Pleurotus ostreatus, the worldwide edible mushroom, has a potent economic values and medicinal properties. In this study, nutritional properties, antioxidant, and anti-acetylcholinesterase activities of P. ostreatus were investigated. The extracts were prepared by maceration and soxhlet extraction with ethanol and decoction with distilled water. Nutritional analysis showed that P. ostreatus has high content of fibers (45.5%), proteins (20.8%) and carbohydrates (68.4%) with low content of lipids (0.56%). HPLC analysis revealed that P. ostreatus has high content of the potential health promoting of β-glucan (42.8%). Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is a key enzyme in nervous system. Inhibition of this enzyme is used for the symptomatic treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common disease in aging population. Ellman colorimetric method was used to determine Acetylcholinesterase inhibitory (AChEI) activity. All extracts found containing high AChEI activity (IC50 = 1.75-5.91 mg/ml). Oxidative stress plays a major role in the pathogenesis of AD, thus antioxidant activity was also performed in this study. DPPH assay exhibited all P. ostreatus extracts had high antioxidant activity (IC50 = 0.59-5.47 mg/ml). The results suggested that P. ostreatus should be beneficial for AD treatment and the most efficient nutraceutical and functional foods.

Benchalokawichian (BLW) remedy is a Thai traditional medicine that has been notified in the List of Medicine Products of the National List of Essential Drugs A.D. 2006 and has long been used as an antipyretic. The phytochemicals of the 70% and 95% ethanolic extracts of were studied by color reaction test and HPTLC analysis. The BLW remedy showed a highest amounts of 70% ethanolic extractives (ca. 3.99 ± 0.60% of dry material weight). The several ethanolic extracts showed similar qualitative phytochemicals. The major of phytochemicals identified in these extracts were alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, and polyphenols. The antioxidant activity was assessed using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl assay. The analysed 70% ethanolic extract showed a highest antioxidant activity at IC50 = 526.09 µg/ml and both extracts not showed tyrosinase inhibitory effect. The 95% ethanolic extract showed the greatest anti-propionibacterium acnes activity with inhibition zone of 10.10 ± 0.45 mm and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was 5.05 mg/ml