The tough, hoof-shaped fruiting bodies of the tinder conk mushroom, Fomes fomentarius (L.) Fr. (Polyporaceae, Agaricomycetes), were traditionally used all over the world as tinder to start fire, for ritual purposes, to make artworks like clothing, frames, ornaments, and also to cure various human diseases (wounds, gastro-intestinal disorders, liver-related problems, inflammations, various cancers, etc.). The first wave of scientific interest in F. fomentarius in Europe dates back to the early 1970s with the discovery of the red-brown pigments of the F. fomentarius external layer. Since then, a number of research papers and reviews have mentioned the history of use, taxonomy, composition and medicinal properties of some F. fomentarius preparations, e.g., soluble extracts and their fractions, isolated cell walls, mycelia and compounds purified from the culture broth. The present review is focused on the composition and benefits of the water-insoluble cell walls obtained from the F. fomentarius fruiting bodies. Isolated cell walls of the tinder mushroom reveal a fibrous hollow structure with an average diameter of 3-5 μm and a wall thickness of 0.2-1.5 μm. Naturally, the fibers are composed of 25-38% glucans, with a majority of β-glucans, around 30% polyphenols, 6% chitin and less than 2% hemicellulose. The percentage of the main structural compounds can vary either slightly or considerably, depending on the extraction conditions. According to in vitro, in vivo, ex vivo as well as clinical studies, F. fomentarius fibers can modulate the immune system, contribute to intestinal health, accelerate wound healing, absorb heavy metals, organic dyes and radionuclides, normalize kidney and liver function, and provide antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, anxiolytic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Multiple action of the insoluble cell walls purified from the F. fomentarius fruiting bodies is particularly effective in the treatment of chronic, recurring, complicated multifactorial diseases. It is certainly worth exploring the medicinal potential and the practical application of these preparations further.
We investigated the chemical constituents and anti-tumor activity of cultivated Pholiota adiposa in vitro using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. HepG-2, A549, HeLa, and MCF-7 cells, which are 4 kinds of human cancer cell lines, were cultured in vitro, treated with different concentrations of the ethanol extract of Ph. adiposa (EPA), and cytotoxicity was determined using the cell counting kit-8 assay. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the apoptosis of HepG-2 cells via annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide double staining. Expression levels of apoptosis-associated proteins were determined via Western blotting analysis. Thirty-five components were consistent with those recorded in the chemical composition database, with sterols, fatty acids, and polysaccharide compounds accounting for a relatively high proportion. EPA showed the strongest cytotoxicity against HepG-2 cells, increasing the apoptosis rate up to 23.71 ± 1.59% at a concentration of 50 μg/mL. Ph. adiposa has various functional chemical constituents and potential anti-tumor applications. We found that the functional constituents exerted anti-tumor activity by inducing apoptosis. Furthermore, the expression levels of BCL-2-associated X were increased, whereas those of BCL-2 were decreased in cells after treatment with EPA. These results suggest that EPA induces HepG-2 cell apoptosis via a caspase-mediated pathway.
Native mushrooms are valuable non-timber forest products used worldwide, although they are under-exploited in Africa. This study focused on evaluating ethnomycological practices in Nigeria. The study was based on structured questionnaires in three of Nigeria's six geopolitical regions. Findings revealed that mycophagy is not a gender-based activity (P ≤ 0.05) in all the sites assessed. There were no significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) between the sites evaluated, but the responses were quite different. Most interviewees (75.6%) ate mushrooms. Mushrooms were predominantly associated with delicious taste, exotic aroma, and flavor (37.0%), a meat substitute (37.0%), medicinal resources (20.3%). Among the principal medicinal mushrooms are Lentinus squarrosulus, Pleurotus tuber-regium, Ganoderma lucidum, Auricularia auricula-judae, and Agaricus campestris. Among the most important edible mushrooms are L. squarrosulus and Termitomyces titanicus, Russula meleagris, A. campestris, and A. auricula-judae. The main edible and medicinal dual-use mushrooms are L. squarrosulus, P. tuber-regium, Lactifluus inversus, Polyporus officinalis, and T. titanicus. Women and children (78.2%) are the major collectors/gatherers of mushrooms. The mushrooms are utilized to treat skin problems (21.5%), high blood pressure (12.3%), as blood tonic (9.2%), to treat fever and measles (13.8%), and diabetes (13.1%). Preservation practices include mainly direct sun-drying (48.7%) or washing and then sun-drying (27.8%). Mushrooms are consumed with 'fufu' (cereal-boiled cakes) (48.0%), and 'gari' (cassava-boiled cakes) (15.7%). Mushrooms are often made in soup (44.1%), cooked with meat (15.3%), or with vegetables (28.0%). Respondents were able to differentiate between toxic mushrooms and were familiar with some mushroom-related myths.
