PHENOXYL RADICALS FORMATION MIGHT CONTRIBUTE TO SEVERE TOXICITY OF MUSHROOOM TOXIN ALPHA AMANITIN - AN ELECTRON PARAMAGNETIC RESONANCE STUDY.

The aim of the present research was by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy using spin trapping technique to study in vitro oxidation of severe mushroom toxin alpha amanitin and second to evaluate its in vivo effect on oxidative status in mice kidney tissue. During in vitro oxidation of alpha amanitin by PbO2 in presence of nitrosobenzene as a spin-trapping agent, a triplet EPR signal was registered. Moreover, statistical significant increased levels of ROS products were found in kidney tissue homogenates isolated from the toxin treated mice comparing to those of the non-treated controls. Based on the present EPR study we assume that in vivo, alpha amanitin forms unstable phenoxyl radicals that might be a trigger for initiation of oxidative stress in kidney tissues of the toxin treated mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]