Fly agaric (especially its red variety, the Latin name is Amanita muscaria) is a mushroom known even to children in kindergarten. Its fame, however, is of a bad nature - all of us are taught from infancy that fly agaric is a beautiful mushroom, but dangerous, and that it should not be consumed in any form and under no circumstances.
For the most part, this is completely justified. Red fly agaric, like many related species, contains dangerous toxins and strong psychoactive substances - muscarine, ibotenic acid and a number of others. At the same time, the use of fly agarics for various purposes - occult, medicinal, or even as a “combat drug” in Scandinavia - has been known since time immemorial. Moreover, the medical use of fly agaric is almost always limited to its red variety.
The attitude of official medicine towards treatment with fly agarics is ambiguous. There are several types of ointments and balms based on fly agaric extract. And at the same time, the most common remedy, fly agaric tincture, is categorically not recognized by Aesculapians.
Despite this, tincture of red fly agaric is used with greater or lesser success in the treatment of a wide variety of diseases, from cancer to diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
There are a number of recipes for preparing tinctures, depending on the method of application and what kind of ailment is being treated. In this article we will not call for the use of fly agaric tincture or its complete abandonment. We will simply tell you what are the methods for preparing this folk remedy and how it is used in alternative medicine. Whether you follow these recommendations is up to you.
Description of fly agaric
Refers to mycorrhiza-forming flat cap-footed mushrooms. The fly agaric got its name due to its poisonous properties, which makes it possible to use the mushroom in the fight against flies and insects. There are 6 varieties of it that belong to this group and do not pose a danger to human health. Some species are conditionally safe due to their low toxicity. There are also poisonous fly agarics. They have characteristic differences: red, green, white color of the cap. The smelly panther fly agaric also belongs to this group.
Panther fly agaric is a poisonous species of mushroom
White islands form on the cap during growth. These are the remains of the blanket in which the fungus develops at the initial stage. The leg can be large or small in thickness, it depends on the type of fly agaric. The pulp is white. Some species have a characteristic unpleasant odor when the leg is broken. Plates are found under the cap.
The red fly agaric is poisonous. It is distinguished by a hemispherical (in the process of growth) and a flat cap (in mature mushrooms). Its diameter varies from 8 to 20 cm depending on the stage of development. Fly agaric has an intoxicating effect; at first, when it is consumed, attacks of uncontrolled aggression, convulsions, and hallucinations occur.
The familiar red fly agaric
Chemical composition
The main substances that determine the mechanism of action of the fungus are alkaloids. The most poisonous are considered:
- muscarine;
- muscazone;
- muscimol
Muscarine is the most potent substance. 3 g is enough for death to occur. The substances muscazone and muscimol have sedative, hypnotic, and intoxicating properties. Bufotenine causes hallucinations. Before preparing fly agaric tincture with alcohol, you need to dry the mushrooms. This will reduce the concentration of toxic substances and preserve beneficial properties. However, even in this case, while taking the drug, a hallucinogenic effect is provided.
Muscarine is an alkaloid that is extremely dangerous to health.
Medicinal properties
A medicine based on fly agaric helps eliminate unpleasant symptoms of various diseases and pathological conditions due to a number of positive qualities. Fly agaric tincture has the following properties:
- anti-inflammatory;
- antiparasitic;
- antibacterial;
- antitumor;
- regenerative.
In addition, the product acts as an anesthetic. Its benefit also lies in its ability to have a positive effect on the nervous system. Fly agaric tincture increases the body's defenses.
However, it is taken with caution, because if the treatment regimen is violated, the opposite effect may occur: you will feel weakness in the muscles.
Reviews
If you want to use fly agaric tincture, you can read reviews from patients who have already encountered this remedy and used it in practice:
Elena Nikolaevna, 47 years old: “I used fly agaric tincture for rehabilitation after a broken arm. The damaged joint hurt for a long time, the muscles pulled, but after a series of compresses with fly agaric it became much better.”
Evgeniy, 56 years old: “Compresses with fly agaric helped me get rid of arthrosis. I have been suffering from it for more than ten years and have tried many remedies. The most effective, in my opinion, is fly agaric. It eliminates pain, relieves stiffness in the joint and allows you to actively move.”
