Abstract: Biological antioxidants extracted from plants and fungi have potential abilities to scavenge free radicals and inhibit lipid peroxidation, playing important roles in preventing diseases, for example, cancer, and aging induced by reactive oxygen species, which may cause oxidative damage to DNA, proteins and other macromolecules. The antioxidant potency of cultivated fruit-bodies of Cordyceps militaris (L.) Link was investigated in this study. Five established in vitro systems were employed, including the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryldrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging, hydroxyl radical eliminating, iron chelating, inhibition of linoleic acid lipid peroxidation and reducing power. The aqueous extract from cultivated fruit-bodies was subjected to the test of amino acid, polysaccharide and mannitol. Ascorbic acid (Vc), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) were used as positive controls for comparisons. Among the assays, the aqueous extract of C. militaris fruit-bodies shows a significant scavenging effect on DPPH, eliminating the capability on hydroxyl radicals and the chelating effect on ferrous iron. The extract also shows positive results of inhibiting linoleic acid lipid peroxidation and reducing power. (Author for correspondence. Tel (Fax): (0)10 6264 1794;E-mail:yaoyj@sun.im.ac.cn)

Key words: antioxidation, aqueous extract, Cordyceps militaris, free radicals, in vitro.