Biotechnological production of Amanita ponderosa mycelia: perspectives for nutraceutical applications.

Abstract

Amanita ponderosa are wild edible mushrooms that grow in Mediterranean forests in mounted areas with holm oaks and cork trees, namely in Alentejo region (Southern Portugal) and Andalusia (Southern Spain). Edible mushrooms such as A. ponderosa are a source of valuable nutrients, namely protein-polysaccharide complexes (PPS) and phenolic compounds, with potential beneficial effects on human health, as co-adjuvants or functional foods. The aim of this work was the mycelia production of A. ponderosa in liquid cultures associated to their bioactivity. A scale – up of cultures allow increase the mycelia yield and the control of PPS complexes production specificity was quickly and easily monitoring by FTIR-ATR [1]. Results also showed that mycelia displayed important antioxidant properties, hepatoprotective effect and strong antiproliferative potential against human breast cancer cells. Toxicological in vivo assays confirmed the very low acute and sub-acute toxicity of these mycelia. These results demonstrate the potential of mycelia of A. ponderosa as source of biological active compounds, opening new nutraceutical applications, and consequently an economic valorization of these mushrooms and the produced mycelia.