Mycology, cultivation, traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Wolfiporia cocos (Schwein.) Ryvarden et Gilb.: a review

Effect of Poria cocos Terpenes: Verifying Modes of Action Using Molecular Docking, Drug-Induced Transcriptomes, and Diffusion Network Analyses

We characterized the therapeutic biological modes of action of several terpenes in Poria cocos F.A Wolf (PC) and proposed a broad therapeutic mode of action for PC. Molecular docking and drug-induced transcriptome analysis were performed to confirm the pharmacological mechanism of PC terpene, and a new analysis method, namely diffusion network analysis, was proposed to verify the mechanism of action against Alzheimer's disease. We confirmed that the compound that exists only in PC has a unique mechanism through statistical-based docking analysis. Also, docking and transcriptomic analysis results could reflect results in clinical practice when used complementarily. The detailed pharmacological mechanism of PC was confirmed by constructing and analyzing the Alzheimer's disease diffusion network, and the antioxidant activity based on microglial cells was verified. In this study, we used two bioinformatics approaches to reveal PC's broad mode of action while also using diffusion networks to identify its detailed pharmacological mechanisms of action. The results of this study provide evidence that future pharmacological mechanism analysis should simultaneously consider complementary docking and transcriptomics and suggest diffusion network analysis, a new method to derive pharmacological mechanisms based on natural complex compounds.

Rare earth contamination of edible vegetation: Ce, La, and summed REE in fungi

The increasing and diversified use of rare earth elements (REE) is considered a potential source of pollution of environmental media including soils. This work documents critically overview data on the occurrence of REE in the fruiting bodies of wild and farmed species of edible and medicinal mushrooms, as this was identified as the largest published dataset of REE occurrence in foodstuff. Most of the literature reported occurrences of cerium (Ce) and lanthanum (La), but a number of studies lacked data on all lanthanides. The Ce, La, and summed REE occurrences were assessed through the criteria of environmental geochemistry, analytical chemistry, food toxicology, mushroom systematics, and ecology. Ce and La accumulate similarly in fruiting bodies and are not fractionated during uptake, maintaining the occurrence patterns of their growing substrates. Similarly, there is no credible evidence of variable REE uptake because the evaluated species data show natural, unfractionated patterns in accordance with the Oddo-Harkins' order of environmental lanthanide occurrence. Thus, lithosphere occurrence patterns of Ce and La as the first and the third most abundant lanthanides are reflected in wild and farmed mushrooms regardless of substrate and show that Ce is around twice more abundant than La. The current state of knowledge provides no evidence that mushroom consumption at these REE occurrence levels poses a health risk either by themselves or when included with other dietary exposure. Macromycetes appear to bio-exclude lanthanides because independently reported bioconcentration factors for different species and collection sites, typically range from < 1 to 0.001. This is reflected in fruiting body concentrations which are four to two orders of magnitude lower than growing substrates. KEY POINTS: •Original REE occurrence patterns in soils/substrates are reflected in mushrooms •No evidence for the fractionation of REE during uptake by fungi •Mushrooms bio-exclude REE in fruiting bodies.

Chemical structures, extraction and analysis technologies, and bioactivities of edible fungal polysaccharides from Poria cocos: An updated review

Poria cocos is a popular medicinal food. Polysaccharides are the key component of Poria cocos, forming 70-90 % of the dry sclerotia mass. Recent studies indicate that Poria cocos polysaccharides (PCP-Cs) have multiple beneficial functions and applications. A literature search was conducted using the Web of Science Core Collection and PubMed databases. For this review, we provided an updated research progress in chemical structures, various extraction and analysis technologies, bioactivities of PCP-Cs, and insights into the directions for future research. The main polysaccharides identified in Poria cocos are water-soluble polysaccharides and acidic polysaccharides. Hot water, alkali, supercritical fluid, ultrasonic, enzyme, and deep eutectic solvent-based methods are the most common methods for PCP-Cs extraction. Technologies such as near-infrared spectroscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography, and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry, are commonly used to evaluate the qualities of PCP-Cs. In addition, PCP-Cs have antioxidant, immunomodulatory, neuroregulatory, anticancer, hepatoprotective, and gut microbiota regulatory properties. Future research is needed to focus on scaling up extraction, enhancing quality control, elucidating mechanisms of bioactivities, and the utilisation of PCP-Cs in food industries. Overall, Poria cocos is a good source of edible fungi polysaccharides, which can be developed into functional foods with potential health benefits.

Identification of squalene epoxidase in triterpenes biosynthesis in Poria cocos by molecular docking and CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing

BACKGROUND

Squalene epoxidase is one of the rate-limiting enzymes in the biosynthetic pathway of membrane sterols and triterpenoids. The enzyme catalyzes the formation of oxidized squalene, which is a common precursor of sterols and triterpenoids.