The present study was carried out to investigate and identify bioactive compounds along with antioxidant capacity, total flavonoids and total phenolic contents from two saprophytic Amanita species, i.e., mushrooms A. manicata (Berk. & Broome) Pegler and A. nana Singer. Antioxidant potential was assessed by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging and ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) assay, total phenolics, and flavonoids. Both mushrooms were found to possess antioxidants and wide range of phenolics and bioactive compounds. There was maximum percent inhibition (83.2 ± 0.120%) on DPPH by A. manicata. However, maximum percent inhibition using ABTS was found to be 79.5 ± 0.251% by A. nana. Similarly, A. nana possesses maximum amount of both flavonoids and phenolics i.e., 0.3473 ± 0.0088 mg/100 g of catechin and 0.097 ± 0.0011 mg/100 g of GAE equivalent, respectively. Both mushrooms exhibited a variety of natural compounds such as P-coumaric acid, M-coumaric acid, benzoic acid, ferulic acid etc. Ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, and cinnamic acid were also detected in A. manicata. A. manicata exhibited best and greater antiradical potential than A. nana due the presence of excessive natural bioactive compounds. From the reported results, it was revealed that both inedible mushrooms could be a potential source of antioxidants and secondary metabolites and might be used for making novel drugs in future by pharmaceutical industries.
To provide a scientific reference for improving the sawdust cultivation of Sanghuangporus baumii, comparative studies were conducted on the contents of nutritional components and active components and the antioxidant activity of the fruiting bodies of S. baumii cultivated with sawdust and cut logs. The results indicate that, first, cultivation methods had little effect on the contents of crude fat and the measured 16 kinds of amino acids [including total essential amino acids (EAA), total nonessential amino acids (NEAA), EAA/NEAA, and EAA/total amino acid (TAA)], but had a great influence on the contents of crude protein, crude fiber and TAA. These results suggest that the nutritional content under sawdust cultivation was significantly higher than that under cut-log cultivation. Second, the cultivation methods had little effect on the content of triterpenoids but had a great effect on the contents of polysaccharides, total flavonoids and total phenols, which showed that cut-log cultivation was significantly higher than sawdust cultivation. Third, the cultivation methods had a great effect on the antioxidant activities (ABTS and FRAP), which showed that cut-log cultivation was significantly higher than sawdust cultivation. The contents of polysaccharides, total flavonoids, and total phenols and the ABTS and FRAP activities using sawdust cultivation were lower than those using cut-log cultivation, which may be related to the mushroom strains, cultivation medium formula and cultivation technology. The results provide a solid basis for the improvement and promotion of new cultivation technologies for S. baumii.
Lepista sordida is an edible mushroom possessing high nutritional value and high medicinal value. The artificial cultivation technology of L. sordida made a breakthrough and has been popularized in Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan province with good economic benefits. The secondary metabolites were investigated from ethyl EtOAc (acetate extract) of solid cultures of L. sordida. Silica gel column chromatography, semi-preparation HPLC, recrystallization, and medium pressure column chromatography were applied to obtain 15 compounds. Nine compounds were first isolated from genus Lepista and 11 compounds were first isolated from species L. sordida. Moreover, compounds 13 and 14 exhibited strong scavenging activity of ABTS.
