Comparison of different morphological mushroom parts based on the antioxidant activity

Antioxidant parameters of extracts from whole fruiting bodies and different morphological tissues (peel, inner cap, gills and stipes) of eight popular edible mushrooms were determined and compared. The examined species of both cultivated and wild mushrooms were analysed for total phenolic content (TPC) and free radical scavenging activity (RSA) by microplate assays. The average TPC in fruiting bodies of all mushrooms were 1.84 +/- 1.1 mg/g DM (dry mass basis). Among the tissues the average TPC was highest in peels (2.14 +/- 1.3 mg/g DM) and in gills (2.36 +/- 1.4 mg/g DM). High RSA was measured in peel, gills and stipe tissues of Agaricus bisporus and Cyclocybe cylindracea (EC50 = 58-89 mu g/ml), which is about 340 times stronger than RSA of Flammulina velutipes inner cap (EC50 = 19.570 mg/ml). Pearson correlation test (p < 0.05) showed strong positive correlation between value of TPC and RSA in those species tissues where lower phenolic levels were measured (r = 0.907 at Pleurotus ostreatus, r = 0.905 at Lentinula edodes and r = 0.717 at Flammulina velutipes). The results indicate that antioxidant activity of mushroom species varies by body tissue and among the tissues peel and gills display outstanding antioxidant activity.