Background: The objective of this study was to investigate the antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of methanolic extracts of L. edodes and the determination of their total phenolics content.
Results: The amount of total phenolics was estimated to be 70.83 mg Gallic Acid Equivalent (GAE) per gram of dry extract. The antioxidant activity of the L. edodes extract was 39.0% at a concentration of 1 mg/mL and was also concentration dependant, with an EC(50) value of 4.4 mg/mL. Different groups of animals (Wister albino mice) were administered paracetamol (1 g/kg, p.o.). L. edodes extract at a dose of 200 mg/kg was administered to the paracetamol treated mice for seven days. The effects of L. edodes extract on serum transaminases (SGOT, SGPT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bilirubin were measured in the paracetamol-induced hepatotoxic mice. L. edodes extract produced significant (p < 0.05) hepatoprotective effects by decreasing the activity of serum enzymes and bilirubin.
Conclusions: From these results, it was suggested that L. edodes extract could perhaps protect liver cells from paracetamol-induced liver damage by its antioxidative effect on hepatocytes, hence diminishing or eliminating the harmful effects of toxic metabolites of paracetamol.