Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Properties of New Medicinal Fungus, Auriculoscypha anacardiicola DAReid et Manim. (Agaricomycetideae), from India

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the aqueous-ethanolic extract of Auriculoscypha anacardiicola fruiting bodies were investigated. Antioxidant activity of the extract was evaluated using DPPH, superoxide anion, FRAP, nitric oxide scavenging and lipid peroxidation inhibition assays. The extract was found to be a potent free radical scavenger and antioxidant. The extract showed significant DPPH scavenging activity (IC50: 31.36 +/- 2 mu g/mL), ferric reducing antioxidant power (IC50: 3.4 +/- 0.51.mu g/mL) and lipid peroxidation inhibiting activity (IC50: 79.81 +/- 2.77 mu g/mL). Anti-inflammatory activity of the extract was determined using carrageenan induced acute and formalin induced chronic inflammatory models in Swiss albino mice. The extract showed profound acute and chronic anti-inflammatory activity. The extract at 500 mg/kg body weight showed higher anti-inflammatory activity than the standard reference drug diclofenac, administered at 10 mg/kg body weight, for both acute and chronic inflammation in mice. This is the first report of the medicinal properties of A. anacardiicola.