Orellanine, [2,2'-bipyridine]-3,3',4,4'-tetrol-1,1'-dioxide, is the toxin responsible for the lethal nephrotoxicity of some Cortinarius mushrooms. Our present ESR and spin-trapping studies of the redox properties of the system of non-illuminated orellanine, ferrous iron and dioxygen contribute to understanding the molecular mechanism of its toxicity. UV-visible spectrophotometry, cyclic voltammetry and ESR in frozen medium showed the formation of a wine-red tris complex, Fe(III)Or3. This ferric complex is easily reducible (Ep = -565 mV vs Ag/AgCl/3M KCl at pH 7), involving a one-electron reversible process. Spin-trapping using DMPO is employed to detect the generation of superoxide anion and hydroxyl radicals. The instantaneous one-electron oxidation of ferrous ions in the presence of the toxin under air is concomitant with dioxygen consumption as supported by dioxygen consumption. GSH involves the toxin and ferrous ions under air in a redox cycling process resulting in the production of glutathionyl and oxygen free radicals, observed for the first time with an iron complex of a mushroom toxin. In most cases, EDTA is not able to prevent the Fe(III)Or3 and radical formation. The ortho-dihydroxylated groups borne by the di-N-oxidized bipyridine structure and not the bipyridine structure itself, are responsible for the formation of a stable ferric complex at pH 7, as they are for the generation of an apparently stable ortho-semiquinone anion radical. These one-electron mechanisms may play a major role in some of the known toxic effects of orellanine.