Protection againstAmanita phalloides by the iridoid glycoside mixture ofPicrorhiza kurroa (kutkin)

Survival of mice after lethal doses of a lyophilizate fromAmanita phalloides (‘death cap’) was markedly increased by pretreatment with single doses of kutkin, a mixture of iridoid glycosides picroside I and kutkoside isolated from the roots ofPicrorhiza kurroa. The protective effect of kutkin was comparable to that of silibinin. The curative efficacy of kutkin appeared to be slightly superior.