Detection And Quantification Of L-Dopa In Select Species Of Slime Molds And Puffbalis

Abstract

L-DOPA is an amino acid which is clinically used for Parkinson's deasease’s treatment.Even though synthetic L-DOPA is effective and in high demand, but some severe side effects have been reported from patients on long term L-DOPA medication. The objectives of this study were to detect the presence and determine L-DOPA contents in slime molds (Physarum. polycephalum), and puffballs (Calvatia craniiformis, and Lycoperdon pyriforme) by thin-layers chromatography (TLC) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). To detect the presence of L-DOPA, TLC was applied using homogenate of formic acid 2% and samples, silica gel plate 60 F254 (Merck PGaA, Germany) as stationary phase, and the solvent mixture of isopropanol: ethyl acetate: water: glacial acetic acid (29:19:10:1) as mobile phase. The results suggested the presence of L-DOPA in both the slime mold and puffball samples. HPLC-UV quantification found that the L-DOPA content in P. polycephalum plasmodia (solid culture) was 2.07 (mg/g), the microplasmodia (liquid culture was 2.49 (mg/g) and that of immature fruiting body of C. craniiformis was 2.22 (mg/g), mature fruiting body was 2.28 (mg/g), and young fruiting body of L. pyriforme was 2.14 (mg/g). Generally, the L-DOPA contents between these species are very similar to each other, but significantly lower than that of Mucuna pruriens (a common source of plants for LDOPA). The future research should be conducted to optimize the biomass along with LDOPA contents of potential slime mold and puffball species.