Amanita muscaria, the red toadstool, has been used throughout history in natural medicine and in shamanic, ritual, and religious practices. The article reviews its historical roles, chemical content, and toxicity. Based on scientific evidence, the authors issue a strong warning against any experimentation with consuming the mushroom or preparations made from it.
Nutmeg, the seed of the Myristica tree, is commonly used as a spice and in traditional medicine, but it is also abused as an illicit drug. The article describes the main chemical component responsible for its effects, myristicin. A full English translation of the text is available online.