Comparative study of phytochemicals, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of infusion and decoction extracts from Pycnoporus sanguineus (L.) Murril collected in West Bengal

Mushrooms are well-known pharmaceutical agents as they possess bioactive secondary metabolites along with a large amount of proteins, carbohydrates, crude fiber, fat and other beneficial compounds. Due to their remarkable pharmacological property, they are used in traditional medicine in different countries of Asia. Pycnoporus sanguineus is a polypore fungus having a wide variety of bioactive substances and therapeutic activities that are reported previously in different countries of the world. The present study is focused to estimate different bioactive compounds and evaluate antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of P. sanguineus using two different extraction procedures (infusion and decoction). In this study, total phenol, total flavonoid, β-carotene, lycopene and ascorbic acid contents are estimated. Antioxidant and inti-inflammatory activities are investigated by total antioxidant capacity, DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS radical scavenging, chelating of ferrous ion (Fe2+), reducing power assays and protein denaturation assay respectively. The aim of the study is to establish P. sanguineus as a natural drug that could be used against oxidative stress and inflammation-related diseases substituting commercial drugs.