Study on action and potential of biological accumulation of chromium on the enzymatic phase of Tremella spp. by nuclear technique

ABSTRACT

The fermentation of 8 species Jelly fungi Tremella spp., traditionally utilized in folk medicine as precious material supplemented with chromium in cation form (Cr2(SO4)3) over a wide range of 50 -1000 ppm to show very low toxicity of Cr. The LG 50 value (limit of growth by 50%) was determined to be ca. 1000 ppm Cr. Under 100 ppm, Cr was not toxic for the yeast to grow. In the liquid medium with 50 ppm Cr added, yeasts of T. encephala grow well and accumulated Cr at considerably high levels (808, 520 and 480 ppm in dry biomass harvested after 5, 10, 15 days of stationary fermentation, respectively), as determined by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis in the Nuclear Reactor of Dalat, Vietnam. The fermented biomass of Tremella fungi, enriched with Cr would be promising new preparations for treatments of diabetes