxins in mushrooms and biological samples is critical for the diagnosis and treatment of mushroom poisoning. Methods for toxin identification are essential to ensure timely treatment. This review presents an analysis of the scientific literature on the determination of mushroom toxins in mushroom and biological samples. Particular attention is paid to chromatographic methods, in particular high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry.