Proximate composition and biological activity of food plants gathered by Chilean Amerindians

The proximate composition and biological activity of food plants and mushro oms gathered by Chilean Amerindians were assessed. The gathered plants sewe d primarily as sources of carbohydrates with highest values for Dioscorea t ubers, Prosopis alba pods meal and Bromus catharticus seeds. The mushrooms Clavaria coralloides and Boletus loyus proved to be the best protein source s in our survey, but deficient in the amino acids methionine and cysteine. Some extracts of the plants and mushrooms under study showed biological act ivity as free radical scavengers, enzyme inhibitors, hypotensive or DNA bin ding effect. Free radical scavenging activity was detected in Cryptocarya a lba fruit extract, while Typha angustifolia showed a strong DNA binding eff ect at 0.50 mg/ml. Methanolic extracts of the Apiaceae species Sanicula gra veolens and Apium australe were moderately active as beta-glucuronidase inh ibitors at 50 mu g/ml.