Mushrooms have become attractive as functional foods and as a source of
physiologically beneficial bioactive compounds. Herein, we describe and compare the chemical constituents (phenolic compounds, macronutrients, sugars, fatty acids, tocopherols and ascorbic acid) of four wild edible mushrooms widely appreciated in gastronomy: Armillaria mellea (Vahl) P. Kumm, Calocybe gambosa (Fr.) Donk,
Clitocybe odora (Fr.) P. Kumm., Coprinus comatus (O.F. Müll.) Pers. Furthermore, the
antioxidant activity of their water soluble polysaccharidic and ethanolic fractions was
studied by three different in vitro assays. Coprinus comatus revealed the highest
concentrations of sugars (43.23 g/100 g dry weight), PUFA (77.46%), phenolic
compounds (45.02 mg/Kg), tocopherols (301.03 μg/100 g) and, among all of the
fractions tested, its ethanolic fraction showed the highest antioxidant activity (EC50<2.6 mg/ml). Clitocybe odora revealed one of the highest ascorbic acid (172.65 mg/100 g)contents and its water soluble polysaccharidic fraction showed the best antioxidant properties (EC50<3.6 mg/ml) among the polysaccharidic fractions. The studied mushrooms species could potentially be used in well-balanced diets and as a source of bioactive compounds.
