Articles

Because of the special flavour and of the therapeutic properties, Pleurotus ostreatus and Lentinus edodes are among the most cultivated and consumed mushrooms species. This work aimed to evaluate the antioxidant properties and free radical scavenger activities of Pleurotus ostreatus and Lentinus edodes methanol extracts by phosphomolybdenum and DPPH- assays respectively, total phenolic content (Folin – Ciocalteu) and identification of bioactive compounds by HPTLC (high-performance thin layer chromatography). The obtained fingerprints of extracts, in tree systems (for phenols, coumarins and triterpenoid saponins) have shown the presence of ferulic acid as main compounds in Pleurotus ostreatus extract and ergosterol (provitamin D2) in both of them. Total phenol content was 2.03 g/100g for Lentinus edodes extract and 1.24 g/100g for Pleurotus ostreatus extract. Radical scavenger activity and total antioxidant capacity, was higher for Lentinus edodes extract (90.14%, 203.05 mg AA) in comparison with the results obtained for Pleurotus ostreatus extract (85.32%, 168.34mg AA). The mushrooms examined in this work could represent important and accessible sources of natural antioxidants for food, food supplement and cosmetic industry.

The aim of these studies was to obtain Rosmarini folium selective fractions with beneficial effect in counteracting diseases associated with aging processes.By four different methods 9 selective fractions were obtained. HPLC analysis and quantitative determination of active principles from selective fraction show that the values obtained from individual assessment by HPLC were well correlated with the values obtained by the spectrophotometrically methods. The selective fractions have a total flavonoid content expressed as rutin from 2.004 to 66.970% and respectively 0.651 to 10.284% polyphenol carboxylic acids expressed as rosmarinic acid. Antioxidant activity evaluation showed that polyphenol carboxylic acids rich fractions such as RIII: 10.284%, RIIC: 10.257%; had 89.44%; 88.12% antioxidant activity in 1% dilution and 87.52%; 89.07% antioxidant activity in 0.1% dilution, similar to rosmarinic acid who has antioxidant activity of 88.99% respectively 89.84% in dilution of 1% respectively 0.1%. The fractions with 2.642% - 3.950% polyphenol carboxylic acid content exhibited an antioxidant activity of 45.73% - 87.5% in 1% dilution and of 8.75 to 87.500% activity in 0.1% dilution. Comparing the antioxidant activity of selective fractions and the polyphenol carboxylic acids content expressed as rosmarinic acid it can be concluded that when the concentration of polyphenol carboxylic acids increases the antioxidant activity also increases, though not an exact correlation can be made. A correlation between the flavonoids content of the selective fractions and antioxidant activity can not be made by this method.