Antioxidation, hepatic- and renal-protection of water-extractable polysaccharides by Dictyophora indusiata on obese mice

Isolation, structures, bioactivities, and utilizations of polysaccharides from Dictyophora species: A review

Dictyophora species is an edible and medicinal fungus belonging to the Basidiomycotina, Gasteromycetes, Phallales, family Phallaceae, and genus Dictyophora, which is popular with consumers in China and across various Asian regions. Polysaccharides from Dictyophora species (DPs) are important bioactive macromolecules with multiple health benefits, according to published studies, including anti-tumor, antioxidative, anti-obesity, anti-hyperlipidemic, hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, regulation of gut microbiota, antibacterial, renoprotective, and other pharmacological effects. Based on their rich pharmacological activities, the preparation techniques, structural characteristics and pharmacological activities of DPs have been extensively studied. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no dedicated review to shed light on recent advances in DPs. Therefore, in order to fill this gap, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the research on DPs, including the latest advances in extraction, isolation and purification, structural characteristics, pharmacological properties, safety assessment and potential utilizations, which will provide a theoretical basis for the research and development of subsequent DPs-related products.

Proteomic analysis of the effects of Dictyophora polysaccharide on arsenic-induced hepatotoxicity in rats

Arsenic (As) is a highly toxic environmental toxicant and a known human carcinogen. Long-term exposure to As can cause liver injury. Dictyophora polysaccharide (DIP) is a biologically active natural compound found in the Dictyophora with excellent antioxidation, anti-inflammation, and immune protection properties. In this study, the Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat model of As toxicity was established using a feeding method, followed by DIP treatment in rats with As-induced liver injury. The molecular mechanisms of As toxicity to the rat liver and the protective effect of DIP were investigated by proteomic studies. The results showed that 172, 328 and 191 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified between the As-exposed rats versus control rats (As/Ctrl), DIP treated rats versus As-exposed rats (DIP+As/As), and DIP treated rats versus control rats (DIP+As /Ctrl), respectively. Among them, the expression of 90 DEPs in the As/Ctrl groups was reversed by DIP treatment. As exposure caused dysregulation of metabolic pathways, mitochondria, oxidative stress, and apoptosis-related proteins in the rat liver. However, DIP treatment changed or restored the levels of these proteins, which attenuated the damage to the livers of rats caused by As exposure. The results provide new insights into the mechanisms of liver injury induced by As exposure and the treatment of DIP in As poisoning.

Effects of different fractions of polysaccharides from Dictyophora indusiata on high-fat diet-induced metabolic syndrome in mice

Dictyophora indusiata is a common edible mushroom with great potential in the field of medicine against metabolic disorders, inflammation, and immunodeficiency. Our previous studies have shown that different fractions of the polysaccharide from Dictyophora indusiata (DIP) have various structural characteristics and morphology. However, the impact of the structural features on the protective effects of DIP against metabolic syndrome remains unclear. In this study, three distinct polysaccharide fractions have been extracted from Dictyophora indusiata and a high-fat diet-induced metabolic syndrome (MetS) was constructed in mice. The effects of these fractions on a range of MetS-associated endpoints, including abnormal blood glucose, lipid profiles, body fat content, liver function, intestinal microbiota and their metabolites were investigated. Through correlation analysis, the potential link between the monosaccharide composition of the polysaccharides and their biological activities was determined. The study aimed to explore the potential mechanisms and ameliorative effects of these polysaccharide fractions on MetS, thereby providing statistical evidence for understanding the relationship between monosaccharides composition of Dictyophora indusiata polysaccharides and their potential utility in treating metabolic disorders.

The anti-hyperlipidemic effect and underlying mechanisms of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grass polysaccharides in mice induced by a high-fat diet

