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Article

Analysis of Amino Acid and Derivative Diversity and Antioxidant Capacity in Ophiocordyceps sinensis and Its Substitutes

State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai Academy of Animal and Veterinary Science, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
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Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
J. Fungi 2025, 11(10), 711; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11100711
Submission received: 4 September 2025 / Revised: 29 September 2025 / Accepted: 29 September 2025 / Published: 30 September 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fungal Metabolomics and Genomics, 2nd Edition)

Abstract

In this study, we used liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) combined with multivariate statistical analysis to conduct comprehensive qualitative and quantitative profiling of amino acids and their derivatives in wild Ophiocordyceps sinensis (O. sinensis) samples from Naqu (NQ) and Xiaojin (XJ), cultivated O. sinensis (RG), and Bailing Capsules (BL). The objective was to systematically characterize amino acid metabolism and assess its correlation with antioxidant functionality. A total of 82 amino acids and their derivatives were identified. XJ had the highest essential amino acids, while BL had significantly lower content (except lysine) (p < 0.05). Antioxidant assays revealed that NQ and XJ samples exhibited superior antioxidant activity in 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays, and this activity showed a correlation to the contents of bioactive components such as total phenols (TPS), total polysaccharide (TPE), and total flavonoids (TF). Further pathway analysis using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) suggested that arginine and proline metabolism, aromatic amino acid biosynthesis, and tryptophan metabolism may be critical pathways that could underpin regional differences in O. sinensis quality, while variation in tyrosine metabolism may account for differences in antioxidant activity. This study provides a systematic comparison of amino acid profiles and antioxidant capacities across O. sinensis and its substitutes, offering a robust theoretical foundation for the development and functional evaluation of these bioresources.
Keywords: Ophiocordyceps sinensis; amino acids; antioxidant activity; targeted metabolomics; multivariate statistical analysis Ophiocordyceps sinensis; amino acids; antioxidant activity; targeted metabolomics; multivariate statistical analysis

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MDPI and ACS Style

Tang, H.; Jia, B.; Tang, C.; Feng, C.; Li, Y.; Li, X. Analysis of Amino Acid and Derivative Diversity and Antioxidant Capacity in Ophiocordyceps sinensis and Its Substitutes. J. Fungi 2025, 11, 711. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11100711

AMA Style

Tang H, Jia B, Tang C, Feng C, Li Y, Li X. Analysis of Amino Acid and Derivative Diversity and Antioxidant Capacity in Ophiocordyceps sinensis and Its Substitutes. Journal of Fungi. 2025; 11(10):711. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11100711

Chicago/Turabian Style

Tang, Haoxu, Bing Jia, Chuyu Tang, Chao Feng, Yuling Li, and Xiuzhang Li. 2025. "Analysis of Amino Acid and Derivative Diversity and Antioxidant Capacity in Ophiocordyceps sinensis and Its Substitutes" Journal of Fungi 11, no. 10: 711. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11100711

APA Style

Tang, H., Jia, B., Tang, C., Feng, C., Li, Y., & Li, X. (2025). Analysis of Amino Acid and Derivative Diversity and Antioxidant Capacity in Ophiocordyceps sinensis and Its Substitutes. Journal of Fungi, 11(10), 711. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11100711

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