A study was conducted to determine the content of phenolic compounds and the antioxidative activity of five edible and five medicinal mushrooms commonly cultivated in Korea. Phenolic compounds were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography, and antioxidant activity was evaluated by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and superoxide dismutase activity. A total of 28 phenolic compounds were detected in the mushrooms studied. The average total concentration of phenolic compounds was 326 microg/g, the average being of 174 microg/g in edible mushrooms and 477 microg/g in medicinal mushrooms. The average total flavonoids concentration was 49 microg/g, with averages of 22 and 76 microg/g in edible and medicinal mushrooms, respectively. The DPPH radical scavenging activities ranged between 15 (Pleurotus eryngii) and 70% (Ganoderma lucidum) when reaction time was for 1 min. When reaction time was 30 min, the values ranged between 5 (Pleurotus eryngii) and 78% (Agaricus bisporus). The SOD activity averaged 28% among the 10 mushroom species, averages for edible and medicinal mushrooms being comparable. DPPH activities was significantly correlated (p < 0.01) with total content of phenolic compounds in edible mushrooms, while in medicinal mushrooms there was a significant correlation (p < 0.01) between SOD activity and total concentration of phenolic compounds. Numerous significant positive correlations were observed between phenolic compounds detected and antioxidative potential.

Chikusaku-eki and Mokusaku-eki are natural resources and acidic liquid by-products of bamboo and broad leaved trees charcoal burner. These products contain more than 200 ingredients, including phenols, poly phenols and acetic acids. These by-products were tested for their fungicidal activity against sapstaining fungi. There are no studies about the antifungal activity of Chikusaku-eki and Mokusaku-eki against wood staining fungi in the literature. According to the recent findings, this is the first report about the antifungal activity of Chikusaku-eki and Mokusaku-eki against wood staining fungi. These extracts were more effective against sapstaining fungi at minimum concentrations (0.10-1.0 %) used in 2 % (malt extract agar) medium. Three Chikusaku-eki (Chikusakueki-I, Chikusaku-eki-II and Chikusaku-eki-III) and 2 Mokusaku-eki (Mokusaku-eki-I, Mokusaku-eki-II) extracts were tested against 4 sapstaining fungal samples to evaluate the inhibition range on sapstaining fungal growth. Ophiostoma flexuosum, Ophiostoma tetropii, Ophiostoma polonicum and Ophiostoma ips were the sapstaining fungi used in this study against bamboo and wood extracts. The initial calibration of extracts was done by calculating the specific gravity, tar calculation and total organic content. The chloroform fractions of these extracts were analyzed by gas chromatographymass spectrometry and both the extracts contained 2,6 dimethoxy phenol, dehydroacetic acid and 2,3,5 trimethoxytoluene. Results revealed that compounds of Chikusaku-eki and Mokusaku-eki markedly inhibited fungal growth at lower concentration. The Chikusaku-eki and Mokusaku-eki have both antifungal, antioxidant properties and a potential to be used as natural preservative in wood industries. Wood slice tests displayed the effective role of both extracts in laboratory level.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of in vitro human digestion on the antioxidant activity of blueberry leaf extracts (BLE) in emulsion-type sausages (ETS). Leaves from four cultivars of blueberries (Bluecrop, Bluegold, Duke, and Northland) collected from a wild blueberry farm were extracted with 80% ethanol. ETS were prepared with 0.2% BLE. The samples were then passed through an in vitro human digestion system which simulates the composition of the mouth, stomach, and small intestine juice. Only one phenolic compound (chlorogenic acid) was detected in the BLE. Northland BLE had appreciably higher amounts of chlorogenic acid than that of other BLE, both before and after in vitro human digestion. Antioxidant activity of any BLE was not influenced by in vitro human digestion, whereas the antioxidant activity of chlorogenic acid standard increased in response to in vitro human digestion in both 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) and ferric-reducing ability of plasma (FRAP). In the present study, the antioxidant activities of the BLE were not strongly influenced by in vitro human digestion, and the antioxidant activity depended on the chlorogenic acid content of ETS. Thus, compounds from blueberry leaves may have important applications in the future as natural antioxidants for meat products.