Anticancer Activity of the Bioactive Extract of the Morel Mushroom (Morchella elata, Ascomycetes) from Kashmir Himalaya (India) and Identification of Major Bioactive Compounds.

Morel mushrooms, Morchella species are highly nutritional, excellently edible and medicinal. Anticancer activity of M. elata, growing in forests of Kashmir Himalaya was studied. Ethyl acetate extract of fruiting bodies of M. elata (MEAE) was evaluated for cytotoxicity by MTT assay using Daltons lymphoma ascites (DLA), human colon cancer (HCT-116) and normal cell lines. Anti-carcinogenic and antiangiogenic activities of MEAE were tested using mouse models. Proapoptotic activity was detected by double staining of acridine orange-ethidium bromide assay. MEAE was partially purified by column chromatography and the bioactive compounds were identified by LC-MS analysis. The bioactive extract of M. elata showed significant cytotoxicic activity against DLA (P < 0.05), HCT-116 cell lines (P < 0.05) and did not possess appreciable adverse effect on the viability of normal cells. At a concentration of 100 µg/mL, 60% cell death was observed in HCT-116 cell line while 80% cell death was found in DLA cell line. The extract also possessed profound anticarcinogenic, antiangiogenic and proapoptotic activities. LC-MS analysis showed celastrol (RT 9.504, C29H38O4, MW 450.27), convallatoxin (RT 9.60, C29H42O10, MW 550.27), cucurbitacin A (RT 11.97, C32H46O9, MW 574.71) and madecassic acid (RT 14.35, C30H48O6, MW 504.70) as the major bioactive components. Current experimental studies indicated that bioactive extract of M. elata possessed significant anticancer activity. Being an excellently edible mushroom, the potential therapeutic use of M. elata and its bioactive extract in complementary therapy of cancer is envisaged.

Response surface methodological optimization of L-asparaginase production from the medicinal plant endophyte Acinetobacter baumannii ZAS1.

BACKGROUND: This study targets the enhanced production of L-asparaginase, an antitumor enzyme by Acinetobacter baumannii ZAS1. This organism is an endophyte isolated from the medicinal plant Annona muricata. Plackett-Burman design (PBD) and central composite design (CCD) were used for statistical optimization of media components. RESULTS: The organism exhibited 18.85 ± 0.2 U/mL enzyme activities in unoptimized media. Eight variables: L-asparagine, peptone, glucose, lactose, yeast extract, NaCl, MgSO4, and Na2HPO4 were screened by PBD. Among them, only four factors-L-asparagine, peptone, glucose, and Na2HPO4-were found to affect enzyme production significantly (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the best possible concentrations and interactive effects of the components that enhance this enzyme's output were chosen by using CCD on these selected variables. The results revealed that an optimized medium produces a higher concentration of enzymes than the unoptimized medium. After optimizing media components, the maximum L-asparaginase activity was 45.59 ± 0.36 U/mL, around the anticipated value of 45.04 ± 0.42 U/mL. After optimization of process parameters, it showed a 2.41-fold increase in the production of L-asparaginase by the endophyte Acinetobacter baumannii ZAS1. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study indicated that an endophyte, Acinetobacter baumannii ZAS1 that produces L-asparaginase could be used to increase enzyme output. However, using the statistical methods Plackett-Burman design and central composite design of response surface methodology is a handy tool for optimizing media components for increased L-asparaginase synthesis.

Morel mushroom, Morchella from Kashmir Himalaya: a potential source of therapeutically useful bioactives that possess free radical scavenging, anti-inflammatory, and arthritic edema-inhibiting activities.

Morel mushrooms, Morchella species are highly nutritious and excellently edible wild mushrooms abundantly growing in Kashmir Himalayas. The free radical scavenging, anti-inflammatory, and arthritis edema-inhibiting properties of bioactive extract of Morchella elata (EAE) were evaluated. EAE inhibited 53.2% formalin-induced paw edema at a dose of 500 mg/kg b.wt and 75.0% croton oil-induced skin inflammation at a dose of 50 mg topical application. EAE exhibited 51.8% COX inhibiting activity at a concentration of 100 µg/ml when assayed using LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells exposed to the extract. NF-kB inhibiting activity of EAE was assayed using Lentix-293T P65 Ds Red stable cell line. High-throughput fluorescent imaging and flow cytometry showed profound ability of EAE to inhibit NF-kB activity. HPTLC analysis revealed that EAE is composed of several chemical components. The mushroom is a source of therapeutically useful functional food that can provide relief in arthritis.