Abstract: Some of the modern diseases can be cured using small molecules, which act as inhibitors of specific enzymes, which are involved in pathology of specific diseases. Inhibition of cholinesterase enzymes, which are acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) may have beneficial effects on the treatment and alleviation of symptoms of neurological diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer's disease; the same inhibition strategy is also used to treat myasthenia gravis and glaucoma. Research has shown that inhibition of AChE and BChE results in increased concentrations of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which in turn improves cognitive function and alleviates symptoms of these diseases. Contrary, tumours are characterized by increased levels of the enzyme glutathione S-transferase (GST), and the inhibitors of this enzyme have potential antitumor effects. Wood and mycorrhizal fungi are an important source of bioactive compounds because they contain various secondary metabolites that have the ability to inhibit these enzymes. Therefore, in this master's thesis, we focused on testing the inhibitory potential of ethanolic mushroom extracts on the above mentioned enzymes. Ethanol extracts of 75 mushroom samples were tested as possible inhibitors of AChE and BChE of human and animal origin, and of GST isolated from horse serum. Inhibition of AChE activity was observed in 6 samples. The highest value of inhibition of human AChE was obtained by the extract of the mushroom Cortinarius bolaris, and at the same time it also had an inhibitory effect on AChE from electric eels. Inhibition of BChE activity was also detected in 6 samples, with the highest value observed in the extract of Hemytrichia serpula. Inhibition of GST activity was observed in 25 extracts, of which the strongest inhibitory activity was shown for extracts from the mushrooms Gloeporus taxicola, Amanita excelsa, Gloephylium odoratum and Daedalea quercina. Our study thus opened up the possibility for further research that would need to determine which compounds/molecules causes the inhibition of enzymes AChE, BChE and GST.
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