Ethanol diminishes the toxicity of the mushroomAmanita phalloides

Abstract
Survival of mice after lethal doses of a lyophilizate fromAmanita phalloides (‘death cap’) was markedly increased by single doses of ethanol applied 30 min before or 5 min after the mushroom. Hepatic histopathological damage (confluent necrosis) was largley prevented. Acute, but not chronic, consumption of ethanol may thus influence favorably the outcome of death cap poisoning and should be taken into consideration in the evaluation of therapeutic measures.