PHENOLIC ACIDS, FLAVONOIDS, ASCORBIC ACID, [beta]-GLUCANS AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY IN MEXICAN WILD EDIBLE MUSHROOMS

Five wild edible mushrooms (Amanita caesarea, Boletus edulis, Cantharellus cibarius, Lactarius indigo and Ramaria sp.) from Mexico were studied for their total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, gallic acid, and cinnamic and chlorogenic acids. B. edulis showed the highest contents, expressed in dry weight, of flavonoids (0.92 mg of quercetin equivalents/g), total phenolic acids (8.66 mg of gallic acid equivalents/g), chlorogenic acid (1001.67 [micro]g/g) and cinnamic acid (10.68 [micro]g/g), and it also presented the greatest antioxidant activity (48.6% DPPH scavenging activity and 59.48% reductive power) among the species analyzed. Overall, the Mexican wild edible mushrooms had high concentrations of chlorogenic and ascorbic acids and flavonoids. This study constitutes the first report in Mexico about nutraceuticals from wild edible mushrooms. Keywords: wild mushrooms, antioxidants, flavonoids, phenolics, [beta]-glucans