The fungal neurotoxin penitrem A induces the production of reactive oxygen species in human neutrophils at submicromolar concentrations.

•The fungal metabolite penitrem A causes intoxication in animals and humans.•Penitrem A induce ROS production in human neutrophils.•The mechanism of ROS formation seems to involve an activation of several MAPK signalling pathways as well as an increase in intracellular calcium.•Penitrem A-induced ROS production may partly explain the pathophysiology generated by penitrem A neuromycotoxicosis.