Bioactive Potential of Nonconventional Edible Wild Mushroom Amanita

Abstract

This study evaluated the bioactive components and antioxidant potential of uncooked and cooked tender edible mushroom Amanita sp. This mushroom is common in lateritic scrub jungles during the early monsoon season of the southwest coast of India and a delicacy for tribals and native people. Nine bioactive components of tender Amanita sp. (total phenolics, tannins, flavonoids, vitamin C, phytic acid, lycopene, β-carotene, trypsin inhibition and haemagglutinin) showed higher quantities in uncooked than in cooked samples, so also the five antioxidant activities (total antioxidant activity, ferrous ion-chelating capacity, reducing power and DPPH and ABTS radical-scavenging activities). It was devoid of L-DOPA, and there was no significant difference in tannins, flavonoids and phytic acid contents between uncooked and cooked samples. Bioactive principles as well as antioxidant activities were comparable or higher than many edible Amanita spp. In principal component analysis irrespective of thermal processing, tannin content and trypsin inhibition activity were clustered with total antioxidant activity, reducing power and DPPH radical-scavenging activity. Owing to the potential nutritional and antioxidant properties, Amanita sp. and its ectomycorrhizal native host tree species deserve conservation priorities. Future research needs to focus on this nonconventional wild edible source for nutraceutical potential.