Comparative study of contents of several bioactive components in fruiting bodies and mycelia of culinary-medicinal mushrooms

Int J Med Mushrooms. 2013;15(3):315-23. doi: 10.1615/intjmedmushr.v15.i3.80.

Abstract

Mushrooms (including fruiting bodies and mycelia) contain several bioactive components such as lovastatin, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and ergothioneine. This article reports the results of 49 samples, including 9 fruiting bodies, 39 mycelia, and 1 vegetative cell, of 35 species of culinary-medicinal mushrooms from 18 genera: Agaricus, Agrocybe, Coprinus, Cordyceps, Cyathus, Daedalia, Flammulina, Fomes, Ganoderma, Grifola, Laetiporus, Lentinus, Morchella, Ophiocordyceps, Pleurotus, Trametes, Tremella, and Verpa. The results show that Cyathus striatus strain 978 contained the highest amount of lovastatin (995.66 mg/kg) in mycelia. Among fruiting bodies, 6 samples contained a high amount of GABA (274.86-822.45 mg/kg), whereas among mycelia, contents of GABA in 27 samples ranged from 215.36 to 2811.85 mg/kg. Among mycelia, Pleurotus cornucopiae strain 1101 contained the highest amount of ergothioneine (3482.09 mg/kg). Overall, these 3 bioactive components were commonly found in most mushrooms, and the results obtained might be related to their beneficial effects.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Agaricales / chemistry*
  • Ergothioneine / chemistry
  • Fruiting Bodies, Fungal / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Lovastatin / chemistry
  • Mycelium / chemistry*
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / chemistry

Substances

  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
  • Lovastatin
  • Ergothioneine