Development of a new eco-friendly ultrasound-assisted extraction method to quantify tryptophan in wild mushrooms and determination of its beneficial properties

Bioactive compounds in food offer health benefits by influencing cellular and physiological functions. Tryptophan, an essential amino acid and precursor to neurotransmitters like melatonin and serotonin, regulates mood and circadian rhythms. However, its quantification in mushrooms is scarce studied. An eco-friendly ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) method has been optimized to quantify tryptophan using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography with a diode array and fluorescence detector (UHPLC-DAD-Fl). Tryptophan levels were determined in 26 wild mushroom samples of the genus Lactarius and Boletus. The concentrations ranged from 0.042 mg/g to 0.742 mg/g. The extracts' health benefits were assessed for antioxidant capacity using DPPH (17.7 % - 71.6 %) and ABTS (7.2 % - 24.9 %) methods, while acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity ranged from 13.1 % to 49.8 %. Promising results were obtained. Hierarchical cluster analysis demonstrated a correlation between tryptophan concentration, mushroom species, location, and extract properties, highlighting tryptophan's crucial role in these mushrooms' health benefits.