Lithium bioaccumulation in Lentinus crinitus mycelial biomass as a potential functional food

Lentinus crinitus is an important basidiomycete consumed by ethnic groups from the Amazon, commonly found in decomposing trees with high lignolytic and antioxidant activities. Lithium is a mood stabilizer, antiepileptic, antipsychotic, and antidepressant used in clinical practice. This study aimed to evaluate L. crinitus mycelial biomass bioaccumulated with lithium in liquid cultivation medium. The malt extract medium was added from zero to 100 mg L−1 lithium from two lithium sources (Li2CO3 and LiCl). The maximum mycelial biomass production was 7218.89 mg L−1 in the culture medium added with 5 mg L−1 lithium from LiCl. The highest lithium concentration in the mycelial biomass was of 574.72 μg g−1 produced in the culture medium with 25 mg L−1 lithium from Li2CO3. Pearson's correlation showed that Li2CO3 reduces the mycelial biomass and increases lithium bioaccumulation. The maximum translocated lithium from cultivation medium to mycelial biomass was up to 19 or 28% with LiCl or Li2CO3, respectively. Therefore, although Li2CO3 presents greater inhibition on the mycelial biomass production, it promoted greater lithium bioaccumulation in L. crinitus mycelial biomass and resulted in greater yield of lithium translocation. The equivalent daily dose of lithium for psychiatric treatment, without bioavailability studies, could be reached with 97.4 g lithium-enriched mycelial biomass and, based in the literature, for reduction of violence and criminality rates the amount could be reached with 0.24–0.58 mg. Thus, the development of lithium-enriched mycelial biomass could be an alternative functional food. •Li2CO3 promoted greater inhibiting effect of L. crinitus mycelial biomass compared with LiCl.•Li2CO3 promoted greater bioocumulation of lithium in the mycelium when compared to LiCl.•The highest lithium bioaccumulation was of 574.72 μg g−1 of lithium in the culture medium added with lithium from Li2CO3•This lithium bioaccumulated is 300 times than dose necessary for reduction of violence rates•The association of Li2CO3 with mycelial biomass contribute to broaden the positive effects of this food.