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Cytotoxicity of extracts from the mushroom Paxillus involutus

S Habtemariam1

  • 1Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, U.K.

Insights

The ethyl acetate extract of Paxillus involutus mushroom is cytotoxic to cells, while water and butanol extracts show minimal toxicity. This mushroom

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Toxicology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Paxillus involutus is a mushroom known to cause poisoning in humans.
  • Understanding the toxic compounds of P. involutus is crucial for clinical management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the cytotoxic effects of different P. involutus extracts on various cell lines.
  • To characterize the properties of the cytotoxic principle.

Main Methods:

  • Cytotoxicity assays were performed on murine (L929, RAW 264.7) and human (HeLa, EAhy926) cell lines.
  • Extracts were tested at various concentrations.
  • Stability of the cytotoxic principle was assessed under heat and acidic conditions.

Main Results:

  • Water extract showed no significant cytotoxicity.
  • Butanol extract exhibited moderate cytotoxicity (30-45% reduction) at 1 mg/ml.
  • Ethyl acetate extract demonstrated concentration-dependent cytotoxicity with IC50 values between 125-250 µg/ml.
  • The cytotoxic principle was found to be stable at 37°C for 4 hours and at pH 0.5.

Conclusions:

  • The ethyl acetate extract of P. involutus contains a cytotoxic compound.
  • This compound is non-polar, acid- and thermo-stable.
  • The identified cytotoxic principle may contribute to the clinical symptoms observed in P. involutus poisoning, such as haemolysis.

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