EUROMEDICA  Hanover 3-4  Juni 2010	Advanced methods of diagnosis, treatment and prophylactics
	European Academy of Natural Sciences, Hanover European Scientific Society, Hanover Berliner Medizinischen Gesellschaft, Berlin

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Cordyceps sinensis (Berk.) Sacc., Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis) P. Karst., Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.) P. Kumm. and Schizophyllum commune Fr. are popular medicinal mushrooms thoughout the world and have been the subject of various studies because of their therapeutic effects: anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antibacterial, immunomodulating, hepatoprotective, nerve tonic, hypercholesterolemia, hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular disorders and some diseases. In addition, some mushrooms may be as potential source of the most critical component contributing to the nutritional value of a food, specially amino acids and fatty acids.

The species of mushrooms used in this study were obtained from the culture collections of the N.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany National Academy of Sciences. Mycelia of C. sinences, G. lucidum, P. ostreatus and S. commune were grown in liquid nutrient medium which basis was the flour from waste of amaranth waste meal. The media was sterilized by autoclaving for 40 min at 121 ºC. Fungi were grown as solid cultures in 250mL flasks. Mycelial biomass harvested after 14 days of growth at 26±2 ºC. Mycelia were separated from the medium by filtration, washed with distilled water, dried to at 60 ºC and pounded.

The content of amino acids was estimated on amino acid analyzer T-339 „Mikrotechna”. Lipids were extracted by Folch’s method, fatty acids were estimated on chromatograph „Kristal Lux” (Russia) with flame-ionization detector on the capillary column SP-2560 (Supelco).

Mycelial proteins of all species included 17 amino acids, with aspartic (6,34−14,29%) and glutamic (15,12−17,51%) acids predomination, which is also typical for other species of Higher Basidiomycetes. Studies of amino acids in mycelia of all mushrooms showed quite differences between species in the qualitative composition of individual constituents. All essential amino acids were presented in the proteins of studied species of fungi. It is interesting to note that the proteins of mycelia of C. sinensis contained a high quantity of lysine (8,36%), threonine (7,24%) and isoleucine (3,89%). The amount of leucine (7,52%) in mycelia G. lucidum was higher than in other investigated species of mushrooms. Valine and tyrosine content was maximal in mycelia P. ostreatus − 3,61 and 3,52%, respectively. Mycelia S. commune had a higher content of methionine (2,31%) and phenylalanine (3,87%) compared to mycelia C. sinences, G. lucidum, P. ostreatus.

The crude fat in mycelia of S. commune was the high and it composed 8,37 g/100g. In G. lucidum fat was found in concentrations of 7,69 g/100g, in C. sinences − 6,51 g/100g, in P. ostreatus − 5,14 g/100g. This crude fat includes representatives of all classes of lipid compounds including free fatty acids, mono-, di-, and triglycerides, sterols, sterol esters, and phospholipids. Lipids in the mycelia of species C. sinences, G. lucidum, P. ostreatus and S. commune consisted of ten fatty acids in our experiences. Differences in content of individual fatty acids between species were not considerable. The major acids were linoleic (C _18:2) − from 52,26 to 67,41 %, oleic (C18:1) − from 10,47 to 24,15 %, and palmitic (C_16:0) − from 16,43 % to 18,06 %.

In general, the differences between the results in this study and those in other reports are assumed to be caused by growth stages, harvesting times, method, conditions of experiments, and so on.

On the basis of the results of our study, C. sinences, G. lucidum, P. ostreatus, and S. commune, were displayed the highest content for amino acids and fatty acids in medicinal mushrooms. Overall, four this species of mushrooms had a great potential as food value for human consumption. Cultivation of this mushrooms showed on product of amaranth waste meal for improving their food and nutritional quality. The next step is high-quality clinical research, which is also needed to explore the efficacy and safety of mushrooms.