Amanita muscaria, Muscimol and Ibotenic Acid: Toxicology and Poisoning Risks

Poisoning first. Amanita muscaria is a highly poisonous mushroom. Its main effects are on the central nervous system, and in severe poisoning a person can fall into a coma; rarely, deaths occur. [1] Do not wait for symptoms to pass. Call 911 or US Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 and see poisoning: what to do first and plant and mushroom poisoning. For animals, see pet and animal poisoning. This page does not help identify mushrooms.

Amanita muscaria

Amanita muscaria, the fly agaric, is a distinctive mushroom with a red or orange cap and small white plaques, but its look does not prevent serious mistakes: it can be mistaken for edible species. [1] A review of its chemistry, biology and toxicology says the use of the mushroom started in ancient times and is connected with mysticism. [2] Its active compounds, ibotenic acid and muscimol, are different from those of the classic psychedelics NIDA lists (psilocybin, LSD, DMT, mescaline). [2][3]

Muscimol and ibotenic acid

Ibotenic acid and muscimol are the active components. The review links them to a poisoning pattern called the "pantherina syndrome", characterized by central nervous system dysfunction, caused mainly by Amanita muscaria and A. pantherina, with other compounds probably also contributing. [2] In a poison-center study of 32 people poisoned by A. muscaria and 17 by A. pantherina, A. muscaria patients were more often confused (26 of 32) and agitated (20 of 32), while A. pantherina patients were more often comatose (5 of 17 versus 2 of 32). The authors say A. muscaria contains more of the excitatory ibotenic acid and less of the depressant muscimol. [4]

Toxicology: how serious can it be?

Ingestion was traditionally considered benign, but a 2022 report of two cases showed it should not be. One man died nine days after cardiopulmonary arrest; another, a 75-year-old who accidentally ate a foraged cap, needed a breathing tube but recovered fully. The authors identify high-risk features and say ingestion should not be considered benign. [5] In a Swiss case, a patient fell into a coma after accidental poisoning and recovered by the fourth day, with rapid identification of the mushroom helping treatment. [1] Evidence label: evidence of harm (case reports and poison-center series, which show that serious outcomes occur but not how often).

Edibles, gummies and the FDA

In December 2024 the US Food and Drug Administration told food manufacturers that A. muscaria, its extracts and three of its constituents (muscimol, ibotenic acid and muscarine) are not authorized as ingredients in conventional food. It said they do not meet the "generally recognized as safe" standard and are unapproved food additives, and recommended that people avoid eating foods with them. It described them in foods marketed as "psychedelic edibles", "legal psychedelics" or "mushroom edibles" that can look like ordinary candy bars, and said it was evaluating their use in dietary supplements. [6]

Product labels are not reliable. In a 2025 study in Portland, Oregon, neither ibotenic acid nor muscimol was detected in two gummies claiming to contain Amanita muscaria extract. Those products instead contained psilocin and other tryptamines, one product labeled psilocybin-free contained psilocybin, and another contained undisclosed THC. The authors concluded labeling was overall inaccurate. [7] Treat claims about Amanita content, strength or "legal" status on a package as a marketing claim.

Special groups

Proper evidence not found on risks specific to children, pregnancy or people taking medicines (we checked the poisoning and toxicology literature above). A 75-year-old in the 2022 report became seriously ill after one accidental ingestion. [5] See pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Research

Proper evidence not found for human treatment benefit of muscimol or A. muscaria. We searched PubMed for poisoning, toxicology and ethnomycology and found case reports, poison-center series and a toxicology review, not treatment trials.

Legal status

Not legal advice; laws change. We did not find Amanita muscaria, muscimol or ibotenic acid named in the US federal Schedule I list we read. [8] The FDA's position on food use is above. [6] Other countries and US states: not verified here. See legal status by country.