phalloidine and phalloin

The toxin composition of 25 Amanita phalloides carpophores collected from three sites in Franche-Comté (France) differing in their geological and pedological characteristics was determined and the factors involved in the variations of the toxin concentration in the tissues were identified. The concentrations of the main amatoxins (beta-amanitin, alpha-amanitin, gamma-amanitin) and phallotoxins (phallacidin, phallisacin, phalloidin, phallisin, phalloin) in the six tissues constituting the carpophore, i.e. the cap (C), gills (G), ring (R), stipe (S), bulb (B) and volva (V) were evaluated by using high-performance liquid chromatography. The results analysed statistically showed that the toxin concentrations were tissue dependent, leading to classification of the tissues into two groups (B, V) and (C, G, R, S). The (B, V) group was distinguished by high amounts of phalloidin, phallisin and phallisacin, and the (C, G, R, S) group by the predominance of the amatoxins. The characteristics of the soil of the collection site also affected the toxin concentrations; however, this effect differed from one site to another and was not similar for all the tissues. Finally, the mean toxin profile in the carpophores from the three sites was evaluated. This study underscores the fact that environmental factors and mainly the soil type clearly have an effect on the toxin composition of A. phalloides carpophores.

Topics: Alkaloids; Amanita; Amanitins; Environment; France; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Peptides, Cyclic; Phalloidine; Soil

Rats made cholestatic by bile duct ligation survive phalloidin poisoning. This protection against phalloidin poisoning is correlated with the rate of the toxin uptake by the liver. [3H]demethylphalloin was used as a tracer for uptake studies. This is justified because there is no significant difference in the rate of uptake of the phallotoxins used. Within 4 h after bile duct ligation phalloidin uptake is reduced to about 25% and after 24 h to about 15% of controls. Isolated perfused livers and isolated hepatocytes from cholestatic rats bind less phalloidin than normal controls. Besides morphological changes serum factors may account for the decreased rate of phallotoxin uptake in cholestatic cells.

Topics: Alkaloids; Animals; Cholestasis; In Vitro Techniques; Liver; Male; Oligopeptides; Phalloidine; Rats

The uptake of trace amounts of 3H-demethylphalloin (3H-DMP) by isolated hepatocytes was studied in the presence of various concentrations of unlabeled demethylphalloin (DMP), of phalloin and of phalloidin. The addition of phalloidin (or phalloin) reduces the uptake of 3H-DMP more than the addition of the equivalent concentration of DMP. The error caused by dilution of 3H-DMP with phalloin or phalloidin is not constant and depends on the concentration of the unlabeled compound. The relative differences between the uptake of 3H-DMP in the presence of demethylphalloin and in the presence of either phalloin or phalloidin cannot be explained by a competitive model. Some consequences for the use of 3H-DMP in toxicokinetic experiments are discussed.

Topics: Alkaloids; Animals; In Vitro Techniques; Kinetics; Liver; Oligopeptides; Phalloidine; Rats; Time Factors