RESULT

In this study, the squalene epoxidase gene (PcSE) was evaluated in Poria cocos. Molecular docking between PcSE and squalene was performed and the active amino acids were identified. The sgRNA were designed based on the active site residues. The effect on triterpene synthesis in P. cocos was consistent with the results from ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadruplex time-of-flight-double mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS) analysis. The results showed that deletion of PcSE inhibited triterpene synthesis. In vivo verification of PcSE function was performed using a PEG-mediated protoplast transformation approach.

CONCLUSION

The findings from this study provide a foundation for further studies on heterologous biosynthesis of P. cocos secondary metabolites.

Antitumor Activity of Carboxymethyl Pachymaran with Different Molecular Weights Based on Immunomodulatory and Gut Microbiota

Carboxymethyl pachymaran (CMP) was treated via high-temperature and cellulase hydrolysis to obtain HTCMP, HTEC-24, and HTEC-48. The chemical structure and in vivo antitumor activities of the four types of CMPs were investigated. Compared with CMP (787.9 kDa), the molecular weights of HTCMP, HTEC-24, and HTEC-48 were decreased to 429.8, 129.9, and 68.6 kDa, respectively. The viscosities and particle sizes of the CMPs could also decrease with the decline in the molecular weights. All the CMPs showed antitumor abilities, but HTEC-24 exhibited the best activity. In the animal study, when curing the spleen and thymus, CMPs displayed immunomodulatory effects by increasing the secretion of IFN-γ and IL2 in mice. The CMPs also exerted an antitumor ability by regulating the gut microbiota in tumor-bearing mice. Our results established a foundation to develop an antitumor drug with CMP.

Regulation of Tumor Apoptosis of Poriae cutis-Derived Lanostane Triterpenes by AKT/PI3K and MAPK Signaling Pathways In Vitro

Poria cocos is traditionally used as both food and medicine. Triterpenoids in Poria cocos have a wide range of pharmacological activities, such as diuretic, sedative and tonic properties. In this study, the anti-tumor activities of poricoic acid A (PAA) and poricoic acid B (PAB), purified by high-speed counter-current chromatography, as well as their mechanisms and signaling pathways, were investigated using a HepG2 cell model. After treatment with PAA and PAB on HepG2 cells, the apoptosis was obviously increased (p < 0.05), and the cell cycle arrested in the G2/M phase. Studies showed that PAA and PAB can also inhibit the occurrence and development of tumor cells by stimulating the generation of ROS in tumor cells and inhibiting tumor migration and invasion. Combined Polymerase Chain Reaction and computer simulation of molecular docking were employed to explore the mechanism of tumor proliferation inhibition by PAA and PAB. By interfering with phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B, Mitogen-activated protein kinases and p53 signaling pathways; and further affecting the expression of downstream caspases; matrix metalloproteinase family, cyclin-dependent kinase -cyclin, Intercellular adhesion molecules-1, Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 and Cyclooxygenase -2, may be responsible for their anti-tumor activity. Overall, the results suggested that PAA and PAB induced apoptosis, halted the cell cycle, and inhibited tumor migration and invasion through multi-pathway interactions, which may serve as a potential therapeutic agent against cancer.

Transcription factors: switches for regulating growth and development in macrofungi

Macrofungi (or mushrooms) act as an extraordinarily important part to human health due to their nutritional and/or medicinal value, but the detailed researches in growth and development mechanisms have yet to be explored further. Transcription factors (TFs) play indispensable roles in signal transduction and affect growth, development, and metabolism of macrofungi. In recent years, increasing research effort has been employed to probe the relationship between the development of macrofungi and TFs. Herein, the present review comprehensively summarized the functional TFs researched in macrofungi, including modulating mycelial growth, fructification, sclerotial formation, sexual reproduction, spore formation, and secondary metabolism. Meanwhile, the possible effect mechanisms of TFs on the growth and development of some macrofungi were also revealed. Specific examples of functional characterizations of TFs in macrofungi (such as Schizophyllum commune and Coprinopsis cinerea) were described to a better comprehension of regulatory effect. Future research prospects in the field of TFs of macrofungi are discussed. We illustrated the functional versatility of the TFs in macrofungi based on specific examples. A systematical realization of the interaction and possible mechanisms between TFs and macrofungi can supply possible solutions to regulate genetic characteristics, which supply novel insights into the regulation of growth, development and metabolism of macrofungi. KEY POINTS: • The functional TFs researched in macrofungi were summarized. • The possible effect mechanisms of TFs in macrofungal were described. • The multiple physiological functions of TFs in macrofungi were discussed.

