Metabolic profiling of Polyporus umbellatus (Pers.) Fr

Polyporus umbellatus (Pers.) Fr. (Sin. Dendropolyporus umbellatus (Pers.) Jülich) is an edible and medicinal mushroom in the family Polyporaceae (phylum Basidiomycota). Widely distributed in the Northern hemisphere [1], it is reported for the first time its presence in central Italy, Lazio. Even though Polyporus umbellatus has a well-documented history of use in traditional medicine, the complete phytochemical profile of both its aqueous and organic extracts has not yet been fully analyzed, particularly in samples of non-Asian origin. In this perspective, it is important to evaluate the presence of other possible bioactive compounds and investigate the quantities of metabolites with a nutraceutical impact. Pharmacologically active compounds have been identified as Polyporus umbellatus polysaccharides [2], steroids such as ergosterol and its derivatives, polyusterones, anthraquinones and other chemical compounds like nicotinic acid, mannitol and succinic acid [3]. High resolution NMR spectroscopy with 1H-NMR, 1H1H TOCSY, and 1H13C HSQC was employed, finding 45 metabolites in both aqueous and organic extract, identifying and quantifying molecules belonging to different classes, such as amino acids (AA), organic acids (OA) carbohydrates, lipids and sterols among other metabolites of interest in nutrition and human health.