Amanita fungi are the main lethal toadstool among the 1000 poisonous mushrooms
known in the world. Thrombin is the key serine proteinase of the coagulation
cascade and therefore a suitable target for inhibition of blood coagulation. An
extract of Amanita virosa considerably inhibited thrombin (48%) and showed no
inhibitory activity on trypsin. On the basis of inhibition selectivity between
thrombin and trypsin and potency of thrombin inhibition, Amanita virosa
constituted a good starting material for isolation of further compounds that are
active against thrombin.
In a preliminary study, 95 selected
mushroom species have been screened in order
to find novel specific non-peptidic thrombin
inhibitors. The extract of Amanita virosa
considerably inhibited thrombin (48% at
concentration of 120 μg/mL).
A bioassay oriented fractionation of the extract
of Amanita virosa has led to the isolation of
active compounds. On the basis of spectroscopic data, chemical reactions and GCMS
analysis, complex mixtures of triglycerides, monoacylglycerols, free fatty acids
and ergosterol have been isolated and identified.
