title: An extract of the pleurotus ostreatus mushroom bolsters the glutathione redox system in various organs of aged rats.
abstract: This study is to investigate the putative effect of an extract of the oyster mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus, on reduced glutathione (GSH) and its metabolic enzymes in major organs of male albino rats. A significant (P < .05) decrease in the level of GSH was observed in liver, kidneys, heart, and brain of aged rats compared to young rats. Activities of glutathione S-transferase (GST), glutathione reductase (GR), and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) were significantly (P < .05) lower in the liver, kidneys, heart, and brain of aged rats. The isoform pattern of these enzymes in aged rats also revealed variations in relative concentrations, presumably due to oxidative stress during aging. Administration of the extract of P. ostreatus to aged rats resulted in a significant (P < .05) increase in the levels of GSH and elevated activities of GST, GR, and G6PDH in liver, kidney, heart, and brain tissues. An increased staining intensity of isoforms of GST and G6PDH was also noted in aged rats that had been treated with the mushroom extract compared to aged untreated rats. The results of this study may suggest that an extract of P. ostreatus, a potential antioxidant, can prevent the oxidation of GSH and protect its related enzymes during aging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, School of Life Sciences, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Thanasekaran
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jayakumar
authors.forename: Philip Aloysius
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Elango
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ramesh
authors.forename: Pitchairaj
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Geraldine
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000825:Animal Structures / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001685:Biological Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D005954:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism*; D005980:Glutathione Reductase / Q000378:metabolism; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000378:metabolism; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D020076:Pleurotus / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001685:Biological Factors; D005954:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase; D005980:Glutathione Reductase; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D005978:Glutathione