Antioxidant effect of ethanol extract from Poria cocos depending on cultivation methods

Abstract

Objectives : Poria cocos Wolf has been widely used in Korean medicine as a medicinal fungus. In this study, we investigated that comparative anti-oxidant effects of ethanol extract from wild Poria cocos (WP) and plastic bag-cultivated Poria cocos (PBP).Methods : Total polyphenol and flavonoid contents in WP and PBP extract were monitored. And DPPH, ABTS, hydroxyl (•OH) free radical scavenging capacity, reducing power and xanthine oxidase inhibition activities of them were determined at 5, 1, 0.5 mg/ml concentrations.Results : Higher total polyphenol contents were found in the PBP extract (52.07±0.6 mg/TAEg) than in the WP extract (28.44±0.26 mg/TAEg). The flavonoid contents in WP and PBP extract were 17.29±0.30 mg/ RUEg, 21.36±0.40 mg/ RUEg, respectively. Also, DPPH, ABTS and •OH free radical scavenging capacity of PBP extract in treated concentrations (5, 1, 0.5 mg/ml) significantly increased compared to those of WP-treated group. In particular, DPPH, ABTS free radical scavenging capacity and reducing power of PBP extract at 5 mg/ml concentration were similar to positive control (BHA or vit. C). Xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibition rate in both extract increased dose dependently. But it was significantly increased in PBP-treated group, only at 5 mg/ml, compared to those of WP-treated group. Then, their inhibition rate by PBP was similar to positive control (BHA).Conclusions : These results suggest that PBP extract is superior to WP extract in anti-oxidant capacity thus PBP can be applied in variable antioxidative products as a substitute for WP.