Mushroom poisoning refers to harmful effects from ingestion of toxic substances present in a mushroom

Mushroom

A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus; hence the word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi that...

. These symptoms can vary from slight gastrointestinal

Gastrointestinal tract

The human gastrointestinal tract refers to the stomach and intestine, and sometimes to all the structures from the mouth to the anus. ....

 discomfort to death

Death

Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....

. The toxin

Toxin

A toxin is a poisonous substance produced within living cells or organisms; man-made substances created by artificial processes are thus excluded...

s present are secondary metabolites produced in specific biochemical pathways in the fungal

Fungus

A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...

 cells. Mushroom poisoning

Poisoning

Poisoning may refer to:* Biological toxicity, see toxin and poison.* Catalyst poisoning.* Nuclear poison.* Poisoning, a classification in Cantonese food.* Route poisoning, a computer network concept.* Secondary poisoning...

 is usually the result of ingestion

Ingestion

Ingestion is the consumption of a substance by an organism. In animals, it normally is accomplished by taking in the substance through the mouth into the gastrointestinal tract, such as through eating or drinking...

 of wild mushrooms after misidentification of a toxic mushroom as an edible species.