Antioxidant Activity of Polysaccharides from the Edible Mushroom Pleurotus eryngii

In this study the antioxidant and neuroprotective activity of an enriched polysaccharide fraction (EPF) obtained from the fruiting body of cultivated P. eryngii was evaluated. Proximate composition (moisture, proteins, fat, carbohydrates and ash) was determined using the AOAC procedures. The EPF was extracted by using, in sequence, hot water and alkaline extractions followed by deproteinization and precipitation with cold ethanol. Total - and -glucans were quantified using the Megazyme International Kit. The results showed that this procedure allows a high yield of polysaccharides with a higher content of (1-3; 1-6)- -D-glucans. The antioxidant activity of EPF was detected from the total reducing power, DPPH, superoxide, hydroxyl and nitric oxide radical scavenging activities. The EPF was found to scavenge DPPH, superoxide, hydroxyl and nitric oxide radicals with a IC50 values of 0.52 0.02, 1.15 0.09, 0.89 0.04 and 2.83 0.16 mg/mL, respectively. As assessed by the MTT assay, the EPF was biocompatible for DI-TNC1 cells in the range of 0.006–1 mg/mL and, at concentrations ranging from 0.05 to 0.2 mg/mL, significantly counteracted H2O2-induced reactive oxygen species production. This study demonstrated that polysaccharides extracted from P. eryngii might be used as functional food to potentiate the antioxidant defenses and to reduce oxidative stress

Edible Mushrooms as Source of Fibrin(ogen)olytic Enzymes: Comparison between Four Cultivated Species

Cardiovascular diseases represent the main cause of death. A common feature of cardiovascular disease is thrombosis resulting from intravascular accumulation of fibrin. In the last years, several fibrinolytic enzymes have been discovered in many medicinal or edible mushrooms as potential new antithrombotic agents. This study aimed to compare the fibrin(ogen)olytic activity of crude extracts from the fruiting bodies of four cultivated edible mushrooms: Lentinula edodes, Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus eryngii, and Agrocybe aegerita. Fibrin(ogen)olytic activity was assessed by fibrin plate, spectrophotometric assay and electrophoretic analysis (SDS-PAGE and zymography). The highest activity was detected for P. ostreatus followed by P. eryngii, L. edodes and A. aegerita. Results indicated that enzymes exhibited maximum activity at pH 6–7 and 30–40 C, respectively. Enzyme activity was inhibited by serine and metalloprotease inhibitors. We proposed a new index called the Specific Fibrin(ogen)olytic Index (SFI), which allows specification of the proportion of the total proteolytic capacity due to the fibrin(ogen)olytic activity. These data suggest that the extracts from fruiting bodies or powdered mushrooms can be used as functional ingredients for the development of new functional foods that may act as thrombolytic agents responding, at the same time, to the increasing demand for safe, healthy and sustainable food

Evaluation of efficacy and effect of application timing of a new herbicide, A.I. propoxy-carbazone + iodosulfuron + mefenpyr, on Triticum durum

herbicide, propoxy-carbazone, iodosulfuron, mefenpyr, Triticum durum, timin

RESISTANCE BREAKING TOMATO SPOTTED WILT VIRUS ISOLATES ON RESISTANT TOMATO VARIETIES IN ITALY

In summer 2012, typical symptoms of Tomato spotted wilt disease occurred on tomato plants of different resistant cultivars (carrying the Sw5 gene), in different fields in Foggia province (Apulia region, southern Italy). The percentage of symptomatic plants was 20-30% and, in particular cases of advanced stage of cultivation, it reached up to 50% at the end of cycle. All TSWV isolates induced similar, very serious, systemic symptoms of bronzing in all resistant, infected tomato hybrids. Leaf extracts from these samples were tested by ELISA for the detection of TSWV, CMV, TMV, ToMV, INSV, PVY, AMV, PepMV, PVX, TYLCV, TYLCSV, PZSV and by molecular hybridization for the detection of PSTVd and CLVd. TSWV was detected in all the tested samples. The correspondent virus isolate was inoculated mechanically and by Frankliniella occidentalis on to a set of different tomato hybrids, in order to investigate for its ability to overcome the resistance gene Sw5, beyond that on some herbaceous test plants. The TSWV isolate, after three single lesion passages in Nicotiana glutinosa, induced symptoms typical of TSWV in mechanically inoculated seedlings grown from the same seed lots as the field-grown tomato plants. The virus isolate, designated TSWV-RB-TI, inoculated to plants of five commercial tomato hybrids carrying the Sw5 gene (that had previously shown resistance to different TSWV isolates), and five pepper hybrids carrying the Tsw gene, was later detected by ELISA in most inoculated tomato plants of each hybrid: systemic infection occurred a few days before local lesions appeared in inoculated leaves as a consequence of the typical hypersensitivity reaction caused by the Sw5 gene. By contrast, pepper hybrids carrying the Tsw gene were uninfected by TSWV-RB-TI isolate. The RB isolate did not differ noticeably in transmission efficiency when it was tested with the thrips F. occidentalis. This is not the first report of a TSWV strain infecting tomato plants carrying the Sw5 gene. Our observations demonstrate that new evolved strains of TSWV have emerged in southern Italy in 2012, able to overcome the Sw5 resistance gene in tomato hybrids previously known to be resistant to the virus