| Abstract [eng] |
VILNIUS UNIVERSITY LIFE SCIENCES CENTER Lukas Kežunas Master's Thesis The effect of Auricularia auricula-judae, Cordyceps sinensis, Ganoderma lucidum, Hericium erinaceus mushroom extracts on the survival, reproduction, and climbing ability of fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) Medicinal mushrooms have attracted increasing scientific and commercial interest due to their bioactive compounds, which are reported to possess adaptogenic, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties. However, the biological safety and effects of commercial composite mushroom extracts on living organisms remain insufficiently studied, particularly in in vivo models. The aim of this Master's thesis is to evaluate the effects of commercial extracts of four medicinal mushroom species: Auricularia auricula-judae, Cordyceps sinensis, Ganoderma lucidum, and Hericium erinaceus on Drosophila melanogaster survival, reproduction, locomotor activity, and DNA damage levels. The objectives included assessment of two concentrations (5 mg/mL and 20 mg/mL) of each extract on the aforementioned parameters, testing for dose-dependent responses, determination of the overall adaptogenic or toxic nature of the effects, and determining whether the used laboratory wild type Drosophila melanogaster line was infected with Wolbachia which may potentially affect interpretation of results. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier and stratified Cox proportional hazards models, supplemented by fixed-effect meta-analysis. Reproduction was assessed using negative binomial and binomial GLMM models, locomotor function was assessed via the climbing assay based on the negative geotaxis principle, DNA damage was assessed via alkaline single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay), and Wolbachia infection was determined by PCR and agarose gel electrophoresis. Survival results demonstrated that all tested extracts statistically significantly increased D. melanogaster mortality risk (HR = 1.48–1.80), with the greatest effect observed in the Cordyceps sinensis 20 mg/mL and both Ganoderma lucidum concentration groups. Reproduction assays revealed a general trend of suppressed egg-laying and adult eclosion, most pronounced in Ganoderma lucidum groups. Dose-dependent effects were not confirmed for any extract. The comet assay revealed no statistically significant increase in DNA damage in any mushroom extract group, and the climbing assay indicated no locomotor impairment. The laboratory Drosophila melanogaster line used was confirmed to be infected with Wolbachia bacteria, which may have influenced the obtained results. Overall, the results are more consistent with a toxic than an adaptogenic effect model, and future studies should use Wolbachia-free lines, analyse individual components of the extracts separately, and include additional oxidative stress and tissue damage markers, in order to more accurately evaluate the contribution of individual compounds to the observed biological effects. |
