BT-049 · Amanitaceae (mantar)

Fly agaric

Amanita muscaria
Evidence: TraditionalHigh risk

The image of the red, white-spotted mushroom appears everywhere in European folklore, from fairy tales to Christmas cards.

Other names
Amanita muscaria, sinek mantarı (Turkish)
Part used
Cap
Region
Asia and Siberia
Use
Ritual and shamanic, Poisonous
Fly agaric (Amanita muscaria): red cap with white spots
Photo: Holger Krisp · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
In short

What is Fly agaric?

Fly agaric (Amanita muscaria) is a plant of the Amanitaceae (mantar) family. Traditions that use it: Asia and Siberia. Part used: cap.

What is Fly agaric used for?

Traditional use: Koryak, Chukchi and Evenk shamans used dried fly agaric to enter trance and journey to the spirit world. Scientific evidence: traditional. A mushroom, not a plant.

Is Fly agaric safe?

Safety label: high risk. Poisonous: causes nausea, vomiting, hallucinations, seizures and loss of consciousness. The risk of confusing it with deadly Amanita species is very dangerous.

Traditional use

Siberia

Koryak, Chukchi and Evenk shamans used dried fly agaric to enter trance and journey to the spirit world.

Europe

Its name comes from soaking it in milk to kill flies.

In nature

Where it grows
Temperate forests of the Northern Hemisphere; in Türkiye, Black Sea and Marmara forests.
Harvest season
Appears August–November in pine and birch forests.
Local names
sinek mantarı, kırmızı benekli mantar

Mix-up risk

It belongs to the same genus as the deadly death cap (Amanita phalloides). Poisonings happen when it is mistaken for the edible Caesar’s mushroom (Amanita caesarea).

Preparation

Not recommended to prepare or use.

What science says

A mushroom, not a plant. It contains ibotenic acid and muscimol, which act on the brain’s GABA system. Drying converts ibotenic acid into the more potent muscimol.

Safety

High risk

Poisonous: causes nausea, vomiting, hallucinations, seizures and loss of consciousness. The risk of confusing it with deadly Amanita species is very dangerous.

Drug interactions

Medicine or substanceWhy it matters
Sedatives, sleeping pills, alcoholMuscimol acts through GABA; risk of losing consciousness increases.
Anticholinergic drugsMay increase poisoning symptoms.

This list is not complete. If you take regular medication, ask your pharmacist or doctor before trying Fly agaric.

Similar plants

Syrian rue (Peganum harmala): white flower and narrow leaves
BT-001

Syrian rue

Peganum harmala
Nitrariaceae
Evidence: TraditionalHigh risk
Ephedra (Ephedra sinica): red berries and thin stems
BT-074

Ephedra

Ephedra sinica, E. major ve diğerleri
Ephedraceae
Restricted in Türkiye
Evidence: ClinicalHigh risk
Juniper (Juniperus excelsa): twig with bluish berries
BT-025

Juniper

Juniperus excelsa, J. oxycedrus, J. communis
Cupressaceae
Evidence: TraditionalCaution

Sources

  1. ResearchAmanita muscaria in the evolving novel psychoactive substances landscape: a narrative review
  2. ResearchReasons, Form of Ingestion and Side Effects Associated with Consumption of Amanita muscaria
  3. ResearchAmanita muscaria: toksikolojik riskler ve klinik sonuçlar (derleme)
  4. Titles of research sources are summarised in Turkish on the Turkish page; links open the original English publications.

Written by Edanaz Tınmazlar · Last reviewed: · Türkçe

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