Investigation of the protective effects of horse mushroom (Agaricus arvensis Schaeff.) against carbon tetrachloride-induced oxidative stress in rats.

Wild and cultured mushrooms have been extensively used for food and medicinal purposes all around the world. However, there is limited information on chemical composition, health enhancing effects and contributions on diet of some mushrooms (e.g., Agaricus arvensis) widely distributed in many countries including United Kingdom, Australia, Turkey etc. Therefore, the present study was aimed to analyse the bioactive composition and ameliorative effects of A. arvensis via evaluating in vitro and in vivo antioxidant properties in CCl4 induced rat model. The extract exhibited higher antioxidant capacities in vitro than that of the positive control (Reishi-Shiitake-Maitake standardized extract). Administration of the extract had significant regulative effects in the levels of AST, ALT, LDH, Urea and TRIG levels according to CCl4 group. Additionally, lipid peroxidation and GSH in the brain, kidney and liver tissues was regulated by extract treated groups compared to the CCI4 group. The supplementation of the extract at the dose of 100 mg/kg regulated the levels of GST, GR, CAT and GPx enzyme activities in brain and liver, but not in kidney tissue. There was approximately three fold increase in CAT enzyme activity in kidney tissue of extract treated groups compared to Control and CCl4 groups. The extract contained a rich composition of bioactive compounds including phenolics (protocatechuic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid), volatile compounds (benzaldehyde, palmitic acid and linoleic acid) and mineral compounds (K, Si, Mg and Na). Data obtained within this study suggests that A. arvensis might be used for food industries in order to obtain nutritional products.

Determination of Tissue Protective and Antioxidant Activities of Two Medicinal Mushrooms from Turkey against CCl4-lnduced Experimental Oxidative Stress in Rats.

This study aimed at determining hepatoprotective and antioxidants effects of Lactarius deliciosus and Agrocybe cylindracea against CCl4-induced oxidative stress (OS) in rats. Herein, 36 rats were divided into 6 groups: (I) Control, (II) CCl4, (III) CCl4 + L. deliciosus, (IV) L. deliciosus, (V) CCl4 + A. cylindracea, and (VI) A. cylindracea. According to the 7-week study results, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), glutathione S-transferase (GST) (brain), superoxide dismutase (SOD) (kidney), malondialdehyde (MDA) (kidney), MDA (spleen), MDA (erythrocyte), GST (erythrocyte), and GST (liver) in group III (at 10%, 26%, 34%, 57%, 7%, 25%, 42%, 27%, and 35%, respectively) were significantly lower than in group II. Moreover, the reduced glutathione (GSH) (spleen) and catalase (spleen) in group III (at 20% and 38%, respectively) were significantly higher than in group II. AST, ALT, triglyceride, glutathione reductase (GR) (brain), GR (kidney), SOD (spleen), and SOD (liver) in group V (at 194%, 147%, 38%, 36%, 66%, 8%, and 7%, respectively) were significantly higher than in group II. However, MDA (kidney), MDA (erythrocyte), (GSH) (erythrocyte), MDA (liver), GSH (liver), and GST (liver) in group V (at 48%, 35%, 34%, 15%, 30%, and 41%, respectively) were significantly lower than in group II. Hence, while L. deliciosus may exhibit tissue-protective against CCl4-induced OS in rats, A. cylindracea does not.

Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Two Wild Edible Mushrooms from Turkey.

The purpose of this study was to determine the antioxidant and antiradical activities in methanol extracts of two edible mushrooms from Turkey, Agaricus urinascens (Jul. Schäff. & F.H. Møller) Singer and Volvopluteus gloiocephala (DC.) Vizzini, Contu & Justo, as well as to examine trace elements (Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Co, Cr, Cd, Pb), minerals (Mg, Ca, K, Na) and vitamin C content. The levels of trace elements and minerals were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. Vitamin C and antioxidant properties were measured with a spectrophotometer. According to the results, total antioxidant activity and phenolic and flavonoid contents of A. urinascens and V. gloiocephala were 67.53 ± 2.54 mM ascorbic acid/g and 31.68 ± 2.27 mM ascorbic acid/g, 6.88 ± 0.31 mg GA/g and 5.22 ± 0.53 mg GA/g, and 3.80 ± 0.04 mg QE/g and 2.60 ± 0.20 mg QE/g, respectively. The findings of this study indicated that methanol extract of A. urinascens has a significant antioxidant activity and contents of total phenolic and flavonoid compounds. However, V. gloiocephala contains high levels of Ca, Cr, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, and Na, whereas A. urinascens contains higher levels of Cd, Co, Cu, Pb, and Zn than that of V. gloiocephala. Some trace elements that are in the compound of macrofungi may contribute the antioxidant capacity of macrofungi. A. urinascens has the ability to accumulate some heavy metals that prevent environmental metal pollution and can be used as a biomonitor. A. urinascens is expected to be used as an antioxidant in future studies of experimental animal models, against free radicals generated in response to oxidative stress.