Hyperlipidemia is a pathological disorder of lipid metabolism that can cause fatty liver, atherosclerosis, acute myocardial infarction, and other diseases, seriously endangering people's health. Polysaccharides have been shown to have lipid-lowering potential. In the current study, the anti-hyperlipidemia effect and potential mechanisms of a polysaccharide (BGP-Z31) obtained from barley grass harvested at the stem elongation stage in high-fat diet (HFD)-treated mice were investigated. Results showed that supplementation with BGP-Z31 (200 and 400 mg kg^-1) not only suppressed obesity, organ enlargement, and fat accumulation caused by HFD, but also regulated dyslipidemia, relieved liver function injury, and ameliorated the oxidative stress level. Meanwhile, BGP-Z31 increased the concentrations of acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, and isovaleric acid in HFD-induced mice. Gut microbiota analysis demonstrated that BGP-Z31 had no obvious effect on the gut microbiota diversity in mice treated with HFD, but it positively remodeled the intestinal flora structure by elevating the relative abundances of Bacteroides, Muribaculaceae, and Lachnospiraceae and lowering the Firmicutes/Bacteroides value and the relative abundance of Desulfovibrionaceae. Therefore, our data suggested that BGP-Z31 can be used as a promising nutritional supplement for dietary intervention in hyperlipidemia.

Ultrasonic-microwave-assisted extraction for enhancing antioxidant activity of Dictyophora indusiata polysaccharides: The difference mechanisms between single and combined assisted extraction

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of different extraction methods (hot water-assisted extraction (HWE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE), and ultrasonic-microwave- assisted extraction (UAME)) on the yield, chemical structures and antioxidant activity of Dictyophora indusiata polysaccharides (DPs). The research results showed that UMAE treatment had greater degree of damage to the cell wall of DPs and better comprehensive antioxidant capacity. Different extraction methods had no obvious effect on the types of glycosidic bonds and sugar rings, similar chemical composition and monosaccharide composition, with different absolute molecular weight (Mw) and molecular conformation. In particular, DPs for UMAE method had the highest polysaccharides yield, which was related to the conformational stretching and degradation avoidance of DPs in the higher molecular weight components under the simultaneous action of microwave and ultrasonic. These findings suggest that the UMAE technology has good potential for modification and application of DPs in the functional food industry.

In silico and in vivo assessment of developmental toxicity, oxidative stress response & Na+/K+-ATPase activity in zebrafish embryos exposed to cypermethrin

Cypermethrin (CYP), a synthetic type II pyrethroid pesticide, is extensively used to control pests in industrial, domestic, and agricultural environments. However, its indiscriminate use leads to a potential threat to aquatic organisms. Although several reports focussed on developmental toxicity effects, a concise study combining cardiotoxicity along with Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase activity and molecular docking of developmental proteins with CYP was lacking. This present study was designed to address this gap to comprehend the impact of CYP exposure (0, 25, 100 and 200 µg/L) on embryonic zebrafish. As a result, CYP delayed the hatching rate, reduced heart rate, increased mortality rate and induced numerous morphological abnormalities. Subsequently, CYP induced oxidative stress in treated zebrafish embryos with the concomitant increase in antioxidant enzymes (SOD and CAT) and malondialdehyde production. In addition, an alteration in AChE, NO content and Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase activity was observed, suggesting a disruption in cardiac development and ion regulation. Furthermore, AO staining showed notable apoptotic cells which are supported by alteration in apoptosis-related gene expressions. Moreover, to explore the putative targets of CYP, computational docking with developmental proteins (WNT3A, WNT8A, GATA-4, Nkx 2-5 and ZHE1) showed strong interactions and binding. Taken together, our findings provide a better understanding of assessing the ecotoxicological risk information and the mode of action underlying the development of teleost fishes following CYP exposure. Meanwhile, the pioneering nature of this study is to emphasize the future use of Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase activity as a potential toxicity biomarker and in silico molecular docking studies to complement developmental toxicity findings.

The Complex of Phycobiliproteins, Fucoxanthin, and Krill Oil Ameliorates Obesity through Modulation of Lipid Metabolism and Antioxidants in Obese Rats

Phycobiliproteins, fucoxanthin, and krill oil are natural marine products with excellent activities. In the study, we prepared the complex of phycobiliproteins, fucoxanthin, and krill oil (PFK) and assessed the anti-obesity, lipid-lowering, and antioxidant activities in high-fat diet rats. The results showed that the rats significantly and safely reduced body weight gain and regulated serum biochemical parameters at 50 mg/kg phycobiliproteins, 10 mg/kg fucoxanthin, and 100 mg/kg krill oil. Furthermore, the molecular mechanism study suggested that the complex of PFK confined the enzyme activities of lipid synthesis and enhanced antioxidant activity to improve obesity indirectly. The conclusions demonstrated that the complex of PFK has potent anti-obesity and hypolipidemic effects which have potential use as a natural and healthy food and medicine for anti-obesity and lowering blood lipids in the future.

