MSc.

The present study on "evaluation of biochemical and anti-cancerous activities of mushrooms" was conducted during 2016-2018 with the objective to undertake the cultural, spawn production
and cultivation trials of five mushrooms namely, Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis) P.
Karst., Pleurotus florida (Mont.), Pleurotus djamor (Fr.) Boedjn, Hypsizygus
ulmarius (Bull.:Fr.) Redhead and Calocybe gambosa (Fr.) Singh and to evaluate
their biochemical and anti-cancerous activities. The cultures of these mushrooms
were isolated from the mushroom beds maintained in the mushroom unit of
Instructional Farm, Vellayani through tissue culture method and purified by
hyphal tip method.
Studies on mycelial growth of five mushrooms on potato dextrose agar
revealed that G. lucidum had the maximum radial growth (9.00 cm) in shorter
period of time (6.25 days). The nature of mycelial growth of G. lucidum and P.
florida was flat and filamentous, while that of P. djamor, H. ulmarius and C.
gambosa was thick and fluffy. The colour of mycelium of all the mushrooms was
white to creamy white. Spawn production trials of five mushrooms on paddy grain
indicated the minimum time for spawn run of 12.25 days for P. djamor followed
by H. ulmarius and P. florida.
Cultivation trials of P.djamor, P. florida, H. ulmarius and C. gambosa
were undertaken on paddy straw substrate while that of G. lucidum was done on
rubber wood sawdust. P. djamor recorded minimum time for spawn run (10.50
days), pinhead formation (14.50 days) and first harvest (16.50 days). The milky
mushroom, C. gambosa recorded the maximum yield of 1037.25 g kg-1 from three
harvests with 103.72 per cent biological efficiency (BE) followed by H. ulmarius
with yield of 960 g kg-1 and BE of 96 %.
Infestation of pests viz. phorid flies and staphylinid beetles as well as
fungal contaminants such as Trichoderma sp., Aspergillus sp., and Coprinus spp.
were found in all the mushrooms during sporocarp formation.
Dried and powdered samples of mushrooms were used for nutritional
analyses. G. lucidum recorded maximum protein (30.91 %) and fibre content
(49.33 %), whereas C. gambosa recorded maximum carbohydrate, total amino
acids, ash and fat content. The present study indicated the high nutritive value of
milky mushroom C. gambosa
Mineral components like sodium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium and
magnesium were determined in the study. Among the five mushrooms C.
gambosa recorded the maximum potassium while calcium and magnesium were
the maximum in G. lucidum. The phosphorus content was not found to be
significantly different among the five mushrooms.
Analysis of medicinal components of mushrooms indicated that
mushrooms were rich in beta-glucan, polyphenols, flavonoids and terpenoid. G.
lucidum, the king of medicinal mushrooms recorded maximum beta-glucan (38.58
%) and polyphenols (23.80 mg GAE g-1) followed by C. gambosa. Flavonoid and
terpenoid contents were recorded maximum in C. gambosa followed by G.
lucidum. The pink oyster mushroom, P. djamor recorded the maximum beta-
carotene content (355μg g-1).
Preliminary trials on the anti-cancer activities of mushroom extracts were
conducted by direct microscopic studies and MTT assay. The results revealed
that percentage viability of cervical cancer cell lines decreased with increase in
concentration of mushroom extracts. However G. lucidum extract exhibited
maximum cytotoxic effect on cancer cell lines even at lower concentration (200
μg ml-1) followed by C. gambosa. The present study indicated that all the five
mushrooms are rich source of protein, carbohydrate, fibre and minerals. P. florida,
P. djamor, H. ulmarius and C. gambosa were nutritionally and medicinally
superior. The commercial cultivation as well as clinical studies of these
medicinally important mushrooms must be undertaken in large scale.