Research on Pachymaran to Ameliorate CsA-Induced Immunosuppressive Lung Injury by Regulating Microflora Metabolism

Pachymaran (PCP), the major medicinal constituent of Poria cocos, has a regulatory effect on immunosuppressive lung injury, but its mechanism of action with respect to gut microorganisms and their metabolites is not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of PCP against immunosuppressive lung injury caused by cyclosporine A (CsA), and to reveal its possible mechanism of action via the comprehensive analysis of 16S rRNA and LC-MS. We demonstrated that PCP was effective at alleviating CsA-induced immunosuppressive lung injury by restoring the organ indices and lung tissue morphology and structure. PCP significantly altered the composition of the gut and lung microbiota in mice with CsA-induced immunosuppressive lung injury by increasing the number of beneficial bacteria from the Eubacterium nodatum group, Eubacterium ventriosum group, Akkermansia, and Ruminococcus, and reducing the pathogenic Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group to fulfill its immunomodulatory role. In lung tissue microecology, PCP intervention significantly reduced the abundance of Chryseobacterium, Lawsonella, Paracoccus, and Sediminibacterium and increased the abundance of Alloprevotella. The LC-MS results showed that PCP alleviated the CsA-induced immunosuppression of lung tissue injury. The model serum metabolite Americine decreased the expression of PC(O-18:1(4Z)/0:0). Our results suggest that PCP may be involved in regulating the composition, function, and metabolism of the gut and lung microbiota to reverse CsA-induced immunosuppressive lung injury.

First report on the regulation and function of carbon metabolism during large sclerotia formation in medicinal fungus Wolfiporia cocos

The medicinal fungus Wolfiporia cocos colonizes and then grows on the wood of Pinus species, and utilizes a variety of Carbohydrate Active Enzymes (CAZymes) to degrades wood for the development of large sclerotia that is mostly built up of beta-glucans. Some differentially expressed CAZymes were revealed by comparisons between the mycelia cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and sclerotia formed on pine logs in previous studies. Here, different profile of expressed CAZymes were revealed by comparisons between the mycelia colonization on pine logs (Myc.) and sclerotia (Scl.b). To further explore the regulation and function of carbon metabolism in the conversion of carbohydrates from Pine species by W. cocos, the transcript profile of core carbon metabolism was firstly analyzed, and it was characterized by the up-regulated expression of genes in the glycolysis pathway (EMP) and pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) in Scl.b, as well as high expression of genes in the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) in both Myc. and Scl.b stages. The conversion between glucose and glycogen and between glucose and β-glucan was firstly identified as the main carbon flow in the differentiation process of W. cocos sclerotia, with a gradual increase in the content of β-glucan, trehalose and polysaccharide during this process. Additionally, gene functional analysis revealed that the two key genes (PGM and UGP1) may mediate the formation and development of W. cocos sclerotia possibly by regulating β-glucan synthesis and hyphal branching. This study has shed light on the regulation and function of carbon metabolism during large W. cocos sclerotium formation and may facilitate its commercial production.

Upcycling of black currant pomace for the production of a fermented beverage with Wolfiporia cocos

Pomace as a side stream from black currant juice production is mostly discarded, even though it is rich in nutrients like protein, fiber, sugars, anthocyanins, polyphenols, and other secondary metabolites. Fungi from the division of Basidiomycota have a great enzymatic toolbox to recycle these complex mixtures of nutrients. In particular, the edible medicinal fungus Wolfiporia cocos has been described as a suitable biocatalyst to form pleasant aroma compounds in fermentation processes. Therefore, medium optimization, upscaling, and filtration were performed to produce a beverage based on black currant pomace fermented with W. cocos. A trained panel described the beverage as highly pleasant, reminiscent of honey, flowers and berries with a well-balanced sour and sweet taste. The flavor compounds linalool (citrus), geraniol (flowery), phenylacetic acid (honey), methyl phenylacetate (honey), eugenol (clove), and 2-phenylethanol (rose) were produced during fermentation and the concentrations exceeded their respective odor thresholds. The produced beverage was evaluated with 8.0 ± 1.4 from 10 for the question of whether panelists would buy the product. Fungal fermentation with the edible fungus W. cocos enabled the production of a highly pleasant beverage and additionally may reduce waste by using pomace and table sugar as sole ingredients.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-023-05677-4.

Structural diversity, fermentation production, bioactivities and applications of triterpenoids from several common medicinal fungi: Recent advances and future perspectives

Medicinal fungi are beneficial to human health and it reduces the risk of chronic diseases. Triterpenoids are polycyclic compounds derived from the straight-chain hydrocarbon squalene, which are widely distributed in medicinal fungi. Triterpenoids from medicinal fungal sources possess diverse bioactive activities such as anti-cancer, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity. This review article describes the structure, fermentation production, biological activities, and application of triterpenoids from the medicinal fungi including Ganoderma lucidum, Poria cocos, Antrodia camphorata, Inonotus obliquus, Phellinus linteus, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Laetiporus sulphureus. Besides, the research perspectives of triterpenoids from medicinal fungi are also proposed. This paper provides useful guidance and reference for further research on medicinal fungi triterpenoids.