The anti-obesity effects of a water-soluble glucan from Grifola frondosa via the modulation of chronic inflammation

Polysaccharides from Grifola frondosa (G. frondosa) have anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, the major type, molecular weight, homogeneity and structure of a polysaccharide purified from G. frondosa (denoted GFPA) were determined. In high-fat diet (HFD)-treated mice, 8 weeks of GFPA administration efficiently decreased body weight and blood glucose concentration and counteracted hyperlipidemia. GFPA efficiently decreased adipocyte size and ameliorated inflammatory infiltration in the three types of white adipose tissue and alleviated steatosis, fat accumulation and inflammatory infiltration in the livers of HFD-fed mice. GFPA also decreased the concentrations of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and pro-inflammatory factors in the sera and livers of HFD-treated mice. Furthermore, GFPA was found to regulate lipid metabolism via the inhibition of ceramide levels in HFD-treated mice. GFPA exhibited strong anti-obesity effects via the modulation of chronic inflammation through Toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor kappa-B signaling, which supports the use of GFPA for the treatment of obesity.

Protection by Hosta ventricosa polysaccharides against oxidative damage induced by t-BHP in HepG2 cells via the JNK/Nrf2 pathway

Hosta ventricosa is a plant that can be used for medicine and diet. It has been proven to have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antitumor activities, and one of its main constituents is polysaccharides. However, studies on polysaccharides of Hosta ventricosa are limited, and their physiological activities have not been clarified. Therefore, isolation, purification and characterization of Hosta ventricosa root polysaccharides (HVRPp-1) were performed in this research. Furthermore, the effect of HVRPp-1 on tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-induced oxidative damage in HepG2 cells was investigated in vitro. The results showed that HVRPp-1 is a nonhomogeneous polysaccharide that could protect HepG2 cells from oxidative damage through the C-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway. In conclusion, this research proved the antioxidant mechanism of HVRPp-1 for the first time, providing a reliable theoretical basis for basic research on Hosta ventricosa polysaccharides and the possibility of their application in functional foods.

Dictyophora Polysaccharide Attenuates As-Mediated PINK1/Parkin Pathway-Induced Mitophagy in L-02 Cell through Scavenging ROS

Arsenic (As) is common in the human living environment and a certain amount of exposure to As can lead to liver damage; this toxic effect has been proved to be closely related to intracellular PINK1/Parkin pathway-mediated mitophagy. Dictyophora is an edible fungus that extracts polysaccharides with antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects. In the present study, we demonstrated that As induced the onset of mitophagy in hepatocytes by stimulating cellular production of ROS to activate PINK1/Parkin, and the extent of damage increased with increased As-induced toxicity. Dictyophora polysaccharide (DIP) has the ability to scavenge intracellular ROS, which can inhibit oxidative stress injury and inhibit the PINK/Parkin pathway through its receptors or efficacious proteins, thus preventing mitochondrial autophagy and alleviating the hepatotoxicity of As. In conclusion, our results indicate that DIP can reduce As-induced PINK1/Parkin pathway-mediated hepatic mitophagy through scavenging ROS and exert hepatoprotective effects, providing experimental data and theoretical basis for the development of medicinal value of Dictyophora as a dual-use food and medicinal fungus.

Intervention Study of Dictyophora Polysaccharides on Arsenic-Induced Liver Fibrosis in SD Rats

