Laccaria laccata (=L. amethystea) revealed the highest a-amylase inhibitory
activity (EC50 value 4.37 lg/mL). Meanwhile, ethanolic extracts from other
cosmopolitan mushroom called the ‘‘black trumpet’’ or the ‘‘black chanterelle’’
(Craterellus cornucopioides) showed also a high a-glucosidase inhibitory activity
(EC50 value 8.28 lg/mL). In a similar way, previously it had been shown that
extracts of the ‘‘red-banded Cortinarius’’ (Cortinarius armillatus), an edible rare
species in North America but the most common Cortinarius in Europe (Niskanen
et al. 2011), lowered raised blood glucose levels by inhibiting a-glucosidase
(ASAK 2000, 2004). Similarly, Komai et al. (2006) found that extracts from
mycelium of matsutake (T. matsutake), ‘‘fried chicken mushroom’’ (Lyophyllum
decastes), ‘‘hon-shimeji,’’ (Lyophyllum shimeji) and the ‘‘charcoal burner’’
(R. cyanoxantha) have a strong a-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Methanol
extracts from the ‘‘blue chanterelle’’ (P. multiplex) have also been reported to have
an inhibitory effect on a-glucosidase (Lee et al. 2013). Ohuchi and Aoyagi (2010)
carried out a broad screening of the inhibitory activity of a-amylase and
a-glucosidase of water and ethanol extracts of 195 species of Japanese mushrooms.
They found that some EEMs including Tricholoma giganteum (Nioushimeji),
Russula nigricans (Kurohatsu), and Morchella esculenta (Amigasatake) have a
conspicuos a-amylase inhibitory activity. Meanwhile, Boletus pseudocalopus
(Niseashibeniiguchi), Albatrellus dispansus (Koumoritake), Cortinarius alboviolaceus (Usufujifuusentake), Boletopsis leucomelas (Kurokawa), and C. armillatus
(Tsubafuusentake) presented a strong a-glucosidase inhibitory activity. They identified three bioactive compounds that originated the inhibition of a-glucosidase: (i)
nojirimycin derivatives, (ii) a-homonojirimycin; and (iii) 7-o-b-D-glucopyranosyla-homonojirimycin. These bioactive compounds, particularly nojirimycin derivatives, were the main active components responsible for the a-glucosidase inhibitory
activities in the EEMs B. pseudocalopus, C. armillatus, and C. alboviolaceus.
Additionally, these authors reported also some a-amylase inhibitory effects
from ethanol extracts of sporomes of the edible EEMs Cantharellus luteocomus
(‘‘Tokiirorappatake’’), Cortinarius triumphans [=Cortinarius crocolitus
(‘‘Kiobihuusentake’’)], Lactarius subzonarius (‘‘Kesiroharumodoki’’), Lactarius
torminosus (‘‘Karahatutake’’), R. cyanoxantha (‘‘Kawarihatu’’), Russula emetica
(‘‘Dokubenitake’’), Russula foetens (‘‘Kusahatu’’), Tricholoma portentosum
(‘‘Simohurisimeji’’), and Tricholoma vaccinum (‘‘Kudaakagesimeji’’). More
recently, some polysaccharides, with a molecular weight estimated between 3,700
and 1.7 9 107 Da were extracted from C. ventricosum and the antihyperglycemic
activity of these polysaccharides named CVPs in induced diabetic mice was studied
by Liu et al. (2013a, b). A significant decrease in the concentrations of blood glucose,
total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), and
maleic dialdehyde, and a significant increase in the concentrations of high density
lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) were recorded by the authors in mice feed with the
CVPs compared with untreated diabetic mice. Additionally, when normal mice were
treated with CVPs, all detection indexes and pathologic morphologies of liver,
kidney, and pancreas were similar to untreated normal mice, which indicated CVPs
are safe for normal mice. As a potent antioxidant activity was also recorded,
