From forest to pharma: Scientists unlock new antioxidant in mushrooms

12 Mar 2024 --- Scientists reveal a new radical scavenging phenolic antioxidant compound, Inaoside A, has been discovered in Laetiporus cremeiporus mushrooms, shedding light on the potential of mushrooms as a source of therapeutic bioactive compounds.

The research team from Shinshu University, Japan, highlights that the quest for novel bioactive compounds from natural sources has gained momentum in recent years, driven by the urgent need for new therapeutic agents to address various health challenges.

“We are now focusing on investigating the chemical compositions and biological properties of natural compounds obtained from mushrooms,” says Dr. Atsushi Kawamura, lead author of the study. “Our goal is to uncover the potential of edible mushrooms as functional foods through this discovery.”

Fungal bioactives
The researchers state that mushrooms have emerged as a promising reservoir of bioactive molecules with potential pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. Among them, the genus Laetiporus has garnered attention for its extracts’ antimicrobial, antioxidant and anticoagulant or antithrombin properties.

The researchers foraged for the mushrooms on Shinshu University’s campuses.However, the study, published in Heliyon, reveals that identifying and characterizing specific antioxidant compounds from this genus, particularly L. cremeiporus, has remained unexplored until now.

The study further states that the discovery of Inaoside A as an antioxidant compound in L. cremeiporus marks a significant breakthrough in natural product research and paves the way for the development of novel antioxidant-based therapies for various health conditions.

“Our study marks the pioneering discovery of Inaoside A from an extract of the edible mushroom L. cremeiporus,” Kawamura stresses. “To date, there has been only one prior report on the biological function of an extract of L. cremeiporus. We are the first to uncover the isolation of an antioxidant compound from L. cremeiporus.”

Foraging for active ingredients
The research team says it collected fresh fruiting bodies of L. cremeiporus from the Ina campus of Shinshu University in Japan’s Nagano Prefecture. The researchers extracted and isolated bioactive compounds using advanced chromatographic techniques. 

The structure of Inaoside A was unveiled through spectroscopic analyses, including one and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance.

Further investigations into its antioxidant activities revealed significant DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) — an assay used to test antioxidant efficacy — activity, highlighting it as an antioxidant agent.

By harnessing the potential of this newly discovered antioxidant compound, the researchers say they aim to pave the way for innovative pharmaceutical interventions that leverage the power of nature to promote health and well-being.

Edited by William Bradford Nichols