Sergei Vasilievich, 68 years old: “I have been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis for a long time, and even the gout has worsened. I rubbed the bone with fly agaric tincture. By the end of the first week, the swelling went away and the pain became much less. I continue treatment further.”
A remedy with fly agaric will be effective in the fight against joint pathologies if it is prepared correctly. Most of the recipes are simple, and the use of fly agaric is no different from other compresses and rubs. However, this fungus must be treated with extreme caution.
What does alcohol tincture on fly agarics help with?
List of diseases and pathological conditions for which a mushroom-based solution can be used:
- dermatitis;
- purulent processes;
- radiculitis;
- psoriasis;
- mycoses;
- arthritis;
- sore throat with a cold;
- epilepsy;
- diabetes;
- oncological diseases;
- rheumatism;
- headache;
- dysmenorrhea;
- inflammatory processes of any etiology, including nerve damage;
- visual impairment;
- some diseases of the cardiovascular system: arrhythmia, angioneurosis of the extremities;
- muscle pain, etc.
It is important to remember that these diseases cannot be completely cured with alcohol tincture. This remedy only alleviates the condition and helps reduce the intensity of signs of pathology. For this reason, it cannot be used as the main medicine.
Fly agaric tincture helps in the treatment of many diseases
Shelf life
Everyone understands that the tincture of fly agaric in vodka should be used with caution and exactly according to the scheme. Its use and shelf life depend on the disease. So, for oncological diseases, it is advisable to use fresh medicine that has been in the refrigerator for no more than six months. But for external use, the product can be stored in a cool place for a little more than three years.
Homemade tinctures must be labeled with the date of manufacture on the bottles. Keep the medicine away from prying eyes, and also put a scary sticker on it with the inscription “POISON.” It is not recommended to leave medicine that has stood on the shelf for more than seven years, since it has practically no healing properties left. Although the remaining alcohol can be used to make a new batch of tinctures.
How to prepare it correctly
If you plan to make a tincture, you need to prepare the raw materials. To prevent the poisonous mushroom from causing even more harm, it is necessary to collect it in ecologically clean areas. The fly agaric extracts chemicals from the soil. If you pick mushrooms in industrial regions, the likelihood of death increases. External signs of a fly agaric suitable for preparing medicine:
- the surface of the cap is smooth, its shape is correct;
- uniform color;
- There are no defects on the stem or cap.
Collection should be done wearing rubber gloves, which will reduce the likelihood of toxic substances entering the body through the outer covering. To prepare the infusion, use dried and fresh mushrooms. The first option involves the need to prepare raw materials in natural conditions - in the open air, while the fly agaric should be covered with gauze. Mushrooms are dried in the sun. However, it is not recommended to use an oven for this, because in this case, toxic substances may linger on the inner walls.
Fly agarics need to be dried in the sun
Glass containers are used for storage. Moreover, after this it should not be used anymore. Cutting raw materials must be done using only disposable utensils (plate, knife); it is recommended to throw them away after use.
Collection and preparation of fly agaric
The fly agaric inhabits dry places in birch, pine and spruce forests. It can hardly be confused with any other
mushroom. The classic color of the cap is bright red with white spots. The leg is decorated with a flirty skirt.
The mushrooms are collected whole, without cutting them, but by gently shaking them, twisting them together with the stem, or just the cap separately. To do this, hold the stem with one hand and twist the cap clockwise with the other.
It is better to collect young samples, with an intact and rounded bright cap, without signs of rotting.
It is important to know! The toxic dose of ibotenic acid in adult fly agaric caps is about 60 mg. However, the amount and ratio of the chemical compound per mushroom varies greatly in different climate zones and harvesting seasons. In the spring-summer period, mushrooms contain ten times more ibotenic acid compared to autumn samples.
Before drying, the upper part of the cap and the stem are thoroughly washed, trying to avoid getting the plates wet, or cleaned with a soft brush or sponge soaked in water.
There are several ways to prepare fly agaric:
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Important! Drying mushrooms can cause an allergic reaction. When preparing mushrooms, it is better to carry out all procedures with gloves and in a well-ventilated area.
Although fly agaric is a toxic mushroom, its most common toxins, ibotenic acid and its byproduct muscimol, are water-soluble and can be easily leached from the mushroom flesh by careful and prolonged boiling or drying in the sun.
