HPLC profiling of Phellinus linteus

HPLC chromatograms of MeOH extracts from a fruit body of the wild-grown P. linteus (natural fruit body), from cultivated fungus (cultivated fruit body), and from the cultured mycelia were compared. The extract prepared from the natural fruit bodies revealed a typical HPLC profile referred to as type 1 with a major peak corresponding to meshimakobnol A (1) together with two minor peaks of hypholomine B (3) and inoscavin A (4); the cultivated fruit bodies exhibited a profile referred to as type 2 with major peaks corresponding to 3 and 4 and a minor peak of 1, and the cultured mycelia showed a profile referred to as type 3 without any of these peaks. We also analyzed HPLC chromatograms of commercial products of P. linteus obtained in the markets. Most of the products claimed to be natural fruit bodies exhibited type 1 profiles, except for one product having an intermediate HPLC profile between type 1 and type 2. The products claimed to be cultivated fruit bodies and cultured mycelia revealed type 2 and type 3 profiles, respectively. The present results indicate that the HPLC chromatogram of the methanol extract of P. linteus can be used as a fingerprint to identify whether the product is from natural fruit bodies, cultivated fruit bodies, or cultured mycelia.