Overview of the Biological Activities of a Methanol Extract from Wild Red Belt Conk, Fomitopsis pinicola (Agaricomycetes), Fruiting Bodies from Central Italy.

Journal: International journal of medicinal mushrooms
PMID: 30806229

Abstract

Fomitopsis pinicola (Sw.) P. Karst. (Fomitopsidaceae) is a medicinal mushroom with a variety of healthy properties. In this study we tested the radical scavenging activity and antimicrobial and anticancer potential of methanol extracts of F. pinicola from central Italy. Molecular identification confirmed that the samples were F. pinicola; a Basic Local Alignment Search Tool search showed a close match (99% sequence identity) with European isolates of this species. The free radical scavenging capacities, measured by DPPH assay, showed that the extract activity was 3.5% that of Trolox. The MTT test, evaluated after 72 hours of treatment with increasing doses of extract (5-500 μg · mL-1), considerably inhibited proliferation in a dose-dependent manner in 2 human tumor cell lines. This reduction was coupled with a relevant induction of apoptosis in the human leukemia THP-1 cell line after 24 hours of treatment, but a relevant toxic effect occurred in the human colon adenocarcinoma HT29 cell line. The genotoxic potential of the methanol extracts was studied by single-cell gel electrophoresis of normal human leukocytes exposed to 20 μg extract at 37°C for 30 minutes; no DNA damage was observed. The F. pinicola methanol extract was found to have varying degrees of antifungal effects against the pathogenic fungi tested (minimum inhibitory concentration from 23.63 to 66.81 μg · mL-1). The results show that the tested F. pinicola extract has strong antimicrobial and chemo-preventive activities, but is a poor antioxidant.

Authors

  • Paola Angelini
    Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
  • Bruno Tirillini
    Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino, Urbino, Italy.
  • Giancarlo Bistocchi
    Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
  • Andrea Arcangeli
    Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
  • Andrea Rubini
    National Research Council, Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, Perugia, Italy.
  • Roberto Maria Pellegrino
    Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
  • Roberto Fabiani
    Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
  • Gabriele Cruciani
    Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
  • Roberto Venanzoni
    Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
  • Patrizia Rosignoli
    Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.

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