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Title: Removal of grapefruit juice furanocoumarins by four edible fungi

Author
item Myung, Kyung
item Narciso, Jan
item Manthey, John

Submitted to: Proceedings of Florida State Horticultural Society
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/19/2008
Publication Date: 4/16/2009
Citation: Myung, K., Narciso, J.A., Manthey, J.A. 2008. Removal of grapefruit juice furanocoumarins by four edible fungi. Proceedings of Florida State Horticultural Society. 121:320-321.

Interpretive Summary: From our previous study, we observed that furanocoumarins in grapefruit juice bind to hyphae of Aspergillus niger. In this study, we tested whether four edible fungi can adsorb furanocoumarins in grapefruit juice. We found that the four edible fungi can adsorb furanocoumarins in grapefruit juice. It seems that the interaction between fungal hyphae and furanocoumarins in grapefruit juice occurs with all the fungi. These results would be useful in understanding the interaction and for potential industrial application for the production of furanocoumarin-reduced grapefruit juice using edible fungi. Some furanocoumarins in grapefruit juice interfere with drug uptake, and it could be advantageous to remove them.

Technical Abstract: Furanocoumarins (FCs), a class of phenolic compounds, are known to inhibit human cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP 3A4) activity responsible for metabolism of certain medications. This inhibition increases the oral bioavailability of these medications, leading to potential toxic effects. Despite the health benefits of grapefruit, these interactions have adversely affected the grapefruit industry, and have led to a need to remove the FCs from grapefruit juice (GFJ). Previously, we showed that autoclaved Aspergillus niger adsorbs FCs in GFJ, and the fungus–treated GFJ showed a reduced inhibitory activity of CYP 3A4. However, A. niger is not an edible fungus, leading us to a further research using edible fungi. In this study, autoclaved edible ascomycetes (Morchella esculenta and Monascus purpureus) and basidomycetes (Pleurotus sapidus, and Agaricus bisporus) were mixed with GFJ, and two major furanocoumarins in the treated GFJ, such as 6',7'-dihydroxybergamottin (DHB) and bergamottin (BM) were compared to those in control GFJ. These FCs were removed by the heat-killed fungi, suggesting that production of FC-removed GFJ may be achieved.