The presence of orellanine in spores and basidiocarp from Cortinarius orellanus and Cortinarius rubellus

Abstract

This is the first report quantifying the orellanine content in basidiospores. The toxin content and tissue distribution of orellanine were determined from Cortinarius orellanus (Fr.) Fr. and Cortinarius rubellus Cooke. Basidiospores, the basidiocarp, divided into cap and stem, and mycorrhiza roots were analyzed to determine the amount of orellanine by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography and thin layer chromatography. The orellanine contents in spores were 0.31% (C. orellanus) and 0.09% (C. rubellus). In caps, we found the toxin content to be 0.94% (C. orellanus) and 0.78% (C. rubellus), in stems 0.48% (C. orellanus) and 0.42% (C. rubellus) and in mycorrhiza roots from C. rubellus we determined the orellanine contents to 0.03%. In addition, extracts from the different structures of the basidiocarp of C. orellanus and C. rubellus, with an orellanine content corresponding to 25 nmol, inhibited the growth of Bacillus subtilis.

• Basidiospores
• Cortinarius orellanus
• Cortinarius rubellus
• mushroom poisoning
• nephrotoxicity
• orellanine

The authors would like to thank Jean-Michel Richard, Université J. Fourier de Grenoble, France for providing samples of orellanine, and Inger Lise Fonneland, Grimstad, Norway for providing the C. orellanus material.