Promising traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of cholestatic liver disease process (cholestasis, hepatitis, liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis)

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Cholestatic liver disease (CLD) is mainly characterized by cholestasis. If not treated, it will deteriorate to cholestatic hepatitis, liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, and even liver failure. CLD has a high clinical incidence, and limited treatment with single therapy. In the long-term clinical exploration, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been corroborated with unique therapeutic effects on the CLD process.

AIM OF THIS REVIEW

This paper summarizes the effective single and compound TCMs for the treatment of CLD. According to 4 important clinical stages of CLD: cholestasis, hepatitis, liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, pharmacological effects and mechanisms of 5 typical TCM examples are reviewed, aims to provide basis for clinical drug selection in different processes of CLD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Relevant scientific articles regarding therapeutic effects of TCM for the CLD were collected from different databases. We collated three single herbs including Artemisia scoparia Waldst. et Kit. or Artemisia capillaris Thunb. (Artemisiae Scopariae Herba, Yin Chen in Chinese), Paeonia lactiflora Pall. or Paeonia veitchii Lynch. (Paeoniae radix rubra, Chi Shao in Chinese), Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf (Poria, Fu Ling in Chinese), and two compound herbs of Huang Qi Decoction (HQD) and Yin Chen Hao Decoction (YCHD) to studied and analyzed.

RESULTS

We proposed five promising TCMs treatments for the important developmental stages of CLD. Among them, Yin Chen is an essential medicine for protecting liver and gallbladder, and its TCM prescription is also a promising strategy for cholestasis. Based on clinical evidence, high-dose application of Chi Shao is a clinical special treatment of cholestasis hepatitis. Fu Ling can regulate immune cells and increase antibody levels in serum, which is expected to be an emerging therapy to prevent cholestatic liver fibrosis to cirrhosis. HQD can be used as routine clinical medicine for liver fibrosis. In addition, YCHD can exert better comprehensive advantages with multiple components, can treat the whole course of CLD and prevent it from developing to the end-stage.

CONCLUSION

Yin Chen, Chi Shao, Fu Ling, HQD and YCHD have shown good clinical efficacy in controlling the development of CLD. Clinically, it is easier to curb the development of CLD by adopting graded diagnosis and treatment measures. We suggest that CLD should be risk stratified in clinical treatment to ensure personalized treatment for patients, so as to slow down the development of the disease.

Analysis of the Effects of Ninjin’yoeito on Physical Frailty in Mice

Physical frailty is an aging-related clinical syndrome involving decreases in body weight, mobility, activity, and walking speed that occurs in individuals with sarcopenia and is accelerated by increased oxidative stress. Ninjin’yoeito, a traditional Japanese Kampo medicine, is used for treating conditions, including anemia and physical weakness. Here, we investigated whether ninjin’yoeito could improve physical frailty by controlling oxidative stress in the senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) model. First, SAMP8 mice were divided into two groups, ninjin’yoeito treated and untreated, with the former consuming a diet containing 3% ninjin’yoeito from 3 months of age. At 7 months of age, body weight, motor function, locomotor activity, and mean walking speed were measured. Subsequently, mice were euthanized and measured for muscle weight, 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine levels in muscle and brain, and cleaved caspase-3 expression in brain. The results showed reductions in weight, locomotor function, locomotion, and average walking speed in the untreated group, which were significantly improved by ninjin’yoeito. Furthermore, 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine levels were reduced in muscle and brain from ninjin’yoeito-treated mice, compared with the levels in untreated mice; cleaved caspase-3 expression was similarly reduced in brain from the treated mice, indicating reduced apoptosis. Our findings suggest that ninjin’yoeito inhibits sarcopenia-based physical frailty through its antioxidant effects.

