Muscimol is a naturally occurring psychoactive compound primarily found in the Amanita muscaria (fly agaric) and a few other species of Amanita mushrooms. It acts as a potent agonist at certain subtypes of the GABA-A receptors, leading to a range of effects from mild euphoria and dream-like states to hallucinations.  Quantifying muscimol is crucial for assessing the potency and safety of products derived from these mushrooms.

Ibotenic Acid is another psychoactive compound present in several Amanita species. It acts as a powerful agonist at both the NMDA and certain metabotropic glutamate receptors. Notably, Ibotenic Acid can decarboxylate into muscimol, which contributes to the psychoactive effects of the mushrooms. Ibotenic acid also exhibits neurotoxic properties, leading to brain lesions in high doses, which underpins the importance of its quantification in Amanita products.

Alpha-Amanitin is a highly toxic compound found predominantly in Amanita phalloides (the death cap) and a few other Amanita species. It is one of the amatoxins that works by inhibiting RNA polymerase II, an essential enzyme for mRNA synthesis, leading to cell death. Ingesting Amanita mushrooms with this toxin can cause severe liver and kidney damage and potentially result in death, hence the importance of testing for Alpha-Amanitin to ensure the safety of mushroom-derived products.