The common name Fly Agaric comes from the practice of breaking the cap into platefuls of milk, used since medieval times to stupefy flies. It is a strong hallucinogen and intoxicant and is used as such by the Sami of northern Scandinavia. In such cases the cap is dried and swallowed without chewing, the symptoms begin 20 minutes to 2 hours after ingestion. The central nervous system is affected, and the muscles of the intoxicated person go into spasm. This is followed by dizziness and a deathlike sleep; during this stage the mushrooms are often vomited, but the stupor and drunkenness continue. While in this state of stupor, the person experiences vivid visions, and on awakening is usually filled with elation and is physically very active. This is due to the nerves being highly stimulated, the slightest effort of will producing exaggerated physical effects; for example, the intoxicated person will make a gigantic leap to clear a small obstacle. The Sami may have picked up the habit of eating Amanita muscaris through observing the effects of the fungus on reindeer, which are similarly affected. Indeed, reindeer like it so much that all one has to do to round up a wandering herd is to scatter pieces of the mushroom on the ground. Another observation the Sami made from the reindeer was that the intoxicating compounds can be recycled for consuming the urine of an intoxicated person. The effects of this species are exceedingly unpredictable due to the fungus containing different amounts of the toxins ibotenic acid and muscimol according to season and the method of cooking and ingestion, as well as the subject’s state of mind. Ibotenic acid is mostly concentrated in the coloured skin of the cap. This very unstable compound rapidly degrades on drying to form muscimol, which is 5 to 10 times more potent. This is an extremely dangerous mushroom to ingest, even in small amounts, and should always be treated as deadly poisonous.
Reference: Roger Phillips. 2006. Mushrooms: A comprehensive guide… Macmillan
