Purification and Antithrombotic Potential of a Fibrinolytic Enzyme from Shiitake Culinary- Medicinal Mushroom, Lentinus edodes GNA01 (Agaricomycetes).

We purified Lentinus edodes GNA01 fibrinolytic enzyme (LEFE) and identified it as a novel metalloprotease. LEFE was purified to homogeneity through a 2-step procedure, with an 8.28-fold increase in specific activity and 5.3% recovery. The molecular mass of LEFE was approximately 38 kDa, based on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Its optimal pH, optimal temperature, pH stability, and thermal stability were 5, 30°C, 6-7, and 40°C, respectively. LEFE was inhibited by zinc and magnesium ions, and by EDTA and EGTA, indicating that LEFE is a metalloprotease. The protease exhibited fibrinolytic activity and a degradative effect on clot formation and blood clots. The protease prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time, and coagulation time as induced by platelet aggregators (collagen and epinephrine). Taken together, our results indicate that L. edodes GNA01 produces a metalloprotease/fibrinolytic enzyme and that this enzyme might be applied as a new thrombolytic and antithrombotic agent for thrombosis-related cardiovascular disorders.

Anti-thrombotic effect of rutin isolated from Dendropanax morbifera Leveille.

Dendropanax morbifera H. Lev. is well known in Korean traditional medicine for improvement of blood circulation. In this study, rutin, a bioflavonoid having anti-thrombotic and anticoagulant activities was isolated from a traditional medicinal plant, D. morbifera H. Lev. The chemical characteristics of rutin was studied to be quercetin 3-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-6)-ß-d-glucopyranoside using high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS), proton nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H NMR) and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance ((13)C NMR). Turbidity and fibrin clotting studies revealed that rutin reduces fibrin clot in concentration dependent manner. Rutin was found to prolong activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), prothrombin time (PT) and closure time (CT). Furthermore, it decreased the activity of pro-coagulant protein, thrombin. In vivo study showed that rutin exerted a significant protective effect against collagen and epinephrine (or thrombin) induced acute thromboembolism in mice. These results suggest that rutin has a potent to be an anti-thrombotic agent for cardiovascular diseases.

Rutin from Dendropanax morbifera Leveille protects human dopaminergic cells against rotenone induced cell injury through inhibiting JNK and p38 MAPK signaling.

Dendropanax morbifera Leveille (Araliaceae) is well known in Korean traditional medicine for a variety of diseases. Rotenone is a commonly used neurotoxin to produce in vivo and in vitro Parkinson's disease models. This study was designed to elucidate the processes underlying neuroprotection of rutin, a bioflavonoid isolated from D. morbifera Leveille in cellular models of rotenone-induced toxicity. We found that rutin significantly decreased rotenone-induced generation of reactive oxygen species levels in SH-SY5Y cells. Rutin protected the increased level of intracellular Ca(2+) and depleted level of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) induced by rotenone. Furthermore, it prevented the decreased ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 caused by rotenone treatment. Additionally, rutin protected SH-SY5Y cells from rotenone-induced caspase-9 and caspase-3 activation and apoptotic cell death. We also observed that rutin repressed rotenone-induced c-Jun N-terminal kinase and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation. These results suggest that rutin may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases associated with oxidative stress.