Quantitative analysis of nutrients for nucleosides, nucleobases and amino acids hidden behind five distinct regions-derived Poria cocos using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple-quadrupole linear ion-trap tandem mass spectrometry

Poria cocos is an edible fungus used as a health product and traditional Chinese medicinal preparation. Nevertheless, little is known about its nutrients. In this study, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple-quadrupole linear ion-trap tandem mass spectrometry was conducted to quantify nucleosides, nucleobases, and amino acids in 32 batches of Poria cocos samples collected from Anhui, Sichuan, Hubei, Hunan and Guizhou. Subsequently, the linearity, precision, repeatability, stability, and recovery of our methods were validated. Samples from different regions were clearly separated by partial least squares discriminant analysis and cluster analysis. Our results suggested that Poria cocos samples from different geographical environments differed in nucleosides, nucleobases, and amino acids. The plot of variable importance for projection disclosed differential compositions of L-Leucine, Uridine, L-Asparagine, L-Glutamine, L-phenylalanine, L-Ornithine monohydrochloride, L-Hydroxyproline, Taurine and Inosine in Poria cocos from five regions. We found the highest content of total analytes, total amino acids and total non-essential amino acids in Poria cocos from Anhui, total essential amino acids in the Sichuan samples and total nucleosides in Hunan samples. Overall, we determined the content of Poria cocos-derived nucleosides, nucleobases, and amino acids, providing the foothold for further chemical mining and use of Poria cocos. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Genome editing in the edible fungus Poria cocos using CRISPR-Cas9 system integrating genome-wide off-target prediction and detection

Poria cocos is an important edible and medicinal fungus with a long history. However, the lack of adequate genetic tools has hindered molecular genetic research and the genetic modification of this species. In this study, the endogenous U6 promoters were identified by mining data from the P. cocos genome, and the promoter sequence was used to construct a sgRNA expression vector pFC332-PcU6. Then, the protoplast isolation protocol was developed, and the sgRNA-Cas9 vector was successfully transformed into the cells of P. cocos via PEG/CaCl2-mediated transformation approach. Off-target sites were genome-widely predicted and detected. As a result, the target marker gene ura3 was successfully disrupted by the CRISPR-Cas9 system. This is the first report of genome editing in P. cocos using CRISPR-Cas9 system integrating genome-wide off-target prediction and detection. These data will open up new avenues for the investigation of genetic breeding and commercial production of edible and medicinal fungus.

Occurrence, distribution, and associations of essential and non-essential elements in the medicinal and edible fungus "Fuling" from southern China

In Asian countries, the sclerotia of the wild-grown fungus Pachyma hoelen ("Fuling"), have been used as food and as medicinal products for centuries. To close the knowledge gaps about the value and possible environmental impacts, the occurrence, distribution, and associations of a range of elements (Ag, Al, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Li, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sb, Sr, Tl, U, V, and Zn) were studied in the inner (core) and outer (shell) morphological parts of the sclerotia from a diverse collection in Southern China. Quality of forest and agricultural soil in terms of a geogenic element source and composition can be considered as the main factor determining the occurrence of minerals in sclerotia through the host wood, largely of Pinus yunnanensis, while the anthropogenic impact (basically at remote rural areas of cultivation) in Southern China was negligible. In general, the mean concentration of each element in the outer part was significantly higher than that in the inner part (t-test, p < 0.01), except for Ag. The concentration of a given element in the outer part tended to have a positive relationship with that in the inner part, except for Cu, Se, Ag, and Zn. The elements in different morphological parts of sclerotia present different relation patterns. Compared to the outer part, there were stronger associations of elements in the inner part, suggesting homeostatic regulation of multiple elements in the inner parts. Further study on the sclerotia, infected wood substrate, and surrounding soil from a range of wild sample collections and intentional cultivation should provide a more complex view and allow assessment of the relationship between minerals and bioactive organic compounds produced by P. hoelen.

A review on the advances in the extraction methods and structure elucidation of Poria cocos polysaccharide and its pharmacological activities and drug carrier applications

Poria cocos polysaccharide (PCP) is one of the main active components of Poria cocos that is extensively used in the world. PCP can be divided into intro-polysaccharides and exopolysaccharides. PCP is mainly composed of glucose, galactose and mannose. There are many methods to exact PCP, and methods can affect its yield. PCP and its derivatives exhibit diverse biological functions such as antitumour, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immune-regulatory, hepatoprotective, etc. There is the potential application of PCP as drug carriers. The review provides a comprehensive summary of the latest extraction and purification methods of PCP, its chemistry, synthesis of PCP derivates, their pharmacological activities and their applications as drug carriers. This review provides comprehensive information on PCP, which can be used as the basis for further research on PCP and its derivates.

A Data Mining-Based Study on Medication Rules of Chinese Herbs to Treat Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

OBJECTIVE

To summarize the medication rules of Chinese herbs to treat heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF) based on data mining and to provide references for clinical utilization.

METHODS

The China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang database (Wanfang), VIP database (VIP), Chinese Biomedical Literature (CBM), PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched from inception to October 2021 to identify relevant literature on treating HFPEF with Chinese herbs. Microsoft Excel 2019 was used to set up a database, and then, association rule analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis were performed by using apriori algorithm and hclust function respectively in R-Studio (Version 4.0.3).