Long-term arsenic (As) exposure can cause liver injury, hepatic cirrhosis, and cancer. Meanwhile, Dictyophora polysaccharides (DIP) have excellent antioxidation, anti-inflammation, and immune protection effects. There are currently few reports on the protection effects of DIP on As-induced hepatotoxicity and its pharmacological value. Therefore, this study was aimed at elucidating the protection of DIP on As-induced hepatotoxicity and exploring its preventive role in antifibrosis. In our study, the SD rat As poisoning model was established by the feeding method to explore the influence of As exposure on liver fibrosis. Then, DIP treatment was applied to the rats with As-induced liver fibrosis, and the changes of serum biochemical indexes and liver tissue pathology were observed. And the expression of fibrosis-related proteins TGF-β1, CTGF, and α-SMA levels was then determined to explore the DIP intervention function. The results demonstrated that through reduced pathological changes of hepatic and increased serum AST, ALT, TP, ALB, and A/G levels, DIP ameliorated liver fibrosis induced by As as reflected. And the administration of DIP decreased the concentration of HA, LN, PCIII, CIV, TBIL, and DBIL. In addition, the synthesis of TGF-β1 inhibited by DIP might regulate the expression of CTGF and decrease the proliferation of fibrinogen and fibroblasts, which reduced the synthesis of fibroblasts to transform into myofibroblasts. And a decrease of myofibroblasts downregulated the expression of α-SMA, which affected the synthesis and precipitation of ECM and alleviated the liver fibrosis caused by exposure to As. In conclusion, based on the pathological changes of liver tissue, serum biochemical indexes, and related protein expression, DIP can improve the As-induced liver fibrosis in rats and has strong medicinal value.

Cytotoxic activities of ethanolic crude extracts from fruiting bodies of bamboo mushrooms (Dictyophora spp.) against cholangiocarcinoma cells

Introduction: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a highly progressive tumor. The standard chemotherapy varies in its effectiveness, with generally low efficacy. So, the discovery of novel chemotherapy is still required. The objective of this preliminary study was to determine the cytotoxic effects induced by three kinds of bamboo mushrooms (Dictyophora indusiata or Chinese bamboo mushroom; Ch-DTP, Short skirt bamboo mushroom (Thai isolate); Th-DTP, and orange skirt bamboo mushroom; Or-DTP) on CCA cells.

Materials and methods: CCA cell lines, including CL-6, HuCCT1, HuH28, and OUMS normal fibroblast cells, were treated with various concentrations of DTP extracts. The MTT assay was used to determine cytotoxicity, and cell morphology was observed by using phase-contrast microscopy.

Results and discussion: The results suggested that Ch-DTP effectively killed all three CCA cell lines in both low (0.3 mg/mL) and high (0.6 mg/mL) doses, but Th-DTP and Or-DTP had significantly reduced cell viability only at high doses (p<0.001). Ch-DTP had the best effect by showing a response of more than 50% at a concentration of 0.3 mg/mL. Th-DTP had moderate effects at a concentration of lower than 0.6 mg/mL but worthwhile at higher concentrations, whereas Or-DTP had limited effects at concentrations of 0.4 mg/mL and downward, although the effects were significantly increased in the higher concentration range. Morphology of the Ch-DTP treated cells was greatly transformed both at low and high doses, but Th-DTP and Or-DTP showed definite alteration only at high doses. The morphological changes revealed apoptotic induction. In OUMS cells, no effects were recognized with any of the three DTPs.

Conclusion: This study indicated that DTP extracts could induce cytotoxicity in cholangiocarcinoma, with a high potential of being an effective therapeutic agent.

Graphical abstract:

High Efficiency In Vitro Wound Healing of Dictyophora indusiata Extracts via Anti-Inflammatory and Collagen Stimulating (MMP-2 Inhibition) Mechanisms

Dictyophora indusiata or Phallus indusiatus is widely used as not only traditional medicine, functional foods, but also, skin care agents. Biological activities of the fruiting body from D. indusiata were widely reported, while the studies on the application of immature bamboo mushroom extracts were limited especially in the wound healing effect. Wound healing process composed of 4 stages including hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodelling. This study divided the egg stage of bamboo mushroom into 3 parts: peel and green mixture (PGW), core (CW), and whole mushroom (WW). Then, aqueous extracts were investigated for their nucleotide sequencing, biological compound contents, and wound healing effect. The anti-inflammatory determination via the levels of cytokine releasing from macrophages, and the collagen stimulation activity on fibroblasts by matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) inhibitory activity were determined to serve for the wound healing process promotion in the stage 2–4 (wound inflammation, proliferation, and remodelling of the skin). All D. indusiata extracts showed good antioxidant potential, significantly anti-inflammatory activity in the decreasing of the nitric oxide (NO), interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-1 (IL-6), and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) secretion from macrophage cells (p < 0.05), and the effective collagen stimulation via MMP-2 inhibition. In particular, CW extract containing high content of catechin (68.761 ± 0.010 mg/g extract) which could significantly suppress NO secretion (0.06 ± 0.02 µmol/L) better than the standard anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac (0.12 ± 0.02 µmol/L) and their MMP-2 inhibition (41.33 ± 9.44%) was comparable to L-ascorbic acid (50.65 ± 2.53%). These findings support that CW of D. indusiata could be an essential natural active ingredient for skin wound healing pharmaceutical products.

