earticle

영어

Morchella (morels) have been used as herbs through history, and current scientific research confirmed their various health benefits. However, as an edible fungus, information regarding the chemical composition of morels is limited. In our present study, the methanolic extract of Morchella showed α -glucosidase inhibitory activity. Chromatographic separation of the n- hexane fraction which had the highest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity led to the isolation of (Z,Z)-9,12-octadecadienoic acid as a major compound. Further study revealed that (Z,Z)-9,12-octadecadienoic acid showed strong α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. On the other hand, since different fractions may contain different types of constituents which contribute to the biological activities, we investigated the antioxidant activity of the fractions. Ethyl-acetate fraction showed the most potent antioxidant activity. Further quantitation of total phenol and flavonoids contents revealed a positive correlation between the content of these compounds and antioxidant activity. Taken together, these results provide important information for the understanding of the edible qualities of the morel fruiting body. Moreover, the functional characterization of morel constituents may contribute to the diversity of these mushroom in the field of food industry.