RESULTS

A total of 182 qualified papers were included, involving a total of 92 prescriptions, 130 Chinese herbs, and 872 individual herbs prescribed, with an average of 9.5 herbs per prescription. The six most frequently prescribed herbs were Astragali Radix (Huangqi), Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix Et Rhizoma (Danshen), Poria (Fuling), Glycyrrhizae Radix Et Rhizoma (Gancao), Cinnamomi Ramulus (Guizhi), and Ginseng Radix Et Rhizoma (Renshen). There were 35 herbs used more than 5 times, involving 11 efficacy categories. The top three categories were deficiency-tonifying herbs, blood-activating and stasis-removing herbs, and dampness-draining diuretic herbs. The most commonly used herbs were mainly warm and sweet. The primary meridian tropisms were Lung Meridian, Heart Meridian and Spleen Meridian. Association rule analysis yielded 26 association rules, such as Astragali Radix (Huangqi) & Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix Et Rhizoma (Danshen), Poria (Fuling), Cinnamomi Ramulus (Guizhi) & Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma (Baizhu). Hierarchical cluster analysis yielded four herb classes, and their functions were mainly qi-replenishing and yang-warming, blood-activating and diuresis-inducing.

CONCLUSIONS

HFPEF is the syndrome of root vacuity and tip repletion, and its core pathogenesis is "deficiency", "stasis", and "water", with "deficiency" being the most principal, which is closely related to Xin (heart), Fei (Lung), and Pi (Spleen). The treatment of this disease occurs by improving qi, warming yang, activating blood and inducing diuresis. Astragali Radix (Huangqi) with Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix Et Rhizoma (Danshen) is the basic combination of herbs applied.

Protective Effect of Poria Cocos Polysaccharides on Fecal Peritonitis-Induced Sepsis in Mice Through Inhibition of Oxidative Stress, Inflammation, Apoptosis, and Reduction of Treg Cells

This study was conducted to investigate the potential pharmacological effects of Poria cocos polysaccharides (PCPs) on fecal-induced peritonitis (FIP) mice. Consequently, the fecal peritonitis (FP)-induced septic mice with the higher levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-1β, malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), histopathological lesion and bacterial burden, and lower levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH). Interestingly, PCP pre-treatment reduced inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress in plasma and spleen and improved the resistance to FIP. Inflammatory infiltration and cell death in thymus or splenic tissue were alleviated with PCP pretreatment. Furthermore, Treg cells were moderated in the spleen with PCP pre-administration. In addition, PCP pretreatment downregulated Annexin-V in the thymus of FP-induced septic mice, and apoptosis of splenic cells was dose-dependent. In conclusion, PCPs have pharmacological and biological effects on FP-induced septic mice, and its molecular mechanism is related to antioxidative, anti-inflammation, anti-apoptosis, and the reduction of Treg activity in splenic cells.

Efficacy and Pharmacological Mechanism of Poria cocos-Based Formulas Combined With Chemotherapy for Ovarian Cancer: A Integrated Systems Pharmacology Study

Previous studies have shown that Poria cocos-based formulas combined with chemotherapy can improve the quality of life of ovarian cancer patients. However, the results are still controversial. We systematically searched the literature from eight databases to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Poria cocos-based formulas in combination with paclitaxel-carboplatin in treating ovarian cancer (OC). Subsequently, network pharmacology, molecular docking and cell experiments were performed to further verify the underlying molecular mechanism. Thirteen randomized controlled trials, including 922 patients with OC, were enrolled in the study. The results indicated that Poria cocos-based compounds combined with paclitaxel-carboplatin significantly improved patients' tumor response rate, traditional Chinese medicine syndrome score, Karnofsky Performance Scale, physical and social function, and reduced side effects of chemotherapy compared to the paclitaxel-carboplatin alone. According to the network pharmacological analysis, tumulosic acid were the most bioactive compounds of Poria cocos. BCL2L1 is highly expressed in OC and is associated with a worse prognosis which could become potential drug target. Functional enrichment analysis suggested that the anti-OC effect of Poria cocos may be related to PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. The molecular docking results indicated that tumulosic acid might inhibit OC by regulating BCL2L1. Vitro experiment confirmed tumulosic acid that induced cell apoptosis by modulating PI3K/AKT signaling and BCL2L1. Our study may provide a clinical basis and theoretical rationale for combining Poria cocos-based formulas with chemotherapy for OC. In addition, the integrated pharmacological strategy proposed in our study provides an excellent example for exploring the mechanism of complex formulas.

On the occurrence, origin, and intake of the nuclides, 210Po and 210Pb, in sclerotia of Wolfiporia cocos collected in China

The dried sclerotium of the fungus Wolfiporia cocos is edible and has medicinal value. This study aimed to understand the accumulation of radioactivity arising from the alpha ²¹⁰Po, and beta-emitting ²¹⁰Pb, in the sclerotium's shell and core and assess a potential effective dose for consumers. Sclerotia were collected in the wild and from cultivars in China's Anhui and Yunnan provinces. The mean values of ²¹⁰Po activity concentration levels were 0.36 Bq kg^-1 dry weight in the core and 12.0 Bq kg^-1 dw in the shell; ²¹⁰Pb activities were 0.43 and 9.84 Bq kg^-1 dw, respectively. The potential effective radiation doses from core layers (as a major raw material of the sclerotium) ranged from 0.13 to 3.43 µSv kg^-1 dw from ²¹⁰Po decay and from 0.11 to 1.52 µSv kg^-1 dw from ²¹⁰Pb decay. Corresponding values for shell ranged from 0.80 to 42.4 for ²¹⁰Po and from 0.53 to 13.6 µSv kg^-1 dw for ²¹⁰Pb. In general, the intake of W. cocos sclerotia varies between consumers, but this would not significantly change the effective radiation doses from ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb isotopes. The consumption thus appears to be safe from a radiological protection point of view.

Fruit body formation and intra-species DNA polymorphism in Japanese Wolfiporia cocos strains

Poria, the dried sclerotium of Wolfiporia cocos, is a medicinal mushroom that is widely used in traditional Japanese medicine. The fruit body of W. cocos is rarely found in the natural environment in Japan, therefore an optimized technique for fruit body formation is essential for producing new strains through crossbreeding and for biological research. Here, we developed a cultivation technique for fruit body formation of W. cocos using three strains collected from different areas of Japan. When mycelia were cultured on sawdust-based medium after liquid medium culture, all strains successfully formed fruit bodies as a brown honeycomb-like structure. Furthermore, we analyzed single nucleotide polymorphisms of the three strains using the STE3-like pheromone receptor protein gene, STE3.2, and found a genetic marker for discriminating one strain from the others. The results are expected to promote extensive studies on crossbreeding and domestic production of W. cocos.

TGF-β/Smad Signaling Pathway in Tubulointerstitial Fibrosis

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) was a major public health problem worldwide. Renal fibrosis, especially tubulointerstitial fibrosis, is final manifestation of CKD. Many studies have demonstrated that TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway plays a crucial role in renal fibrosis. Therefore, targeted inhibition of TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway can be used as a potential therapeutic measure for tubulointerstitial fibrosis. At present, a variety of targeting TGF-β1 and its downstream Smad proteins have attracted attention. Natural products used as potential therapeutic strategies for tubulointerstitial fibrosis have the characteristics of acting on multiple targets by multiple components and few side effects. With the continuous research and technique development, more and more molecular mechanisms of natural products have been revealed, and there are many natural products that inhibited tubulointerstitial fibrosis via TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway. This review summarized the role of TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway in tubulointerstitial fibrosis and natural products against tubulointerstitial fibrosis by targeting TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway. Additionally, many challenges and opportunities are presented for inhibiting renal fibrosis in the future.

The Traditional Usages, Chemical Components and Pharmacological Activities of Wolfiporia cocos: A Review

As an endemic species,Wolfiporia cocos (F.A. Wolf) Ryvarden & Gilb. is widely distributed, such as in China, Korea, Japan, and North America, which have had a dual-purpose resource for medicines and food for over 2000 years. The applications of W. cocos were used to treat diseases including edema, insomnia, spleen deficiency, and vomiting. What's more, there have been wide uses of such edible fungi as a function food or dietary supplement recently. Up until now, 166 kinds of chemical components have been isolated and identified from W. cocos including triterpenes, polysaccharides, sterols, diterpenes, and others. Modern pharmacological studies showed that the components hold a wide range of pharmacological activities both in vitro and in vivo, such as antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-oxidant, and antidepressant activities. In addition, present results showed that the mechanisms of pharmacological activities were closely related to chemical structures, molecular signaling paths and the expression of relate proteins for polysaccharides and triterpenes. For further in-depth studies on this fungus based on the recent research status, this review provided some perspectives and systematic summaries of W. cocos in traditional uses, chemical components, pharmacological activities, separation and analysis technologies, and structure-activity relationships.

