What is the primary toxin found in Amanita muscaria?

The primary toxin found in Amanita muscaria is muscimol. Muscimol is a psychoactive compound that acts primarily on the central nervous system, leading to effects such as hallucinations and altered states of perception. Ibotenic acid, while also present in Amanita muscaria, is actually a precursor to muscimol and is converted into muscimol in the body, further supporting muscimol's role as the primary active toxin in this mushroom.

Hemolysin is a type of toxin that can break down red blood cells, but it is not related to Amanita muscaria. Mycotoxins are toxic compounds produced by various fungi, but they refer broadly to a class of toxins rather than the specific compounds found in Amanita muscaria. Hence, the identification of muscimol as the primary toxin underscores its significance in the toxicological profile of this mushroom.