a b s t r a c tAgaricus brasiliensis is a mushroom native from Brazil largely studied due to its polysaccharide contents, particularly b-glucans. In this study, the phenolics and organic acids contents as well as the antioxidant activities of its fruiting bodies and its mycelia obtained from submerged cultivation were compared. The hydroalcoholic extracts obtained from the fruiting bodies, early stationary mycelia and late stationary mycelia contain at least ten phenolic compounds and ten organic acids. Three phenolic compounds were identified as gallic acid, syringic acid and pyrogallol. Eight organic acids were identified as benzoic, oxalic, malic, acetic, alpha-ketoglutaric, citric, fumaric and trans-aconitic acids. All extracts presented antioxidant properties. The latter were evaluated by four assays: DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities, chelating ability for ferrous ions and inhibition of lipid peroxidation. The fruiting body extracts were more effective in the DPPH radical scavenging activity and lipid peroxidation inhibition that the mycelia extracts (P 0.05). The mycelia extracts were more effective in the ABTS radical scavenging activity and ferrous ion chelating ability (P 0.05). In conclusion, our results show that the mycelia of A. brasiliensis obtained in submerged cultivation can also be, as its fruiting bodies, valuable sources of antioxidant compounds.

The effects of a hydroalcoholic extract of Agaricus brasiliensis (A. blazei) on functional parameters in the perfused rat liver were examined with emphasis on its content of nucleotides and nucleosides. Several nucleosides and nucleotides were identified in the A. brasiliensis extract, which was active on several liver functions. A significant part of the effects is the result of the purinergic action of nucleosides and nucleotides: pressure increment, glycogenolysis stimulation, transient inhibition of oxygen consumption, and redox state changes. Other phenomena such as the stimulation of gluconeogenesis, ureogenesis, and oxygen consumption are more likely consequences of the metabolic transformation of substrates contained within the extract, especially amino acids. It seems apparent that consumption of A. brasiliensis represents not only the ingestion of metabolic precursors but also the ingestion of substances that, even at low concentrations, can exert important signaling functions in the liver as well as in the organism as a whole.

No abstract

In the present study the metabolic actions of n-propyl gallate on hepatic gluconeogenesis, oxygen uptake and related parameters were investigated. Experiments were done in the isolated perfused rat liver. n-Propyl gallate inhibited gluconeogenesis and stimulated oxygen uptake at concentrations up to 200 microM. The inhibitory effects on lactate gluconeogenesis (ED(50) 86.4 microM) and alanine gluconeogenesis were considerably more pronounced than those on glycerol and fructose gluconeogenesis. n-Propyl gallate also stimulated oxygen uptake in both the mitochondrial (63%) and microsomal (37%) electron transport chains. The first one is due mainly to the oxidation of n-propanol, as a metabolite of the first step of n-propyl gallate transformation. The second one results from a direct stimulation of the microsomal electron transport chain. n-Propyl gallate inhibited pyruvate carboxylation (ED(50) 142.2 microM) in consequence of an inhibition of pyruvate transport into the mitochondria an effect not found for gallic acid. This is probably the main cause for glucose output inhibition. Secondary causes are (1) deviation of intermediates for the production of NADPH to be used in microsomal electron transport; (2) deviation of glucose 6-phosphate for glucuronidation reactions; (3) gluconeogenesis inhibition by n-propanol, produced intracellularly from n-propyl gallate. Inhibition of mitochondrial energy metabolism is not significant in the range up to 200 microM, as indicated by the very small effect on the cellular ATP levels (5% decreased). n-Propyl gallate can be considered a kind of metabolic effector, whose actions on the liver metabolism are relatively mild although they can become harmful for the organ and the whole organism at high doses and concentrations.