Distribution of the amatoxins and phallotoxins in Amanita phalloides. Influence of the tissues and the collection site

The toxin composition of 25 Amanita phalloides carpophores collected from t hree sites in Franche-Comte (France) differing in their geological and pedo logical characteristics was determined and the factors involved in the vari ations of the toxin concentration in the tissues were identified. The conce ntrations of the main amatoxins (beta-amanitin, alpha-amanitin, gamma-amani tin) and phallotoxins (phallacidin, phallisacin, phalloidin, phallisin, pha lloin) in the six tissues constituting the carpophore, i.e. the cap (C), gi lls (G), ring (R), stipe (S), bulb (B) and volva (V) were evaluated by usin g high-performance liquid chromatography. The results analysed statisticall y showed that the toxin concentrations were tissue dependent, leading to cl assification 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 p hallisacin, 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 anothe r and was not similar for all the tissues. Finally the mean toxin profile i n the carpophores from the three sites was evaluated. Th is study underscor es the fact that environ mental factors and mainly the soi I type clearly h ave an effect on the toxin composition of A. phalloides carpophores. (C) 19 99 Academie des sciences / Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS .