Antioxidant Activity of Fungus Suihs bovinus (L: Fr.) O. Kuntze

Two major antioxidative compounds were isolated from wild mushrooms, Suillus bovinus (L : Fr.) O. Kuntze, and studied for antioxidative activity by comparison with other antioxidants, BHA and tocopherol. One compound was an orange pigment identified as variegatic acid (3,3',4,4'-tetrahydroxy puluvinic acid) and the other was an orange-red pigment, possibly diboviquinone-4,4. The variegatic acid had strong antioxidative activity in an emulsion system as shown by peroxide value (POV) of linoleic acid and in an oil system as shown by the POV of methyl linoleate and weight gain of soybean oil. The second compound was active only in the emulsion system.