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Ganoderma lucidum (Leyss.:Fr.) Karst is one of the medicinal mushrooms, which possesses enviable antioxidant properties. Objective of this investigation was to evaluate antioxidant activity, reducing power, scavenging abilities on 1.1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and chelating effects on ferrous ions of hot water extracts obtained from carpophore and spores of this mushroom. Hot water extract from carpophore (Gl-I) showed high antioxidant activity of 85.7 ± 0.7%, at 10 mg/ml, while antioxidant activity of hot water extract from spores (Gl-Is) was 9.2 ± 0.3% at 10 mg/ml. Reducing power of Gl-I reached a plateau of 3.4 ± 0.1 at 20 mg/ml, and 0.3 ± 0.0 at 20 mg/ml for Gl-Is. At 10 mg/ml, scavenging ability on DPPH radicals of Gl-I increased to 96.8 ± 2.5%, whereas Gl-Is scavenged DPPH radicals by 69.6 ± 2.5% at 10 mg/ml. Gl-I chelated 81.6 ± 3.6 % of ferrous ions at 20 mg/ml, while the chelating effect of Gl-Is was 73.8 ± 1.7%. The antioxidative activities of hot water extracts from carpophore and spores of the mushroom G. lucidum were concentration dependent and increased with an increase in the concentration.

Shiitake (Lentinus edodes) belongs to medically important and delicious fungi. It is recognizable for its healing properties, excellent taste and rich aroma. According to the traditional Japanese and Chinese medicine, shiitake mushroom significantly increases the strength and vitality of the body. Shiitake contains immunostimulants, compounds that lower cholesterol, prevents clogging of blood vessels, regulates the pressure, balances blood sugar levels, regulates digestion, and improves the performance of respiratory organs by its antirheumatic and antiallergic activities. Shiitake is recommended to use as food, prevention and cure, usually in a form of a spice (dried and ground) or tea. It can be consumed fresh, too. The objective of this study was to test the effect of enrichment in selenium on antioxidant, reducing and free radical scavenging activity of water extracts from fruit body of Lentinus edodes. The fungus was enhanced by adding organic selenium, zinc (II) complex with the ligand 2.6-bis diacetylpyridine (selenosemicarbazon) and inorganic compounds (Na2SeO3) of selenium in nutritional substrate where the fungus was grown. The total selenium content in fruit body was around 50 ppm for the sample enriched with selenium originating from organic sources, and 80 ppm for the sample enriched with selenium from inorganic sources. Samples were prepared by extraction of fruiting bodies in heated water. The results indicated that water extracts of whole fruit bodies, from both control and mushrooms supplemented with selenium, had quite good antioxidant activity. However, there was no significant difference between the samples supplemented with selenium content and those that were not.

Polysaccharides of the European strain of A. brasiliensis were obtained by hot water extraction and ethanol precipitation (HWPE I) of fruiting bodies, and further purified by dialysis (HWPE II) and pronase incubation (PPE). These polysaccharides consisted mainly of (1 → 6)-β- d -glucans. PPE was free of proteins and polyphenols as demonstrated by quantitative assays and NMR profiling. They showed a clear IFN-γ inducing activity in human PBMCs, which suggests these polysaccharides to have proinflammatory effects. Treatment by β-glucosidase caused the polysaccharides to be degraded into smaller fragments and at the same time increased their IFN-γ inducing activity in PBMCs fourfold. In vitro , PPE showed a dose-dependent inhibition of the proliferation of the human leukemia Jurkat cell. At 100 μg/mL the cells’ viability was decreased by appr. 51% compared to the control. EPR spin trapping demonstrated a high antioxidative activity against • OH and • O2 − radicals of HWPE I and PPE. Further, the results of the antioxidant assays indicated that antioxidant activity against • OH radicals in the Fenton system was achieved through scavenging or through chelating iron mechanisms. The good immunomodulating and antioxidative properties of A. brasiliensis polysaccharide extract obtained by hot water extraction and ethanol precipitation make it suitable for everyday use as an inexpensive dietary supplement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hot water extract (LN), partially purified polysaccharides (LP) and hot alkali extracted polysaccharides (LNa) obtained from fruiting bodies of the wild basidiomycete Laetiporus sulphureus were examined for their antioxidant activities. LNa was the most active antioxidant, as shown by the median effective concentrations (EC50 values) of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity (0.5 ± 0.2 mg/ml), reducing power (4.0 ± 0.3 mg/ml) and ferrous ion-chelating ability (1.5 ± 0.1 mg/ml). LNa contained the highest level of α-glucan (17.3 ± 1.2 g/100 g dw), whereas LP contained mostly β-glucans (66.8 ± 1.3 g/100 g dw). The prevalent monosaccharide in all extracts was glucose. The EC50 values of all three antioxidant activity assays were well-correlated with the α-glucan content. Strong and significant correlation was found between total phenolic compounds and DPPH scavenging ability and also reducing power. The three investigated extracts (at concentrations of 0.1-10 mg/ml) were not toxic to HTR-8/SVneo trophoblast cell line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Partially purified polysaccharides were obtained from four medicinal mushroom species, Agaricus bisporus, Agaricus brasiliensis, Phellinus linteus and