The effect of Ganoderma lucidum hot water extract of submerged cultivated mycelium suspensia on carbohydrate metabolism and lipid profile during fructose-induced metabolic syndrome in rats was studied. The outbred white male Wistar rats, in which metabolic syndrome was induced by consuming a 10% fructose solution instead of drinking water for 42 days, were used. After the induction of metabolic syndrome, the mycelium of G. lucidum in the form of water suspension (a dose of 1 g/kg of the animal's body weight) was administered to animals per os for 7 and 14 days. Glucose concentration was determined using the glucose oxidase method. The content of glycosylated hemoglobin in erythrocytes was determined by the colorimetric method. The concentration of triglycerides, cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins, and low-density lipoproteins in blood plasma was determined by enzymatic methods. A significant decrease in the content of glycosylated hemoglobin was established in animals with metabolic syndrome against the background of administration of the studied suspension. Under the conditions of experimental metabolic syndrome, the administration of mycelium for 7 and 14 days led to a decrease in the concentration of triglycerides by 17.8 and 44.8%, cholesterol by 10.7 and 21.3%, low-density lipoproteins by 14.8 and 28.4%, and to an increase in high-density lipoproteins concentration by 11.9 and 21.5%, compared with metabolic syndrome. The obtained results demonstrate the corrective effect of the suspension of the G. lucidum powdered mycelium on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, which was directly proportional to the duration of administration.
Agaricomycetes are highlighted for producing a variety of compounds and enzymes with nutritional and medicinal properties. However, the knowledge of the diversity of this group of fungi is still insufficient, as well as their biological and enzymatic activities. Thus, the objective of this work is to describe the occurrence, biological and enzymatic activities of Agaricomycetes from the Brazilian Amazon. The present study is a systematic review with the literature search done in the following databases: Scielo, Google Scholar, PubMed and ScienceDirect. The descriptors used were Basidiomycota, Agaricomycetes, mushroom, antimicrobial activity, antitumor activity, antioxidant activity, anti-inflammatory activity, immunomodulator, enzymatic activity, and Brazilian Amazon. We used as inclusion criteria articles in Portuguese and English, published between 2010 and 2021 and that had the full text available and presented relevance to the exposed topic, and as exclusion criteria, works not done in the Brazilian Amazon, duplicate articles in the databases search or outside the topic under study. A total of 40 articles, published between 2010 and 2021, were selected for analysis. 230 species of Agaricomycetes fungi were described for the Brazilian Amazon, with the most frequent orders being Polyporales (52.60%), Agaricales (14.35%), and Hymenochaetales (13.91%). Six studies were found on antimicrobial activity for promising Agaricomycete fungi against the bacteria Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus and the fungi Candida albicans, C. parapsilosis and C. tropicalis. For the antioxidant activity, a study described the species Lentinus citrinus with high amounts of antioxidant compounds. For enzymatic activity, five studies reported Agaricomycete fungi producing protease, cellulase, amylase, pectinase, laccase, and xylanase enzymes. This review shows the scarcity of studies on the description and technological potential of Agaricomycetes from the Brazilian Amazon, highlighting the need to encourage the study of this group of organisms.
Polysaccharide is one of the bioactive ingredients extracted from the fruiting body of Lentinula edodes (=L. edodes), which has many medicinal functions. While the content of polysaccharide can be measured by near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, the NIR analytical models established previously only covered L. edodes from very limited sources, and thus could not achieve high accuracy for large samples from more varied sources. Strictly, there is a nonlinear relationship between NIR spectral data and chemical label values, and traditional modeling methods for NIR data analysis have problems such as insufficient feature learning ability and difficulty in training. The deep learning model has excellent nonlinear modeling ability and generalization capacity, which is very suitable for analyzing larger samples. In this study, we constructed a novel framework with deep learning techniques on the NIR analysis of the content of polysaccharide in L. edodes. The siPLS model was established based on the combination of the bands 4797-3995 cm-1 and 6401-5600 cm-1, while the one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN) model was established with improved feature in the treatment of the spectral data. The comparative experimental results showed that the 1D-CNN model (R2pre = 95.50%; RMSEP =0.1875) outperformed the siPLS model (R2pre = 87.89%, RMSEP = 0.6221). As such, this work has demonstrated that NIR spectroscopy with the integration of deep learning can provide more accurate quantification of polysaccharide in L. edodes. Such method can be very useful for nutritional grading and quality control of diverse L. edodes in the market.