Investigations on Antioxidative Potential of Poroid Medicinal Mushroom Porodaedalea pini (Agaricomycetes).

The present investigations were undertaken to evaluate the antioxidative potential of Porodaedalea pini (Brot.) Murrill. Different solvent extracts were prepared using powdered basidiocarps to determine the total phenolic content in terms of tannic acid equivalents (TAE), hydroxyl, superoxide, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity. Maximum TAE (12.42 mg/g) were found in hot water (HW) extract, which was obtained for 1 h as compared to ethanol (0.456 mg/g) and methanol (0.227 mg/g) extracts. This was further supported by high hydroxyl radical scavenging activity (90.0%), superoxide radical scavenging activity (88.9%), and DPPH radical scavenging activity (74.92%) in the the HW extract obtained for 1 h. Mass spectra analysis of HW extract revealed the presence of 14 polyphenolic compounds responsible for imparting antioxidative character. Among these hispidulin is one of the major polyphenolic compounds present in the poroid mushroom under investigation; this was further validated by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis.

New Records of Hyphoderma (Meruliaceae, Polyporales) for India.

An account of eight species of genus Hyphoderma (H. clavatum, H. definitum, H. echinocystis, H. litschaueri, H. nemorale, H. subpraetermissum, H. tibia, and H. transiens) is presented, which is based on collections made from Uttarakhand state during 2009-2014. All these species are cited and fully described for the first time from India.

Evaluation of Antianxiety Potential of Four Ganoderma (Agaricomycetes) Species from India in Mice.

The genus Ganoderma consists of widespread polypore mushrooms that have traditionally been used to reduce stress and anxiety. However, scientific evidence for this is not adequate. Hence, this study was designed to investigate the anxiolytic potential of G. applanatum, G. brownii, G. lucidum, and G. philippii collected from Uttarakhand, India. Various extracts of dried, powdered basidiocarps were prepared using different solvents-namely, petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol, and distilled water-by successive Soxhlet extraction. All the extracts were tested for antianxiety activity using the elevated plus maze (EPM) model in Swiss albino mice. The results showed that the methanol extract of G. lucidum at a dose of 200 mg/kg, administered orally, shows a significant increase in the average time spent in the open arms of the EPM when compared with the control; this was comparable to the effect of the standard drug (diazepam, 2 mg/kg by mouth). This bioactive methanol extract was subjected to bioactivity-guided fractionation. The results show that the n-butanol fraction of the methanol extract evinced significant antianxiety activity at a dose of 100 mg/kg. This fraction showed the presence of phenols and flavonoids and thus was standardized with respect to total phenol content and total flavonoid content. The antianxiety activity may be the result of the phenols/flavonoids present. This study clearly demonstrated that the n-butanol fraction from the methanol extract of G. lucidum can be developed as source of new anxiolytic agents.