Ganoderma lucidum by hot water extraction, followed by ethanol precipitation. The four samples contained varying amounts of both α- and β-glucans as determined by FT-IR and by quantitative estimation after prior partial hydrolysis (Megazyme β-glucan assay kit). EC50 values of the DPPH scavenging activity of the polysaccharides from G. lucidum spores and P. linteus fruiting bodies were found to be particularly low, i.e. EC50 <0.1mg/ml. For A. brasiliensis and A. bisporus, EC50 values were 0.27 and 2.0mg/ml. EC50 values of the antioxidant activity were 7.07mg/ml for G. lucidum, 13.25mg/ml for A. brasiliensis and >20mg/ml for A. bisporus polysaccharide, respectively. EC50 values of the chelating activity of ferrous ions ranged from 0.59mg/ml for G. lucidum to 7.80mg/ml for A. bisporus. The EC50 values of the extracts in the reducing power assay ranged from 0.47 to 14.83mg/ml. A correlation was found between EC50 values of the chelating and reducing power abilities and the amount of total glucans content in the extracts. In vitro measurements of immunomodulatory capacity of polysaccharide extracts showed that A. bisporus, A. brasiliensis fruiting bodies and G. lucidum spores extracts express an immunostimulating effect on activated human PBMCs and induce synthesis of IFN-γ. The polysaccharide extract of P. linteus fruiting bodies showed an immunosuppressive effect. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Antioxidant properties of hot water extract (HWE), hot water extracted polysaccharides (HWP) and hot alkali extracted polysaccharides (HWAE) were obtained from fruiting bodies of the wild basidiomycete Schizophyllum commune. All extracts contained both α- and β-glucans as determined by Megazyme β-glucan assay kit. Glucose was found by TLC and NMR to be the prevalent monosaccharide in all extracts. Total phenol contents were in descending order of HWP ≈ HWE > HWAE. Median effective concentrations (EC50 values) of antioxidant activities were 8.3 ± 0.1, 6.9 ± 0.0 and 8.9 ± 0.1 mg/mL, and of the DPPH scavenging activity 0.8 ± 0.0, 0.6 ± 0.0 and 1.8 ± 0.0 mg/mL, for HWE, HWP and HWAE, respectively. EC50 values of reducing power were 7.6 ± 0.1, 7.9 ± 0.0 and 12.5 ± 0.1 mg/mL, whereas those of the chelating abilities on ferrous ions were 3.1 ± 0.0, 4.6 ± 0.1 and 4.9 ± 0.1 mg/mL. The EC50 values of the antioxidant activity, of the DPPH scavenging, and of the reducing power were correlated with total polysaccharide as well as with total phenol content. The antioxidant activities of all the extracts may be caused by both polysaccharides and polyphenols or by a complex of both. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Shiitake (Lentinus edodes) belongs to medically important and delicious fungi. It is recognizable for its healing properties, excellent taste and rich aroma. According to the traditional Japanese and Chinese medicine, shiitake mushroom significantly increases the strength and vitality of the body. Shiitake contains immunostimulants, compounds that lower cholesterol, prevents clogging of blood vessels, regulates the pressure, balances blood sugar levels, regulates digestion, and improves the performance of respiratory organs by its antirheumatic and antiallergic activities. Shiitake is recommended to use as food, prevention and cure, usually in a form of a spice (dried and ground) or tea. It can be consumed fresh, too. The objective of this study was to test the effect of enrichment in selenium on antioxidant, reducing and free radical scavenging activity of water extracts from fruit body of Lentinus edodes. The fungus was enhanced by adding organic selenium, zinc (II) complex with the ligand 2.6-bis diacetylpyridine (selenosemicarbazon) and inorganic compounds (Na2SeO3) of selenium in nutritional substrate where the fungus was grown. The total selenium content in fruit body was around 50 ppm for the sample enriched with selenium originating from organic sources, and 80 ppm for the sample enriched with selenium from inorganic sources. Samples were prepared by extraction of fruiting bodies in heated water. The results indicated that water extracts of whole fruit bodies, from both control and mushrooms supplemented with selenium, had quite good antioxidant activity. However, there was no significant difference between the samples supplemented with selenium content and those that were not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ganoderma lucidum (Leyss.:Fr.) Karst is one of the medicinal mushrooms, which possesses enviable antioxidant properties. Objective of this investigation was to evaluate antioxidant activity, reducing power, scavenging abilities on 1.1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radicals and chelating effects on ferrous ions of hot water extracts obtained from carpophore and spores of this mushroom. Hot water extract from carpophore (G1-I) showed high antioxidant activity of 85.7 ± 0.7%, at 10 mg/ml, while antioxidant activity of hot water extract from spores (G1-Is) was 9.2 ± 0.3% at 10 mg/ml. Reducing power of G1-I reached a plateau of 3.4 ± 0.1 at 20 mg/ml, and 0.3 ± 0.0 at 20 mg/ml for G1-Is. At 10 mg/ml, scavenging ability on DPPH radicals of Gl-I increased to 96.8 ± 2.5%, whereas G1-Is scavenged DPPH radicals by 69.6 ± 2.5% at 10 mg/ml. G1-I chelated 81.6 ± 3.6 % of ferrous ions at 20 mg/ml, while the chelating effect of G1-Is was 73.8 ± 1.7%. The antioxidative activities of hot water extracts from carpophore and spores of the mushroom G. lucidum were concentration dependent and increased with an increase in the concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]