In search of synergistic effects in antioxidant capacity of combined edible mushrooms

The antioxidant activity of different edible mushrooms was evaluated considering the different contribution of individual and combined extracts. The radical scavenging capacity was evaluated through hydrogen atom transfer and single electron transfer reaction-based assays: DPPH radical scavenging activity and reducing power, respectively. The inhibition of lipid peroxidation was studied in lipossomes solutions by the β-carotene-linoleate system. Three types of interactions (synergistic, additive and negative synergistic effects) were observed, synergism being the most abundant effect. Marasmius oreades is present in the mixtures with higher antioxidant properties and synergistic effects, while Cantharellus cibarius is present in the mixtures with lowest antioxidant properties and negative synergist effects. Two discriminant analyses were performed considering individual species in one case and mushroom mixtures in the other. The five mushroom species were clustered in five individual groups, but a similar result could not be obtained for the combined mushrooms, for which only the cases containing C. cibarius were separated in individual clusters.