Antioxidant, reducing and free radical scavenging activity of selenated extracts of Lentinula edodes

The objective of this study was to compare antioxidant, reducing and free radical scavenging activity of water and alcohol extracts of selenated and not selenated mycelium of Lentinula edodes. In all tests not-selenated extracts show moderate to high antioxidant activity, good reducing power and scavenging effects on DPPH radicals, whereas water and methanol extracts of the mycelium cultivated in medium containing 10 mu g ml(-1) of selenium expressed excellent scavenging effects, antioxidant activity and reducing power comparable with that of BHT and BHA. The selenium content in tested extracts, determined by RPHPLC method, was low and equaled for dry weight of water extract 0,215 mg g(-1) and for methanolic extract 0,113 mg g(-1). Nevertheless, selenium-containing compounds in so low concentration present in tested extracts enhanced antioxidant activity, reducing power and free radical scavenging effect for almost 20-100%.