• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.33-38
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• 2017

Objectives : Termitomyces albuminosus (Berk.) Heim is one of the famous wild edible mushrooms in the southern part of China. It is known that Termitomyces albuminosus, like Aconitum koreanum used in Korean traditional medicine, contains a kind of cerebroside, termitomycesphin, causing a pharmacologic effect on the neuron system. The pharmacologic effect of Termitomyces albuminosus can be used to possibly replace Aconitum koreanum. However, It needs to be certified as safe before it can be used. Here, a single-oral toxicity test and safety classification was conducted to obtain acute information of the toxicity of dried-Termitomyces albuminosus powder and to secure its safety in clinical applications. Methods : In order to calculate approximate lethal dose(ALD), test substance was orally administered to male and female SD-rat at dose levels of 5,000 and 0 (vehicle control) mg/kg (body weight). Based on the result of this toxicity, also the estimation of safety classification was calculated using the HED-based (human equivalent dose) MOS (margin of safety). Results : There were no mortalities, test substances treatment-related clinical signs, no changes in the body or organ weights, and no gross or histopathological findings at 14 days after treatment with test substance. Thus, the approximate lethal dose of dried-Termitomyces albuminosus powder was considered over 5,000 mg/kg in both female and male mice. Conclusions : Based on the limit dose, 5000 mg/kg, it was estimated that dried-Termitomyces albuminosus powder is classified as "Specified class B" indicating that clinical dose is not limited to patients as safe as food.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.10
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• pp.1153-1162
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• 2016

Termitomyces albuminosus (Berk.) Heim is a well-known wild edible mushroom in the southern region of China. Novel cerebrosides, termed termitomycesphins, isolated from EtOH extract of T. albuminosus have shown significant neuritogenic activity. Neurotrophic factors have been targeted as potential therapeutic drugs for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. However, before expanding their applications to include food or therapeutic agents in Korea, a safety evaluation of T. albuminosus is needed. Herein, in a repeated-dose 90-day oral toxicity study, rats were exposed to a basal diet of powder ground from dried T. albuminosus at dose levels of 5%, 2.5%, 1.25%, and 0%. The following endpoints were evaluated: clinical observation, body weight, gross and microscopic pathology, clinical chemistry, and hematology. Significant dose-dependent increases in the weight of the left kidney were observed, possibly due to the test substance. Based on toxicity-decision criteria for minor compound-related changes (no observed adverse effect level [NOAEL] and no observed effect level [NOEL]), NOAEL was observed in male rats at a dose of 5% of dried T. albuminosus powder, and NOEl was observed in female rats at the same dose. The results point to the safety and potential use of T. albuminosus as a nontoxic neurotrophic factor.

• Journal of Practical Agriculture & Fisheries Research
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.81-87
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• 2019

The investigation of mycelial growth for artificial cultivation in T. albuminosus determined that within PDA, YM, MEA medium, both KNCAF 9001 and 9002 strains showed the highest mycelial growth in MEA media with 89, 81 mm, respectively, followed by YM, PDA in respected order. Furthermore, optimal mycelial growth of 89 and 77 mm in 9001 and 9002, respectively, at 25 ℃. Mycelial growth rapidly decreased at 30 ℃, but it was confirmed that it survived at 40 ℃. At pH 6, mycelial growth was fast with growth of 89 and 88 mm for both 9001 and 9002, respectively. In the case of 9001, the addition of with cotton seed hull(80%) and rice bran (20%) each other resulted in maximum productivity of 99 mm/10 days. The result differed in order of corn cob(97 mm), oak sawdust(96 mm) and poplar sawdust(93 mm). Ultimately, the result confirmed that addition of rice bran in comparison to bran resulted in higher yield. Even with identical medium component, 9002 showed the same tendency as 9001 but its growth was relatively slower than 9001. The effect of mycelial growth on the moisture content of the medium was best at 101. 94 mm/10 days when the moisture content of 9001 and 9002 was 65%. Mycelial growth rate tended to be slower when the moisture content was higher or lower than 65%.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 2020

Termitomyces albuminosus has been recognized to have the best mushrooms in China, in terms of taste and aroma. The efficacy of these mushrooms has been recorded in the botanical list. However, research on the development of their artificial culture methods is necessary. In this study, we prepared an organic solvent extract and a hot water extract to understand the development of compounds and functional foods with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. The IC₅₀ value of DPPH radical scavenging activity of the hot water extract (TA4) was 1.5 mg/mL and the IC₅₀ value of the MeOH fraction (TA2) was 1.93 mg/mL. The anti-inflammatory activity was investigated by the inhibition of NO production. EtOAc fraction (TA1) is a crude extract, but 79% of NO production was inhibited at 100 ㎍/mL. NO was not produced at 200 ㎍/mL. TA1-5-6, from TA1 inhibited NO production by 15% as compared to the positive control at 15 ㎍/mL, and completely inhibited NO production at 30 ㎍/mL. No cytotoxicity was observed at 50 ㎍/mL. TA2-1-5 from the MeOH fraction (TA2) inhibited more than 75% of NO production at 30 ㎍/mL; cytotoxicity was very low even at 50 ㎍/mL. In conclusion, by selective solvent selection, it was possible to manufacture an extract with no cytotoxicity and excellent biological activities. Furthermore, the extracts showed potential for developing various functional foods and drugs.