Antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activities of extracts from wild mushroom species from Turkey

The antioxidant and inhibitory effects of methanol and aqueous extracts from Hymenogaster aromaticus, Ramaria aurea, and Rhizopogon luteolus against cholinesterase, tyrosinase, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase are reported here, to our knowledge for the first time. Antioxidant activities were investigated using different assays, including 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), ferric ion–reducing antioxidant power, cupric ion–reducing antioxidant capacity, phosphomolybdenum, and metal-chelating assays. In general, the highest antioxidant and enzyme-inhibitory effects were observed in methanol extracts, which had the highest concentrations of phenolics. (+)-Catechin, benzoic acid, and p-hydroxybenzoic acid were determined to be the main phenolics in H. aromaticus components both in methanol and in aqueous extracts, whereas the other 2 species present very different phenolic fingerprints, also at smaller quantities. These results suggest that these mushroom species may be considered sources of natural agents.