Bioactive Fractions from the Chinese Caterpillar Mushroom, Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Ascomycetes) Elucidate Adaptogenic Role Against Hypoxia Stress

Ophiocordyceps sinensis, a high-altitude medicinal mushroom, is widely revered in traditional medicine for its antiproliferative, antihypercholesterolemic, energy enhancement, etc. properties. These properties are attributed to the presence of steroids, terpenoids, polyphenolics, glycosides, and glycoproteins in it. The current study presents characterization of three phenolic rich fractions (PRFs) separated from aqueous extract of O. sinensis using diethyl ether and ethyl acetate. These fractions possessed considerable antioxidant potential in terms of total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, ferric ion reducing power, and free radical scavenging efficiency. Chemical characterization of the PRFs was carried out using HPTLC and GC-MS. The diethyl ether and ethyl acetate fractions elucidated appreciable antibacterial activity against Salmonella typhi. The aqueous extract and residual phenolic fraction displayed protective effect on HEK 293 cell lines against hypoxia stress and also bestowed appreciative adaptogenic role against cold, hypoxia, and restraint stress in vivo, by decreasing levels of malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase and incrementing reduced glutathione concentrations.