Radical Scavenging Properties, Total Polyphenols and Flavonoids of Two Coloured Basidiomycetes from Four Pre-Determined Phases

Abstract

Prospects to evaluate appropriate harvest phase for edible basidiomycetes providing optimal value added health promoting benefits are limited in mushroom entrepreneurship. Two colored edible basidiomycetes (golden yellow Pleurotus citrinopileatus singer and pink Pleurotus djamor R22) were selected for the determination of Total Flavonoid, Total phenols, and free radical scavenging properties at spawn mycelia and three predetermined phases. Using 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, antioxidative properties of young basidiocarps were relatively higher with EC₅₀ values lower than mature fruiting bodies (3.176±0.905mg/mL against 10.787±1.007mg/mL) for P. djamor while P. citrinopileatus reported 7.321±1.291mg/mL against 10.502±1.017mg/mL. Antioxidant capacity collaborated the phenolics determined using Folin Ciocalteu Assay, young basidiocarps of P. djamor recorded higher values 12.655±1.019 against mature 4.317±0.921 mgGAE/ g dry weight) with P. citrinopileatus reporting 8.726±0.801 against 4.512±0.310 mgGAE/ g dwt. A strong correlation between phenols and the scavenging properties in aqueous extraction (R² =0.844, y=-0.700x +13.27 for yellow and R² =0.983, y=-0.896x +14.29 for pink oyster) was noted. Flavonoid contents did not show a linear correlation with the period, antioxidative, or phenolics properties. Early basidiocarps and basidiospores of basidiomycetes contain bioactive molecules worth targeting for value addition in formulating food supplements or pharmaceutical products.

Keywords: DPPH, growth phase, antioxidant, colored basidiomycetes, polyphenols, flavonoids, Pleurotus djamor R22, P. citrinopileatus