Protective Effect of Dictyophora Polysaccharides on Sodium Arsenite-Induced Hepatotoxicity: A Proteomics Study

The purpose of this study is to understand the mechanism of sodium arsenite (NaAsO₂)-induced apoptosis of L-02 human hepatic cells, and how Dictyophora polysaccharide (DIP) protects L-02 cells from arsenic-induced apoptosis. The results revealed that DIP pretreatment inhibited NaAsO₂ induced L-02 cells apoptosis by increasing anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 expression and decreasing pro-apoptotic Bax expression. Proteomic analysis showed that arsenic treatment disrupted the expression of metabolism and apoptosis associated proteins, including ribosomal proteins (RPs). After pretreatment with DIP, the expression levels of these proteins were reversed or restored. For the first time, it was observed that the significant decrease of cytoplasmic RPs and the increase of mitochondrial RPs were related to human normal cell apoptosis induced by arsenic. This is also the first report that the protective effect of DIP on cells was related to RPs. The results highlight the relationship between RPs and apoptosis, as well as the relationship between RPs and DIP attenuating arsenic-induced apoptosis.

Ingestion of mannose ameliorates thioacetamide-induced intrahepatic oxidative stress, inflammation and fibrosis in rats

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The monosaccharide mannose has gained recent interest for its beneficial effect against certain inflammatory disorders. Nevertheless, the influence of mannose on experimentally-induced liver fibrosis and the ensued inflammation is still not fully clear to date.

MAIN METHODS

The current study investigated the outcomes of treating rats with mannose (0.2 ml of 20% w/v, oral gavage) 30 min before the twice weekly intoxication with thioacetamide (TAA) (200 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) for a total period of 8 weeks.

KEY FINDINGS

The data indicated that mannose markedly dampened TAA-induced liver fibrosis, as indicated by lowering the fibrotic bridges shown by Masson's trichrome staining. This effect was consistent with reducing TAA-induced hepatocellular injury, as evidenced biochemically (serum ALT and AST activities) and pathologically (necroinflammation score). These hepatoprotective effects mediated by mannose were attributed to i) reversing TAA-induced rise in malondialdehyde (MDA) and decrease in reduced glutathione (GSH) expressions in the liver, ii) limiting TAA-induced release of the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), iii) impairing TAA-induced activation of hepatic stellate cells by downregulating α-smooth muscle actin expression (α-SMA), and more importantly, iv) dampening TAA-induced fibrogenesis driven by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF).

SIGNIFICANCE

Mannose may be a valuable candidate for preventing oxidative stress, inflammation and fibrogenesis in the liver.

Physicochemical and Biological Properties of Polysaccharides from Dictyophora indusiata Prepared by Different Extraction Techniques

In this study, different extraction techniques, including traditional hot water extraction (HWE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), pressurized assisted extraction (PAE), and ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE), were used to extract Dictyophora indusiata polysaccharides (DFPs), and their physicochemical and biological properties were compared. Results revealed that extraction yields of D. indusiata polysaccharides prepared by different extraction techniques ranged from 5.62% to 6.48%. D. indusiata polysaccharides prepared by different extraction techniques possessed similar chemical compositions and monosaccharide compositions, while exhibited different molecular weights (M_w), apparent viscosities, and molar ratios of constituent monosaccharides. In particularly, D. indusiata polysaccharides prepared by HWE (DFP-H) had the highest M_w and apparent viscosity among all DFPs, while D. indusiata polysaccharides extracted by UAE (DFP-U) possessed the lowest M_w and apparent viscosity. In addition, the in vitro antioxidant effects of D. indusiata polysaccharides prepared by PAE (DFP-P) and DFP-U were significantly higher than that of others. Indeed, both DFP-P and DFP-H exhibited much higher in vitro binding properties, including fat, cholesterol, and bile acid binding properties, and lipase inhibitory effects than that of D. indusiata polysaccharides prepared by MAE (DFP-M) and DFP-U. These findings suggest that the PAE technique has good potential for the preparation of D. indusiata polysaccharides with desirable bioactivities for the application in the functional food industry.

