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Pharmacological properties of Inonotus nidus-pici, a central-
southern European relative of the prized "Chaga" mushroom
V. Papp1, B. Kovács2, Z. P. Zomborszki2, B. Csupor-Löffler2, O. Orbán-Gyapai2, E. Urbán3,
J. Hohmann2 & A. Ványolós2
1Department of Botany, Szent István University, Budapest, Hungary, 2Department of Pharmacognosy, University of Szeged,
Hungary, 3 Institute of Clinical Microbiology, University of Szeged, Hungary
Email: papp.viktor@kertk.szie.hu; vanyolosa@pharmacognosy.hu
The peculiar cavity-inhabiting polypore
species Inonotus nidus-pici was described
by Albert Pilát based on a specimen
collected from Croatia [1]. Formerly, this
species was generally overlooked and
believed that it is only a form of the prized
"Chaga" medicinal mushroom (I. obliquus)
and discussed under the name Poria
obliqua f. "sur chêne" [2] or Xanthochrous
obliquus f. cavernatus [3].
INTRODUCTION Ecology and distribution
The sterile conk of I. obliquus is a well-
known source of traditional medicine
especially in Russia, Poland, and Baltic
countries. Currently, I. obliquus is one of
the most popular medicinal mushrooms
and numerous studies have focused its
pharmacological effects, i.e. anti-tumor,
antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-viral, anti-
mutagenic, anti-hyperglycemic and
immune modulation activities [5]. In
contrast, no data were found in the
literature proving the medicinal properties
of I. nidus-pici; therefore we aimed to
investigate the pharmacological effects (i.e.
anti-microbial, anti-oxidant and xanthine
oxidase inhibitory activities) of this species.
The examined samples (sterile conks) of
Inonotus nidus-pici were collected from
living Quercus cerris in Hungary and
identified based on morphological features.
The sterile conks were air-dried, and then
were extracted with methanol. The
methanol extract was subjected to solvent-
solvent partition, affording n-hexane,
chloroform and the residual extracts. After
extraction with methanol, the residual
mushroom material was dried and
extracted with boiling water. The obtained
organic and aqueous samples of I. nidus-
pici were examined for their potential
pharmacological properties. Anti-microbial
experiments were carried out using the
disc diffusion method, antioxidant activities
were determined using the DPPH (Fig. 3)
and ORAC assays, while xanthine oxidase
inhibitory activity was measured by
spectrophotometric method.
MATERIAL & METHODS
The investigation of Inonotus nidus-pici
extracts of different polarities revealed that
chloroform and water fractions exhibited
significant antioxidant and xanthine
oxidase inhibitory properties, while the n-
hexane and water-methanol extracts
demonstrated low or no activity. Fraction B
containing the chloro-form-soluble low
molecular compounds proved to be most
potent in all three pharmacological assays.
Based on the results obtained I. nidus-pici
is a promising starting material for further
detailed chemical and pharmacological
analyses.
RESULTS
References
[1] - A. Pilát (1953), Sb. nár. Muz. Praze, B, 9(2), 1–109.
[2] - H. Bourdot and A. Galzin (1925), Bull. Soc. mycol. Fr. 41, 98–255.
[3] - Z. Igmándy and H. Pagony (1965), Erdészeti Lapok 1, 19–25.
[4] - M. Ghobad-Nejhad and H. Kotiranta (2008), Ann. Bot. Finnici 45, 465–476.
[5] - M.E. Balandaykin and I.V. Zmitrovich (2015), Int J Med Mushrooms 17(2), 95–104.
Unlike Inonotus obliquus, both the poroid form
and the imperfect stage (sterile conk) of I.
nidus-pici develops the same host and
colonizes mainly living Quercus spp. (i.e. Q.
cerris) or occasionally other angiosperms, e.g.
Fagus, Juglans, Aesculus, Platanus and Fraxinus
species (Fig. 1,2). According to the literature I.
nidus-pici is considered to be mainly a central-
eastern European species, but also reported
from Spain and Iran [4].
Figure 1. Basidocarp and the imperfect stage
(steril conk) of Inonotus nidus-pici. A) on Quercus
cerris; B–C) on Fagus sylvatica. 1a: young sterile
conk, 1b: old sterile conk, 2: poroid basidiocarp.
Photos: Gy. Vrba (A), I. Fedor (B,C)
1a
1b
2
2
1b
2
A
B C
Financial support from the Hungarian National Research, Development and Innovation Fund (PD 124476) is gratefully acknowledged.
Spl. Yield
(w/w%)
ORAC
(µg TE/mg)
DPPH
(µg/mL)
XO Inhib
.
(%)
A 0.20
1074.35 ±
103.68 –
–
B 0.16
1583.92 ±
126.31
14.04 ±
0.81
70.06 ±
10.12
C 0.72 811.02 ±
52.82
22.77 ±
1.13
–
D 1.1
1248.63 ±
10.52
56.10 ±
2.47
52.02 ±
4.03
A: n-hexane extract, B: chloroform extract, C: water-
methanol extract, D: water extract. Spl: Sample
Figure 2. Young and old steril conks of Inonotus
nidus-pici on Platanus acerifolia. Photo: V. Papp
Figure 3. 96-well plate indicating the DPPH
activity of Inonotus nidus-pici extracts.
This work was supported by the research program GINOP-2.3.2-15-2016-00012.
