Abstract
Pleurotus eryngii produces various functional molecules that mediate physiological functions in humans. Recently, we observed that P. eryngii produces molecules that have antidepressant functions. An ethanol extract of the fruiting body of P. eryngii was obtained, and the extract was purified by XAD-16 resin using an open column system. The ethanol eluate was separated by HPLC, and the fraction with an antidepressant function was identified. Using LC-MS, the molecular structure of the HPLC fraction with antidepressant function was identified as that of tryptamine, a functional molecule that is a tryptophan derivative. The antidepressant effect was identified from the ethanol extract, XAD-16 column eluate, and HPLC fraction by a serotonin receptor binding assay and a cell-based binding assay. Furthermore, a forced swimming test (FST) showed that the mice treated with purified fractions of P. eryngii exhibited decreased immobility time compared with nontreated mice. From these results, we suggest that the extract of P. eryngii has an antidepressant function and that it may be employed as an antidepressant health supplement.
Highlights
Edible mushrooms are a fungal species and source of various drugs and food supplements
It has been reported that siderophores, which are iron chelators produced by most microorganisms, have anticancer effects, and we determined that siderophores are produced by the edible mushroom P. eryngii
Researchers are focusing on identifying functional molecules from mushrooms as drug candidates, and many functional molecules have been developed as drugs
Summary
Edible mushrooms are a fungal species and source of various drugs and food supplements. The effects of immune activation [1,2], resistance to infection by microbial pathogens [3], and resistance to cancer [4] have been reported for mushrooms. Among the various functions of mushrooms, the Magic Mushroom (Psilocybe semilanceata), which is an illegal mushroom in the USA, has been reported to have an antidepressant function [5]. P. semilanceata produces “psylocybin”, which has hallucinogenic effects but is undergoing clinical testing as a possible antidepressant drug [6,7]. Psylocybin shows high activity in patients with major depressive disorder and is more effective than the antidepressants currently used [8]
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