Nephrotoxic and Hepatotoxic Species of Mushrooms - Essay Example

Mushrooms create helpful chemicals like amino acids and sugars from the decaying matters and feed on it (Triefeldt 42). In doing so, they enrich the soil and play an important role in the ecosystem (Triefeldt 42). More than 2000 species of mushrooms are known to exist (Pageaux and Larrey 827). However, as approximately 50 species of mushrooms are known to be poisonous for human beings, not all of them are safe to eat (Pageaux and Larrey 827). Hence, it is extremely necessary to distinguish between the mushrooms that are healthy to eat and mushrooms that are lethal for human life.

         Human beings can obtain protein and vitamin B from mushrooms (Kemp 173). Benefits like boosting immune system and protection against cancer can be obtained from mushrooms (Kemp 173). However, these benefits can be availed only from those mushrooms that are not poisonous for health. The common varieties among the healthy mushrooms are the ‘button’ and ‘Portobello’ mushrooms (Kemp 173). Also, some of the other varieties of nonpoisonous mushrooms are ‘shitak,’ ‘common mycena,’ ‘parasol,’ ‘shaggy mane,’ ‘Mary russula,’ ‘edible boletus,’ ‘Aspen scaber stalk,’ ‘table mushrooms’ and ‘field mushrooms’ (Triefeldt 42).

These are nonpoisonous mushrooms and hence, are not dangerous to health of human beings. However, there are other species of mushrooms which have the potential of not only affecting the human health negatively but also to cause death. Those species are discussed below.         In Western countries, one of the common emergencies in the medical field is the mushroom poisoning (Pageaux and Larry 827). The species of mushroom, known as ‘Amanita’ are the major cause behind most of the cases of mushroom poisoning in human beings (Pageaux and Larrey 827).

The fatal phalloidian syndrome is also caused by mushroom species called ‘lepiota’ (Pageaux and Larrey 827). Health hazards like “abdominal pain, vomiting, weakness, hallucination or even death” can be caused to human beings if they eat mushrooms that contain chemical toxins (Triefeldt 42).