Antioxidation and Hepatoprotection of Selenium Mycelium Polysaccharides Against Alcoholic Liver Diseases from the Cultivated Morel Mushroom Morchella esculenta (Ascomycota)

Abstract

The liver was regarded as the most important metabolic and detoxification organ <i>in vivo</i>, and <i>Morchella esculenta </i>had been reported as the admittedly rare edible fungus belonging to Ascomycetes contributing to the abundant bioactivities. The objective of this study aimed to confirm the potential antioxidant activities of selenium mycelium polysaccharides (Se-MIP) from <i>M. esculenta </i>against alcoholic liver diseases (ALD) in mice. The results indicated that a selenium concentration of 25 &mu;g/mL exhibited potential <i>in vitro</i> antioxidant capacities of Se-MIP. The <i>in vivo</i> mice results demonstrated that Se-MIP showed potential anti-ALD effects by improving the antioxidant activities and alleviating the hepatic dysfunctions. The present conclusions suggested that Se-MIP could be used as a candidate on improving ALD and its complications for further clinical investigations.