Immunoregulatory function of Dictyophora echinovolvata spore polysaccharides in immunocompromised mice induced by cyclophosphamide

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the Dictyophora echinovolvata spore polysaccharides (DESP) affect the immunity in immunocompromised mice induced by cyclophosphamide (CTX). The healthy female Kunming mice were randomly divided into six groups, including a normal control (NC) group, a positive control group, a model control (MC) group, and three groups treated with low-, intermediate-, and high-dose polysaccharide, respectively. A series of immunoregulatory properties were determined, including humoral and cellular immunity, immune function, and immune factors of mononuclear macrophages. Compared with NC and MC groups, treatment with DESP significantly increased the spleen index and decreased the thymus index; increased the serum concentrations of immunoglobulin (Ig)A, IgG, IgM, hemolysin, IL-1β, and IL-2; delayed the allergic reaction; and improved the splenic lymphocyte transformation ability; and enhanced the phagocytosis of macrophages and the ability to secrete IL-6, TNF-α, caspase-1, and NO with DESP supplementation. These results indicated that DESP might have a good regulatory effect on CTX-induced immunodeficiency in mice, adjust the body’s immune imbalance, and improve the symptoms of low immunity.

Anti-Obesity Effect of Dictyophora indusiata Mushroom Polysaccharide (DIP) in High Fat Diet-Induced Obesity via Regulating Inflammatory Cascades and Intestinal Microbiome

Obesity is a multifactorial metabolic disorder characterized by low-grade chronic inflammation, hyper-permeability of the gut epithelium, and perturbation of the intestinal microbiome. Despite the numerous therapeutic efficacies of Dictyophora indusiata mushroom, its biological activity in alleviating obesity through regulation of the gut microbiota and inflammatory cascades remain obscure. Henceforth, we determined the modulatory impact of D. indusiata polysaccharide (DIP) in the high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity mice model. The experimental subjects (BALB/C mice) were supplemented with chow diet (Control group), high-fat diet (HFD group), or HFD along with DIP at a low dose [HFD + DIP(L)] and high dose [HFD + DIP(H)]. Obesity-related parameters, including body weight gain, epididymal adipocyte size, fat accumulation, adipogenic markers, lipogenic markers, inflammatory associated markers, intestinal integrity, and intestinal microbiome, were elucidated. Our findings demonstrated that the oral administration of DIP at low dose partially and at high dose significantly reversed HFD-induced obesity parameters. Furthermore, the body weight, fat accumulation, adipocyte size, adipogenic and liver associated markers, glucose levels, inflammatory cytokines, and endotoxin (Lipopolysaccharide, LPS) levels were reduced considerably. Moreover, the study revealed that DIP treatment reversed the dynamic alterations of the gut microbiome community by decreasing the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio. These findings led us to infer the therapeutic potential of DIP in alleviating HFD-induced obesity via regulating inflammatory cascades, modulating intestinal integrity and intestinal microbiome community.

The Chemistry, Pharmacology and Therapeutic Potential of the Edible Mushroom Dictyophora indusiata (Vent ex. Pers.) Fischer (Synn. Phallus indusiatus)

Dictyophora indusiata (Vent. Ex. Pers.) Fischer or Phallus indusiatus is an edible member of the higher mushroom phylum of Basidiomycetes. Known for its morphological elegance that gave it the names bridal veil fungus, veiled lady or queen of the mushrooms, it has numerous medicinal values that are beginning to be acknowledged through pharmacological efficacy studies. In an attempt to promote research on this valuable natural resource, the present communication aims to provide a comprehensive review of the chemistry, pharmacology and potential therapeutic applications of extracts and compounds isolated from D. indusiata. Of the bioactive compounds, the chemistry of the polysaccharides as major bioactive components primarily the β-(1 → 3)-D-glucan with side branches of β-(1 → 6)-glucosyl units are discussed, while small molecular weight compounds include terpenoids and alkaloids. Biochemical and cellular mechanisms of action from general antioxidant and anti-inflammatory to more specific signaling mechanisms are outlined along with potential applications in cancer and immunotherapy, neurodegenerative and chronic inflammatory diseases, etc. Further research areas and limitations of the current scientific data are also highlighted.