International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms

Melanin Complex from Medicinal Mushroom Inonotus obliquus (Pers.: Fr.) Pilat (Chaga) (Aphyllophoromycetideae)

RESUMO

The production of melanin complex of Inonotus obliquus (Pers.: Fr.) Pilat (Chaga in Russian) in submerged conditions was studied. It was demonstrated that copper ions (0.008%), pyrocatechol (1.0 mM), and tyrosine (20.0 mM) stimulated this process. It has been estimated that melanin of I. obliquus has antioxidant and genoprotective effects. The investigation of the element composition of the pigment shows that it contains 38.2% C, 5.54% H, and trace amounts of N. The pigment was characterized by the following properties: the extinction coefficient E _0.001% (l = 465 nm) = 0.02; content of COOH groups = 0.93%, CO groups = 1.05%, OCH3 groups = 0.96%, total OH groups 16.9% including aliphatic groups 15.65% and phenolic groups 1.25%. The data obtained in our work demonstrate high antioxidant and genoprotective effects of I. obliquus melanin on peroxidasecatalyzed oxidation of aminodiphenyls. These properties of melanin of I. obliquus may be used for the development of anticarcinogenic preparations.