RT Journal Article ID 05bdb82c0f49420d A1 Huang, Shih-Jeng A1 Lin, Chun-Ping A1 Mau, Jeng-Leun A1 Li, Yu-Shan A1 Tsai, Shu-Yao T1 Effect of UV-B Irradiation on Physiologically Active Substance Content and Antioxidant Properties of the Medicinal Caterpillar Fungus Cordyceps militaris (Ascomycetes) JF International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms JO IJM YR 2015 FD 2015-05-06 VO 17 IS 3 SP 241 OP 253 K1 medicinal mushrooms and fungi K1 Cordyceps militaris K1 UV-B irradiation K1 vitamin D2 K1 physiologically active substances K1 antioxidant properties AB Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) light irradiation is a well-known technique for converting vitamin D2 from ergosterol in mushroom fruit bodies. Mushrooms are a natural and nonanimal food source of vitamin D2. We studied the effect of UV-B light irradiation on the amount of vitamin D2 and physiologically active substances in Cordyceps militaris and their antioxidant properties. After UV-B irradiation for 2 hours, the vitamin D2 content of freshly harvested C. militaris fruiting bodies, mycelia, whole submerged culture (WSC), and homogenized submerged culture (HSC) increased from 0 to 0.03 to 0.22 to 1.11 mg/g, but the ergosterol content was reduced from 1.36 to 2.50 to 1.24 to 2.06 mg/g, respectively. After UV-B irradiation, the amount of adenosine, cordycepin, and ergothioneine of fruiting bodies dramatically increased 32−128%, but the polysaccharide content slightly decreased 36%. The reverse trends were observed in mycelia, WSC, and HSC. UV-B irradiation could reduce the effective concentrations at 50% of fruiting bodies for ethanolic and hot water extracts in reducing power, scavenging, and chelating abilities, whereas mycelia, WSC, and HSC of ethanolic extracts increased effective concentrations at 50% in reducing power, scavenging, and chelating abilities. UV-B irradiation slightly increased flavonoid content (10−56%) and slightly affected total phenol content. PB Begell House LK https://www.dl.begellhouse.com/journals/708ae68d64b17c52,7b35b5ed6bb0a817,05bdb82c0f49420d.html