Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activity and Cytotoxicity of Ethanol Extracts from Rhynchosia nulubilis Cultivated with Ganoderma lucidum Mycelium

In this study, in order to verify the use of mycelium as a new functional material, Rhynchosia nulubilis was cultivated with Ganoderma lucidum mycelium, and the biological activity of the culture extract was evaluated. Measurements of the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt radical scavenging activity showed that the ethanol extract from Rhynchosia nulubilis cultivated with Ganoderma lucidum mycelium (RNGM) had significantly higher radical scavenging activity compared to the ethanol extract from Rhynchosia nulubilis (RN). The growth inhibition rate of RNGM against HeLa cells was 93.93% at 400 μg/mL in the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-dimethyl tetrazolium assay. RNGM effectively decreased nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-treated RAW264.7 macrophage cells. The total polyphenol, total flavonoid, and the β-glucan contents of RNGM were higher than those of RN. These results demonstrated that increased total polyphenols, flavonoids, and β-glucan of Rhynchosia nulubilis during cultivation with the Ganoderma lucidum mycelium could increase the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity and cytotoxicity of cancer cells.