The effects of different solvents on bioactive metabolites and “in vitro” antioxidant and anti-acetylcholinesterase activity of Ganoderma lucidum fruiting body and primordia extracts

Abstract

It is known that the lingzhi mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (Fr.) Karst produces various, bioactive metabolites. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of various extracts obtained from G. lucidum fruiting body and primordium, which is the initial stage of the mushroom’s fruiting body. Classical extraction of G. lucidum fruiting bodies and primordia using different solvents (water, methanol, acetone, ethanol and hexane) at two temperatures (at 25 °C and at the boiling point of the solvent) was performed. The influence of a solvent on the extraction yields and afterwards on the activity of the extract was observed. The extracts are rich in phenols, polysaccharides and proteins. The highest yield of 23.30% was obtained after water extraction. The total phenolic content was between 9 mgGA/g and 74.36 mgGA/g for G. lucidum fruiting bodies extracts and from 11.16 mgGA/g to 103.32 mgGA/g for G. lucidum primordia extracts. The antioxidant activity using the DPPH* free radical scavenging method was from 0.48% to 23.66% and from 5.32% to 54.57% for fruiting bodies and primordia extracts, respectively. Assessment of acetylcholinesterase enzyme inhibition was carried out using a colorimetric method based on Ellman’s reaction. Acetylcholinesterase enzyme inhibition (AChE inhibition) by G. lucidum fruiting bodies extracts was between 18.1% and 32.5%. The highest AChE inhibitory activity of primordia extracts was 29.48%. This is the first report of G. lucidum primordia extracts and their biological activity.

Keywords

• extraction, antioxidant, phenols, antiacetylcholinsterase