Despite the fact that fly agaric is poisonous, it still has useful healing properties.
Fly agaric tincture recipe
Treatment of joints, skin diseases, pathologies of the organs of vision, cardiovascular system and other diseases is carried out using various means that differ in properties. This means that you first need to determine what to take the infusion for. Then you need to choose the appropriate recipe. The most common options:
- Components are prepared: medium-sized fly agarics (5 pcs.), vodka (1 l). In this case, fresh raw materials are used. It is important to prepare it correctly: wash the mushrooms, remove excess moisture, and cut them. The components are mixed in a glass container. It needs to be closed and wrapped with cloth. To preserve its properties, it is recommended to infuse the product in a dark place. The microclimate should be cool. Duration of preparation of the product is 40 days. The liquid must be filtered after this time.
- An infusion is prepared from mushroom caps. Take 500 g of raw materials and 500 ml of vodka/alcohol. Mushrooms are washed and chopped. After this, the components are mixed in a glass container. The duration of preparation of the product in this case is 45 days. It should be infused in a dark place.
- Medicine is prepared from juice. You need to grind the raw materials until you get a paste. It is rubbed through cheesecloth until the juice is released. Alcohol is added. Recommended proportions of components are 1:1. This medicine is more concentrated, so it is better to use it for treating the outer skin.
- The juice is prepared in a non-standard way: mushroom caps are crushed, poured into jars, covered with plastic wrap, and it is important to tie the containers tightly. Then they are put into the cellar or buried in the ground in a previously prepared hole. The product is prepared within 45 days. After this, the resulting mass is filtered using gauze. If enough mushrooms were used to fill 1 three-liter jar, you will get 700 ml of juice. Add alcohol at a ratio of 4 parts of product to 1 part of alcohol.
Mushroom ointments
Method 1. The recipe for fly agaric ointment is very simple. Dried crushed mushrooms are mixed in equal proportions with vegetable oil, petroleum jelly or any fat of animal origin. This ointment is useful for osteochondrosis and joint pain.
Method 2. To prepare an ointment from fresh raw materials, you need to mix chopped mushrooms with sour cream. This recipe is useful in the treatment of arthritis, arthrosis and radiculitis. The ointment is applied to the affected area at night, covered with film and insulated. It is important that the ointment does not come into contact with damaged skin. In the morning, the compress area should be thoroughly washed.
Method 3. Another ointment recipe is prepared only from mushrooms. To prepare it you need:
- Prepare mushrooms for use.
- Cut the raw materials into small pieces.
- Place everything tightly in a clay or glass container.
- Press down the mass with pressure.
- Place the container in a dark place for two days.
- When the juice begins to release, grind the mixture to a paste.
This ointment cannot be applied directly to the skin, only through several layers of fabric. Use for osteochondrosis in the form of compresses.
The same recipe allows you to get juice. To prepare it, the infused mushroom mass must be squeezed and strained. The juice is used for compresses and bandages. If you mix it in equal proportions with vodka, you get the simplest fly agaric tincture.
Methods of application
Tincture of fly agaric with vodka for joints and other health problems is taken internally or applied externally. In the first case, not only an infusion, but also a decoction is used. Such medications must be taken strictly following the regimen, since in this case toxic substances enter directly into the digestive system, and from there directly into the blood. If you consume a significant dose, the likelihood of death increases.
A decoction of fly agarics can be taken orally
The use of fly agaric infusion for the treatment of joints, muscle pain, skin diseases is justified when it is necessary to eliminate pain, signs of inflammation, bacterial infection, etc. In this case, the tincture is used externally: make compresses, lotions or rub the skin.
However, caution must be exercised with this method of application.
This is due to the fact that the alcohol tincture is quickly absorbed into the skin, toxic substances enter the blood, but in much lower concentrations than when using the product orally.
Inside
This is an effective method for such pathological conditions as gastrointestinal diseases, malignant tumors, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, etc. Effective treatment regimens:
- Alcohol tincture is taken 1 drop. The recommended frequency of administration is 3 times a day on an empty stomach (10-15 minutes before meals). Every day the single dose is increased by 1 drop. It is necessary to take the medicine until the initial amount increases to 20 drops. Then the dose begins to be reduced by 1 drop every day. When the amount drops to 1 drop (per dose), treatment is stopped. It is necessary to take a break (7 days). After this, if necessary, the course of therapy is resumed.
