The genus Ganoderma Karst. has broad‐spectrum usage in biotechnology, medicine and the food industry. The complexity of the morphology within species has led to uncertain identification in the past, but recent advancements in molecular identification methods have provided scientists with the opportunity to better understand the taxonomy of the species. The present study attempts for the first time to elucidate the distinctiveness of the Ganoderma species growing in Iran concerning those elsewhere in the world based on mitochondrial small subunit ribosomal DNA (mtSSU rDNA) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence data. The results disclosed that the G. lucidum Karst. samples collected in Iran are more similar to the European Ganoderma species than to the Asian (Chinese) one used in this study.
Background:
It has been decades since natural biomaterials, including mushrooms, are examined
for antioxidant capacity to put them in the place of the synthetic antioxidants causing cancer.
Ganoderma lucidum Karst is an annual fungus reputed for possessing medicinal properties. The fungus
has a high potential to be used as a dietary supplement or a source of nutrients and antioxidant agents. It
has not been more than a decade since the scientists are working on the different medicinal properties of
the endemic Ganoderma lucidum in Iran. This study was conducted, in order to complete a part of this
goal and comparing the antioxidant potential of the endemic specimen from Iran with findings from
other countries. The aim of this investigation was to test the antioxidant properties, total flavonoid and
phenolic contents of various extracts of Ganoderma lucidum in the form of fruit bodies.
Methods:
Mushroom samples were extracted with chloroform, methanol and water by maceration
method. Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power, DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2'-
azino-bis[3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid]) were methods used for antioxidant studies in this
work. Also, total flavonoid and phenolic contents of these extracts were evaluated.
Results:
The methanol extraction illustrated the highest radical scavenging capacity 21.51±0.90 µmoL
Trolox/g Ferric reducing assay. The best activities in ABTS and DPPH tests were obtained by chloroform
extracts with the 31.36±2.30 µmoL Trolox/g and 6.07±0.08 µg/mL, respectively. Also the chloroform
extraction of this fungus displayed the highest total phenolic and flavonoid content 167.75±1.27
GAE/g and 38.00±0.75 mg quercetin equivalents/g, respectively.
Conclusion:
The results displayed that Reishi might be proposed as a source of natural antioxidant
compounds and can be used as excellent food supplement.
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