Jacek Rojowski

Natural products of relevance in the prevention and supportive treatment of depression

The use of herbs or their parts: leaves, roots, rhizomes, flowers, seeds, natural strains, as well as extracts or isolated metabolites is becoming more and more popular. Natural remedies not only act prophylactically, but also help to alleviate symptoms of many diseases and enhance the overall functioning of the internal organs. Many raw materials of natural origin plays a role in treatment of health problems, and also in case of serious diseases such as depression. Depression (affective disorder) now affects about 10% of the population, but in next few years due to the development of civilization and increasing pace of life, the probable number of people suffering from this disease can grow rapidly. Natural raw materials such as Bacopa monnieri, Crocus sativus, Eleutherococcus senticosus, Griffonia simplicifolia, Hypericum perforatum, Sceletium tortuosum, Piper methysticum, Rhodiola rosea, Aspalathus linearis, Camellia sinensis, Ficus carica, Lycium chinense, Cuminum cyminum, Panax Ginseng can effectively assist the prevention and treatment of depression. Daily diet may also have positive effect in prevention of this disease. It was found that 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan, L-tryptophan (which are precursors of serotonin in the CNS), omega-3 fatty acids and anthranilic acid (vitamin L1) are able to improve mood. L-Tryptophan, 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan are present in the largest quantities in the fruiting bodies of edible mushrooms. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in the flesh of fish, walnuts, soybeans, beans and chicken egg protein, while the anthranilic acid is commonly found in plants.

In Vitro Culture of Boletus badius as a Source of Indole Compounds and Zinc Released in Artificial Digestive Juices

The objective of this study was to obtain the in vitro cultures of Boletus badius under controlled conditions and investigate the release of indole compounds and zinc from the mycelium of B. badius to artificial digestive juices under conditions similar to those in the human gastrointestinal tract. Biomass was obtained from cultures grown using both only the Oddoux medium as well as the same medium with added zinc hydroaspartate and zinc sulfate. The release of 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan, L-tryptophan, and serotonin from the B. badius biomass extracts to the artificial digestive juices was determined. Differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry was used to demonstrate that zinc is released from each of the extracted materials. The total amount of zinc in the materials under study was estimated to be between 7.12 and 44.15 mg/100 g dry weight. It was demonstrated that in vitro cultures of B. badius grown using appropriately selected media may supplement zinc and indole compounds.