Biochemical characterisation and antioxidant activity of mycelium of Ganoderma lucidum from Central Italy

Ganoderma lucidum species is currently popular and used in the formulation of nutraceuticals and as functional foods, but a broad biochemical characterisation of its mycelium has not yet been reported. In this study new Italian and Chinese isolates, both identified as G. lucidum, were molecularly and biochemically characterised and compared. The mycelia differ both in terms of the enzymatic activities and in protein content revealed by 2D-PAGE electrophoretograms. The ethanolic extracts were screened for their possible antioxidant activities using three different tests: chelating activity on Fe2+, lipoxygenase assay and DPPH free radical scavenging. Only a fraction containing the low molecular weight compounds (L) showed antioxidative properties, whereas the soluble intracellular polysaccharides fraction (P) was ineffective. The correlation between total phenol content and scavenging activity on DPPH assay was also discussed. Increased interest in the identification of natural molecules with good antioxidant properties suggests further investigations into the use of Italian G. lucidum in the formulation of nutraceuticals and functional foods.