Role of mycelia derived from in vitro cultures of Amanita spp. as a potential source of bioactive compounds with therapeutic potential for the mitigation and management of depressive disorders.

The mycelium of Amanita muscaria and Amanita pantherina, grown in 10 L air-lift bioreactors, contains several bioactive compounds. A. muscaria mycelium had higher levels of lovastatin, ergothioneine, and 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan than A. pantherina. The presence of muscimol and other previously unstudied substances in cultivated mycelium, compared to fruiting bodies, suggests potential relevance for depression treatment, but further in vitro and clinical research is needed.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Mushrooms of the Amanita genus are considered among the most toxic, causing severe poisoning, often resulting in death. However, of the 707 described species within this genus, only around a dozen contain the toxic octapeptides classified as amanitotoxins and phallotoxins. While most representatives of the genus are considered inedible species, there are a few exceptions that are palatable edible species. Amanita muscaria and Amanita pantherina fall into the category of poisonous species, with significant ethnomycological impact on human evolution and sociology, alongside their other psychoactive effects. This study aimed to obtain mycelium of A. muscaria and A. pantherina species under controlled laboratory conditions, using 10 L air-lift bioreactors and to evaluate the obtained material as a potential pharmaceutical raw material containing muscimol and other biologically active compounds of importance, which may have significance in the prevention of depression. The resulting biomass was analyzed by RP-HPLC and AAS to identify various organic compounds (indole compounds, sterols, lovastatin, ergothioneine, muscimol, and ibotenic acid) and different bioelements. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that the mycelium of A. muscaria contains several bioactive compounds, such as lovastatin, ergothioneine, and 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan, at higher levels than A. pantherina. The determination of muscimol and other bioactive substances, which have not been previously studied, in the biomass obtained through in vitro cultivation, compared to those found in the fruiting bodies, suggests the potential of these species in the treatment of depression. However, further research, including in vitro experiments and subsequent clinical trials, is required.