Edible and Medicinal Higher Basidiomycetes Mushrooms as a Source of Natural Antioxidants

In this article, data concerning antioxidant activity (AOA) of 14 Higher Basidiomycetes mushroom cultures (Coprinus comatus, C. disseminatus, C. micaceus, Hypholoma fasciculare, Lentinus edodes, Lepista personata, Marasmius oreades, Pholiota alnicola, Pleurotus ostreatus, Stropharia coronilla, Suillus luteus, Schizophyllum commune, Trametes versicolor, Volvariella bombycina) are discussed. The mycelial samples tested (cultured liquid, mycelial extract, and biomass suspension) possess certain antioxidative potentials to inhibit the reaction of free-radical peroxide oxidation of lipids (POL) in rat brain homogenate. The level of observed AOA depends on the bioecological differences of tested strains (geographical origination, type of wood substrate, mycelial growth rate, and morphology), as well as the experimental conditions (level of in vitro POL activation, amount of antioxidant). Activity was not observed on the 7th and 14th days of mycelial growth, and no significant differences between AOA levels of mycelia obtained on the 21st and 28th days of cultivation were found. The relatively higher indicators of activity were detected when 0.1 mL of CL and 5 and 10 mg/mL of ME samples were used as antioxidants. Mycelia of 7 screened species (Pholiota alnicola, Lepista personata, Trametes versicolor, Volvariella bombycina, Schizophyllum commune, Suillus luteus, Lentinus edodes) showed more than 20% AOA. They may be recommended for further screening for use in the production of natural antioxidative dietary supplements.