In Vitro Antioxidation, Antihepatic Steatosis, and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Ethyl Acetate Fraction from Auricularia nigricans (Agaricomycetes).

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is currently one of the most common liver diseases worldwide. Lifestyle modifications through the diet are the mainstay of treatment. Auricularia nigricans is a popular edible mushroom known to possess medicinal properties. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis indicated that linoleic acid ethyl ester, butyl 9,12-octadecadienoate, 9,12-octadecadienoic acid, ergosta-5,7,22-trien-3-ol, 2(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-7-hydroxy-5-benzene propanoic acid, and 3,30-di-0-methyl ellagic acid were present in the A. nigricans ethyl acetate (EA) fraction. The cytotoxicity assay showed that the EA fraction was noncytotoxic to HepG2 cells at concentrations < 100 µg/mL. In the antihepatic steatosis assay, 50 µg/mL of EA fraction caused a decline in absorbance to 0.20 ± 0.02 compared to palmitic acid (PA)-induced cells (0.24 ± 0.02). Furthermore, cells treated with 50 µg/mL and 25 µg/mL of EA fraction contributed an approximately 1.12-fold and 1.08-fold decrease in lipid accumulation compared to PA-induced cells. Coincubation with PA and 25 µg/mL of EA fraction decreased levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 to 140.48 ± 8.12, 91.16 ± 2.40, 184.00 ± 22.68, and 935.88 ± 39.36 pg/mL compared to PA-induced cells. The presence of the EA fraction also suppressed the stress-activated protein kinase/Jun amino-terminal kinase, p-38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, nuclear factor-κB, and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signaling pathways. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the A. nigricans EA fraction demonstrates antisteatotic effects involving antioxidant capacity, hypolipidemic effects, and anti-inflammatory capacity in the PA-induced NAFLD pathological cell model.

Antioxidant Properties and Yield of Wood Ear Mushroom, Auricularia polytricha (Agaricomycetes), Cultivated on Rubberwood Sawdust.

Mushroom cultivation has become an important component of agriculture, providing food and contributing to the global economy. It uses vertical space and addresses issues of food quality, health improvement, and environmental sustainability. Auricularia mushrooms are popular ingredients in traditional Chinese cuisine. The objective of this study was to determine yield and evaluate radical scavenging capacity of A. polytricha cultivated on rubberwood sawdust on a large scale; we measured total phenolic content; DPPH, hydroxyl, superoxide anion, and peroxyl radical scavenging; and reducing power. Cultivation on rubberwood sawdust produces an average of 4 harvests per bag and a biological efficiency of 80-82%. The antioxidant capacity investigations revealed that the ethyl acetate fraction was the most potent radical scavenger in all assays except that for superoxide anions, whereas the aqueous fraction exhibited mild to moderate antioxidant capacity in scavenging the various radicals. Artificial cultivation of A. polytricha on rubberwood sawdust yields many sporophores with potent antioxidant capacity.