Abstract:

Experiments were made to investigate the effects of oral administration of three edible fungi, Flammulina
velutipes, Lentinula edodes and Cordyceps militaris, on the activities of antioxidative enzymes in mice. ICR mice were
administered by gavage with aqueous suspensions of powdered F. velutipes, L. edodes and C. militaris, respectively, at three
doses, 0.8 g/kg for a low-dose group, 1.6 g/kg for a medium-dose group, and 2.5 g/kg for a high-dose group, via intragastric
administration. After 4 weeks, the body weight, the total anti-oxidant capacity (T-AOC), the activities of superoxide
dismutase (SOD) and glutathione-peroxidase (GSH-Px), and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in serum and liver,
monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in brain and peroxidase (POD) activity in heart were measured,. The results indicated
that in comparison with those in thethe normal saline control mice, the T-AOC, the activities of SOD and GSH-Px in serum
and liver and POD activity in heart were increased, while the MDA levels in serum and liver as well as MAO activity in
brain were decreased to different extents in mice fedadministered with each of the edible fungi. All fungal the fungal species
had good antioxidative effects in ICR mice with those of C. militaris being superior to those of L. edodes and F. velutipes.
The antioxidative mechanism smay be related with improving the in vivo antioxidant capacity, enhancing the activities of
antioxidative enzymes, removing free radicals and reducing lipid peroxidation.

Key words: Flammulina velutipes, Lentinula edodes, Cordyceps militaris, mice, antioxidative enzyme activities