- Single dose - 1 des. l. The number of receptions per day is 3.
- The infusion is consumed in the morning, 1/2 tsp. After this, you need to dissolve the mummy granules.
In each case, the medicine is taken before meals.
External use
For joint pain, you can moisten a cotton pad and treat the area where the discomfort is localized. Then rub the product with your fingers, you need to make gentle movements. This medicine can only be applied to intact skin. Other methods:
- Compress. You need to moisten gauze or natural fabric, carefully wring out the material and cover the affected area of the outer integument. The top of the compress is covered with polyethylene and a woolen scarf. The duration of the procedure is 1 hour. After this, the compress is removed and the skin is washed under running water. Then the affected area must be covered again with a woolen scarf.
You can make compresses from fly agaric tincture - The ointment is being prepared. To do this, use dry or fresh fly agarics. In the second case, the product must be used immediately. Ointment based on dry mushrooms lasts longer. The raw material is crushed to a powder or paste-like mass, depending on the form in which fly agaric mushrooms are used. Add Vaseline until a paste-like substance is obtained.
Making a healing potion
Only caps are suitable for preparing the infusion
You can make a fly agaric tincture in several ways.
Preparation of 50% infusion: you will need young caps.
- Place the caps in a dry, dark place to dry a little. After a day, clean them of adhering leaves and debris, cut them into small pieces, weigh and combine with vodka in a 1:1 ratio. Advice. You can dry the cut legs and use them to make ointment.
- Close the container tightly with a lid: you need to infuse the red fly agaric in vodka for 40 days in a dark, cool room. When exposed to toxins, alcohol turns red.
- After infusion, strain the product and pour into a separate tightly closed container. Pieces of mushroom are left in jars. Then they are used for lotions. To obtain a less concentrated solution, for example, 25%, the finished drug is diluted in a 1:1 ratio with alcohol.
Making medicine from 3-4 finely ground caps
- The pulp is placed in a 0.5 liter container and filled with high-quality vodka. They insist for a month.
- After time, filter. The pulp will make an excellent therapeutic face mask against acne. The method is rarely used, because After production, it is impossible to determine the concentration of the solution.
Tincture of dried fly agaric mushrooms (usually made in winter)
Take 100 g of dry raw material and place it in a darkened glass container and add a liter of vodka.
Leave for 3 weeks. In some cases, a decoction of fly agarics is used as a raw material, which is diluted in a 1:2 ratio with vodka.
An ancient method of making fly agaric tincture
- Cut the fresh caps, free of dirt, into pieces and fill the glass bottle tightly with them.
- Bury the bottle in the ground for a month to a depth of 50-100 cm. In 30 days, the mushrooms release juice, which is then diluted with alcohol in a 1:1 ratio. The product helps relieve pain in muscles and joints, but has an unpleasant specific odor.
Irina Selyutina (Biologist):
To prepare fly agaric tincture yourself in winter, you will need raw materials. For the tincture to be “correct”, i.e. had a healing effect, it is important to know several principles of drying fly agarics:
- The drying temperature should be +40…+50℃. It is not recommended to use a higher temperature in the dryer or oven, so as not to spoil the mushrooms.
- At the end of a correctly carried out procedure, fly agarics should retain their natural colors, although they may become somewhat darker (slightly brown), the plates may vary in color from light cream to light brown. In general, the color of the plates depends on what the mushroom was like before drying began.
If your mushrooms are properly dried, then:
- they will be dry along the entire plane of the cap;
- do not become moldy or rot;
- have an even color on both the upper and lower sides of the cap (often brownish).
When preparing fly agarics, keep in mind that they, like other mushrooms, should be collected only in ecologically clean areas.
Using fly agaric tincture
Often this remedy is used at the first signs of joint diseases. Its effectiveness is noted in developing degenerative, dystrophic processes in cartilage, and in cases of damage to bone and soft tissues.
For osteochondrosis
Symptoms for which fly agaric-based products are used: pain of varying intensity, swelling, limited movement. Make compresses using alcohol tincture. The effectiveness of this method increases if you apply a cloth soaked in the product after taking a bath. Rubbing is allowed.
