The Effect of Agaricus brasiliensis and Ganoderma lucidum Medicinal Mushroom Administration on the L-arginine/Nitric Oxide System and Rat Leukocyte Apoptosis in Experimental Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Oxidative-nitrative stress develops as a result of hyperglycemia under diabetes mellitus. Formation of excessive reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species leads to different cytotoxic effects and ultimately to increased cell death by apoptosis of immune-competent blood cells. This study showed the influence of medicinal mushroom (MM) administration on the L-arginine/nitric oxide (NO) system and rat leukocyte apoptosis under normal and experimental diabetic conditions. Animals were divided into 6 groups: (1) control, (2) control animals treated with Agaricus brasiliensis, (3) control animals treated with Ganoderma lucidum, (4) animals with experimental diabetes (EDM), (5) diabetic animals treated with A. brasiliensis, and (6) diabetic animals treated with G. lucidum. Control and diabetic animals were fed powdered mushrooms at a dose of 1 g/kg body weight. Administration of MMs to animals with diabetes caused a decrease in the activity of the NO synthase enzyme, as well as in the content of stable end products of NO metabolism-nitrates and nitrites-at the control level. The normalizing effect of mushrooms on the percentage of leukocytes that contain pro- (p53) and antiapoptotic (Bcl-2) proteins compared with the EDM group was shown by immunocytochemical analysis. Thus the administration of MMs under EDM showed a positive corrective action on the L-arginine/NO system and the ratio between p53 and Bcl-2 proteins in white blood cells, as well as on apoptotic index reduction.