ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF WILD EDIBLE MUSHROOM PLEUROTUS ERYNGII COLLECTED FROM TUNCELI PROVINCE OF TURKEY

Antioxidants are our first line of defense against free radical damage, and are critical for maintaining health. The need for antioxidants becomes even more critical with increased exposure to free radicals. In the past few years there has been an increasing interest in determining relevant dietary sources of antioxidant phenolics. Mushrooms have been not only used as food materials with their unique flavor and texture, but also recognized as an important source of biologically active compound of medicinal value. In our study, to determine the antioxidant properties of the methanolic extracts of Pleurotus eryngii strains collected from different region of Tunceli, radical scavenging activity, total phenolic contents, reducing power, metal chelating activity and total antioxidant status (TAS) were analyzed. The analysis of phenolic compounds was performed by HPLC. In particular, the methanolic extract of P. eryngii collected from city center revealed the highest DPPH radical scavenging activity and reducing power, while the highest total phenolics and total antioxidant status was determined in P. eryngii collected from Pulumur. P. eryngii collected from Ovacik showed the highest chelating effects. Concentration of phenolic compounds found in three wild edible mushrooms. Kaempferol and catechin were not determined in musrooms species. The highest rutin levels were determined in ovacik. Resveratrol was determined only in Pulumur. The studied wild mushrooms might be beneficial to protect human body against oxidative damage.