Environ Exp Biol (2015) 13: 103–108

Hepatoprotective efficacy of medicinal mushroom Pleurotus tuber-regium

Abstract

Pleurotus tuber-regium (Rumph. ex Fr.) Singer is a medicinal mushroom traditionally used for curing various diseases. The aim of the present study was to perform chemical screening and analyze hepatoprotective efficacy of P. tuber-regium extracts in CCl₄ hepatotoxic rat. The highest concentration in fungal extract was found for alkaloids (28.41 ± 0.5 mg 100 g^–1) and the lowest for tannins (2.74 ± 0.28 mg 100 g^–1) with flavonoids and phenolics in moderate concentrations. P. tuber-regium extract showed high total antioxidant activity (12.7 and 21.5% at 10 and 50 to 100 µg mL^–1, respectively). The activity of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and concentration of bilirubin significantly increased in P. tuber-regium extract-treated hepatotoxic rats while concentration of total protein and serum albumin significantly decreased in comparison to control animals, averting toxic effects of CCl₄. As the P. tuber-regium extract possessed no acute oral toxicity, it can be used as hepato protective tonic.