However, it is advisable to use this method if the unpleasant symptoms are mild, since it is not recommended to do massage movements during an exacerbation, when the pain is acute. The duration of treatment with compresses is 7 days. Then there is a break. Treatment can be continued if the doctor approves this regimen.
Amanita compresses help with osteochondrosis
For arthritis
In this case, compresses are also made: cover the affected skin with a cloth moistened with the product, and place plastic film and a woolen scarf on top. The duration of the procedure is 1 hour. It is recommended to repeat the manipulations for 5 days. You can alternate this method and rubbing, which are performed immediately after the bath.
Mushroom infusion
- To prepare an infusion of fly agarics, you need to select and wash the caps of young mushrooms.
- The raw materials are crushed and placed in a tall glass container.
- The future infusion of fly agarics must be tightly closed so that air does not get inside the jar.
Do not use a metal lid. The infusion of fly agarics should stand in the dark for a month. During this time, mushroom juice accumulates at the bottom of the container.
The infusion of fly agarics undergoes additional fermentation and becomes a powerful medicine. It relieves pain from osteochondrosis and joint diseases. Also, an infusion of fly agarics is good at removing swelling and inflammation.
Overdose and poisoning
During therapy, discomfort, signs of poisoning, and dangerous symptoms may occur. This is a consequence of exceeding the recommended dosage.
If products for oral and external use are used simultaneously, the concentration of toxic substances in the body increases. As a result, almost immediately after increasing the daily amount, symptoms of poisoning occur.
To avoid such consequences, it is necessary to begin treatment after consultation with a doctor, follow the treatment regimen, do not exceed the dose of the drug and do not combine different medications.
Signs
At the initial stage of poisoning, symptoms occur:
- increased intensity of salivation;
- hyperexcitability;
- sweating;
- vomiting due to nausea;
- cutting pain in the abdominal area;
- changes in the size of the pupils - they increase or decrease;
- bowel dysfunction - severe diarrhea;
- fainting;
- weakness;
- speech disorder;
- hallucinations.
First aid
It is necessary to immediately stop treatment with a fly agaric-based product. It is important to remove excess amounts of tincture from the body. To do this, you need to induce vomiting: drink up to 5 glasses of water, then you should forcefully provoke the appearance of vomiting. These manipulations are repeated until uncolored mucus comes out of the stomach in small quantities.
To remove excess poison from the body, it is necessary to urgently induce vomiting.
It is necessary to accelerate the elimination of the substance through laxatives. The toxic components of the tincture enter the intestine, where they are metabolized and absorbed into the blood. You should consult a doctor, and if the patient cannot move independently, it is recommended to call an ambulance.
Oncology treatment
A fly agaric tincture is also used to treat oncology. It is useful for severe pain. Its use causes a surge of strength, reduces pain sensitivity, and helps muscles restore tone.
As part of cancer treatment, they begin to take one drop per day, increasing the dosage daily so that on the 20th day of administration, 20 drops come out. Then they begin to reduce the dosage in reverse order. The course is 40 days. This is followed by a week break, then the course begins again.
During cancer treatment, 3 courses are carried out. In the initial stages, oncology quickly recedes if you combine treatment with fly agaric with mumiyo or propolis. Such therapy is dangerous and before starting, you should definitely consult a doctor, select dosages and pass all tests for susceptibility to toxins.
It is important not to forget that fly agaric tincture can only help a person in complex therapy.
Contraindications
Products for external and internal use have different restrictions on use. Tincture for oral administration cannot act as a medicine in the following cases:
- age up to 12 years;
- pregnancy;
- lactation;
- bleeding;
- failure of cardiac function;
- individual intolerance, which is manifested by nausea, vomiting, weakness - these symptoms occur immediately after the start of treatment.
Contraindications when using compresses and rubbing:
- a period of exacerbation of joint diseases, during which warming agents are not used, massages are prohibited;
- damage to the skin: if there are open wounds, toxic substances will be absorbed into the blood more intensely, in addition, severe discomfort will arise due to contact of deformed tissues with alcohol;
- the appearance of local reactions (rash, itching, redness), all these are signs of individual intolerance to the components.
To avoid extensive skin damage, it is recommended to treat a small area with this product before using the tincture. It is applied to the most sensitive areas: wrist, elbow. If symptoms of intolerance do not appear within 30-60 minutes, the medicine can be used on the affected areas.