6 Edible Ectomycorrhizal Mushrooms
177
activity (EC50 value 4.37 lg/mL). Meanwhile, ethanolic extracts from other
cosmopolitan mushroom called the ‘‘black trumpet’’ or the ‘‘black chanterelle’’
(Craterellus cornucopioides) showed also a high a-glucosidase inhibitory activity
(EC50 value 8.28 lg/mL). In a similar way, previously it had been shown that
extracts of the ‘‘red-banded Cortinarius’’ (Cortinarius armillatus), an edible rare
species in North America but the most common Cortinarius in Europe (Niskanen
et al. 2011), lowered raised blood glucose levels by inhibiting a-glucosidase
(ASAK 2000, 2004). Similarly, Komai et al. (2006) found that extracts from
mycelium of matsutake (T. matsutake), ‘‘fried chicken mushroom’’ (Lyophyllum
decastes), ‘‘hon-shimeji,’’ (Lyophyllum shimeji) and the ‘‘charcoal burner’’
(R. cyanoxantha) have a strong a-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Methanol
extracts from the ‘‘blue chanterelle’’ (P. multiplex) have also been reported to have
an inhibitory effect on a-glucosidase (Lee et al. 2013). Ohuchi and Aoyagi (2010)
carried out a broad screening of the inhibitory activity of a-amylase and
a-glucosidase of water and ethanol extracts of 195 species of Japanese mushrooms.
They found that some EEMs including Tricholoma giganteum (Nioushimeji),
Russula nigricans (Kurohatsu), and Morchella esculenta (Amigasatake) have a
conspicuos a-amylase inhibitory activity. Meanwhile, Boletus pseudocalopus
(Niseashibeniiguchi), Albatrellus dispansus (Koumoritake), Cortinarius alboviolaceus (Usufujifuusentake), Boletopsis leucomelas (Kurokawa), and C. armillatus
(Tsubafuusentake) presented a strong a-glucosidase inhibitory activity. They identified three bioactive compounds that originated the inhibition of a-glucosidase: (i)
nojirimycin derivatives, (ii) a-homonojirimycin; and (iii) 7-o-b-D-glucopyranosyla-homonojirimycin. These bioactive compounds, particularly nojirimycin derivatives, were the main active components responsible for the a-glucosidase inhibitory
activities in the EEMs B. pseudocalopus, C. armillatus, and C. alboviolaceus.
Additionally, these authors reported also some a-amylase inhibitory effects
from ethanol extracts of sporomes of the edible EEMs Cantharellus luteocomus
(‘‘Tokiirorappatake’’), Cortinarius triumphans [=Cortinarius crocolitus
(‘‘Kiobihuusentake’’)], Lactarius subzonarius (‘‘Kesiroharumodoki’’), Lactarius
torminosus (‘‘Karahatutake’’), R. cyanoxantha (‘‘Kawarihatu’’), Russula emetica
(‘‘Dokubenitake’’), Russula foetens (‘‘Kusahatu’’), Tricholoma portentosum
(‘‘Simohurisimeji’’), and Tricholoma vaccinum (‘‘Kudaakagesimeji’’). More
recently, some polysaccharides, with a molecular weight estimated between 3,700
and 1.7 9 107 Da were extracted from C. ventricosum and the antihyperglycemic
activity of these polysaccharides named CVPs in induced diabetic mice was studied
by Liu et al. (2013a, b). A significant decrease in the concentrations of blood glucose,
total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), and
maleic dialdehyde, and a significant increase in the concentrations of high density
lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) were recorded by the authors in mice feed with the
CVPs compared with untreated diabetic mice. Additionally, when normal mice were
treated with CVPs, all detection indexes and pathologic morphologies of liver,
kidney, and pancreas were similar to untreated normal mice, which indicated CVPs
are safe for normal mice. As a potent antioxidant activity was also recorded,
6 Edible Ectomycorrhizal Mushrooms
177