Question

What is the classification and history Russula Subnigricans?

What is the significance of Russula Subnigricans and how does it relate to science, environment, or health?

Is it pathogenic? If so, what does it cause and what is the treatment? Who does it affect and What part of the world is it found in?

Is there anything about Russula Subnigricans that makes it unique and interesting?

        Please add referrence

Answer 1

Russula subnigricans

It is a fungus which belongs to basidomycetes division and is actually a type of mushroom

Classification:

It belongs to fungi kingdom, its division is basidomycetes. The class is homobasidomycetae and sub class is hymenomycetes. The order of this fungus is Russulales and family is Russulaceae. The genus being Russula and the species is subnigricans.

History: This mushroom is known to cause toxicity in humans and was identified for the first time in japan in 1955 by a mycologist T. Hongo.

Significance: It is a poisonous species of mushroom and is found to cause mushroom toxicity in animals.

Relation to science: It is an organism and is studied under biology which is the branch of science. It is a fungi and appears like mushrooms

Relation to Health: This species is significant to health sciences as it contains cycloprop-2-ene carboxylic acid and Russuphelin A which is a multichlorinated polyphenol. which toxic in nature and causes breakdown of muscles. The toxicity begins in gastrointestinal tract and then to muscles and finally to kidneys.

Yes, this mushroom species is pathogenic.

Disease caused: It causes a condition named  mushroom poisoning which is Rhabdomyolytic type in nature. Rhabdomyolysis is not exclusively the result of mushroom toxicity but can occur in other cases like strenuous exercising etc.

In mushroom toxicity based rhabdomyolysis, there is breaking of skeletal muscles and the condition can even worsen to kidney failure which is because there is breakdown of muscles resulting in release of myoglobin which is fatal to kidneys.

Treatment: the condition can be treated by providing enough hydration by intravenous saline administration to prevent the risk of kidney damage. Further electrolyte balance has to be maintained because muscle damage may lead to high calcium levels as well as high potassium is also there. Kidney failure can be cured by replacement and dialysis is carried out at initial level of failure.

It affects humans, rats, dogs, horses etc. It is poisonous to all the animals.

Part of world: It is found in Asian countries i.e. China, Japan and Taiwan.

Uniqueness:

• The uniqueness of this species lies in the fact that on cutting or tearing its flesh does not turns black but turns pinkish or pale red.
• Moreover the toxins present in the mushroom i.e. cycloprop-2-ene carboxylic acid and chlorinated polyphenol known as Russuphelin A are very uncommon.