title: The Effect of the Medicinal Mushrooms Agaricus brasiliensis and Ganoderma lucidum (Higher Basidiomycetes) on the Erythron System in Normal and Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats.
abstract: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is accompanied by the development of hypoxia, which disturbs the physicochemical properties of the erythrocyte membrane and further leads to the occurrence of anemia and a reduction of the lifespan. In response, the body activates compensatory reactions directed at a renewal of the red blood cell pool and an increase in tissue oxygenation. In this study the influence of Agaricus brasiliensis and Ganoderma lucidum medicinal mushroom mycelia on the erythron system of control and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats were investigated. Wistar outbred white male rats were intraperitoneally injected with saline (control rats) or STZ (50 mg/kg, DM rats) and orally treated with placebo or submerged culture mycelium powder (1 g/kg/day) for 2 weeks. Peripheral blood erythrocytes were collected. Hypoglycemic effects of A. brasiliensis and G. lucidum occurred in the diabetic rats, as evidenced by decreased blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin concentrations. In STZ-diabetic animals treated with submerged culture mycelium powder, an increase in the number of erythrocytes in the bloodstream (an antianemic effect), erythrocyte resistance to acid hemolysis, and the normalization of fetal hemoglobin concentrations, along with the intensification of erythropoiesis were observed. In conclusion, our results suggest that in diabetic animals A. brasiliensis and G. lucidum have therapeutic effects that manifest in hypoglycemic and antianemic action.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Evolution and Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Natural Science, University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Taras Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Vitak
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Cryptogamic Plants and Fungi, Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, Haifa, Israel; and N.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kiev, Ukraine.
authors.forename: Solomon P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Wasser
authors.affiliation: Institute of Evolution, and Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Science and Science Education, University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, Haifa, 31905 Israel.
authors.forename: Eviatar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nevo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Lviv, Ukraine.
authors.forename: Nataliya O
authors.initials: NO
authors.lastname: Sybirna
mesh_terms: D000364:Agaricus / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D025282:Mycelium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011208:Powders / Q000008:administration & dosage; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020940:Reishi / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D013311:Streptozocin / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D028321:Plant Preparations; D011208:Powders; D013311:Streptozocin