Lab 5 Journal Entry
Coprinopsis atramentaria, also known as inky cap mushrooms are wild mushrooms found throughout Europe and North America that grow after rain during spring and autumn. It is most known for its antioxidant activity that contain cinnamic acid that can help humans combat malignant tumours. The organic acids are extracted by reducing samples into fine powder that are then put into a centrifuge to extract the methanol from it. Although it cannot be consumed with alcohol, the research shows that its extract can have effective cytotoxicity on various human tumour cells lining especially for carcinomas found in breasts, lung, cervix, and liver cells. Although it is a several compounds added and some synthesized to obtain this result, there was no toxicity towards non-tumour cells PLP2 which means that the doses for cancer patients could be increased without harming the effect. It is interesting how organic acids and its compounds in fungi can have such revolutionary medical uses.
