title: In vitro antioxidant activity and hepatoprotective effects of Lentinula edodes against paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Sreenivasan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sasidharan
authors.forename: Sugumaran
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aravindran
authors.forename: Lachimanan Yoga
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Latha
authors.forename: Ratnasamy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vijenthi
authors.forename: Dharmaraj
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Saravanan
authors.forename: Santhanam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amutha
mesh_terms: D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D020942:Shiitake Mushrooms / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D000082:Acetaminophen