Abstract
This study was designed to examine the effects of several individual mushroom species and a mixture of species, on systolic blood pressure and hypertension. Our experiments focused on three groups of mushroom samples: 1) Lentinula edodes; 2) Lyophyllum decastes; 3) Grifola frondosa, Ganoderma lucidum and Lentinula edodes (weight ratio 2:2:1). The doses were scaled down to the weight of rats based on human weight (5, 10, 15g/60kg/600ml/day), and given daily to 13-week-old, spontaneously hypertensive rats for 27 weeks. The results indicated that the first two individual mushroom species decreased systolic blood pressure in a dose-dependent manner. In comparison with the untreated control SHR group, systolic blood pressure was significantly reduced in rats that received Lentinula edodes at the high dose, and in those that received Lyophyllum decastes at either the high or medium dosages. It was thought that the mechanism of antihypertension was different in Lentinula edodes and Lyophyllum decastes. Rats that received the mixture of the three mushroom species showed no significant reduction in systolic blood pressure. The first two individual mushroom species, which proved to be effective in decreasing hypertension, indicated improved lipid metabolism and kidney function, thus suggesting the relevance of endogenous vasopressor materials.
