Constituents of Amanita muscaria

The fungus Amanita muscaria has been the object of intensive investigations for many years, and two of its constituents, muscarine and acetylcholine, are of fundamental importance in pharmacology. The elucidation of the structure of muscarine in the classical researches of Kögl et al. ^1–3 and Eugster⁴ and Waser⁵ has overshadowed the existence in the plant of other interesting substances. The fungus has long had a reputation for insecticidal properties in folk-lore as the names 'muscaria', 'fly agaric' and 'fliegenpilz' imply. Ramsbottom⁶ describes its use—broken up in milk or sprinkled with sugar—as a fly trap in various parts of Europe.

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