Functional Analysis of Sterol O-Acyltransferase Involved in the Biosynthetic Pathway of Pachymic Acid in Wolfiporia cocos

Pachymic acid from Wolfiporia cocos possesses important medicinal values including anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, invigorating, anti-rejection, anti-tumor, and antioxidant activities. However, little is known about the biosynthetic pathway from lanostane to pachymic acid. In particular, the associated genes in the biosynthetic pathway have not been characterized, which limits the high-efficiency obtaining and application of pachymic acid. To characterize the synthetic pathway and genes involved in pachymic acid synthesis, in this study, we identified 11 triterpenoids in W. cocos using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and inferred the putative biosynthetic pathway from lanostane to pachymic acid based on analyzing the chemical structure of triterpenoids and the transcriptome data. In addition, we identified a key gene in the biosynthetic pathway encoding W. cocos sterol O-acyltransferase (WcSOAT), which catalyzes tumolusic acid to pachymic acid. The results show that silence of WcSOAT gene in W. cocos strain led to reduction of pachymic acid production, whereas overexpression of this gene increased pachymic acid production, indicating that WcSOAT is involved in pachymic acid synthesis in W. cocos and the biosynthesis of W. cocos pachymic acid is closely dependent on the expression of WcSOAT gene. In summary, the biosynthetic pathway of pachymic acid and the associated genes complement our knowledge on the biosynthesis of W. cocos pachymic acid and other triterpenoids, and also provides a reference for target genes modification for exploring high-efficiency obtaining of active components.

Comprehensive characterization and identification of chemical constituents in Yangwei decoction using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry

Yangwei decoction, a classical traditional Chinese medicine prescription, has been widely used to treat exogenous cold and internal injury with damp stagnation for many centuries. However, its systematic chemical profiling remains ambiguous, which has hampered the interpretation of pharmacology and the mechanism of its formula. In the present study, a ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry method was successfully established for the first time to separate and identify the complicated components of Yangwei decoction. The accurate mass data of the protonated molecules, deprotonated molecules, and fragment ions were detected in positive and negative ion modes. A total of 226 compounds in Yangwei decoction were tentatively identified and unambiguously characterized by comparing their retention times and mass spectrometry data with those of reference standards and literature, including 24 lignans, 18 alkaloids, 9 phenylpropanoid glycosides, 76 flavonoids, 59 triterpenoids, 17 organic acids, 7 gingerols, 8 lactones, and 8 other compounds. The present study provides a novel method of constituents characterization for well-known Chinese medicine prescriptions. The study aims to lay a robust foundation for future research, providing the holistic quality control and pharmacology of Yangwei decoction. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Four Triterpenoids Isolated from Poriae Cutis

In this study, triterpenoid compounds from Poriae Cutis were separated by high-speed countercurrent chromatography (HSCCC) and identified using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QTOF-MS/MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The in vitro anti-inflammatory activities of the purified triterpenoids on RAW 264.7 cells were also investigated. Triterpenoids, poricoic acid B, poricoic acid A, dehydrotrametenolic acid, and dehydroeburicoic acid were obtained; their levels of purity were 90%, 92%, 93%, and 96%, respectively. The results indicated that poricoic acid B had higher anti-inflammatory activity than those of poricoic acid A by inhibiting the generation of NO in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells. However, dehydrotrametenolic acid and dehydroeburicoic acid had no anti-inflammatory activity. In addition, the production of cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) in cells treated with poricoic acid B decreased in a dose-dependent manner in the concentration range from 10 to 40 μg/mL. The results provide evidence for the use of Poriae Cutis as a natural anti-inflammatory agent in medicines and functional foods.

Wild Strawberry-like Flavor Produced by the Fungus Wolfiporia cocos─Identification of Character Impact Compounds by Aroma Dilution Analysis after Dynamic Headspace Extraction

Brown-rot fungi are particularly suitable for the sustainable and cost-efficient biotechnological production of natural flavors. In this study, Wolfiporia cocos was employed for the fermentation of European black currant pomace supplemented with aspartate in surface cultures to produce a flavor reminiscent of wild strawberries. Aroma dilution analysis (ADA) by means of dynamic headspace extraction was developed as a suitable technique for solid samples. The character impact compounds were quantified by stable isotope dilution analysis and standard addition and validated by recombination experiments. (R)-Linalool (1879 μg kg^-1, ADA 2¹¹), methyl anthranilate (2206 μg kg^-1, 2¹⁰), 2-aminobenzaldehyde (771 μg kg^-1, 2⁵), and geraniol (138 μg kg^-1, 2⁵) were identified as key aroma compounds. Recombination experiments demonstrated that the combination of the four analyzed compounds was responsible for the odor impression reminiscent of wild strawberries.

Poricoic acid A induces apoptosis and autophagy in ovarian cancer via modulating the mTOR/p70s6k signaling axis

Due to the high mortality and rapid disease progression, ovarian cancer remains one of the most common malignancies threatening the health of women. The present study was conducted to explore the anticancer effects and the underlying mechanisms of poricoic acid A (PAA), the main components of Poria cocos, on ovarian cancer. We investigated the anticancer effects of different concentrations of PAA in the SKOV3 cell line. Cell viability and proliferation were examined by CCK-8 assay. Cellular migration and invasion were assessed by the scratch and Transwell migration assays, respectively. The effect of PPA on cell apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry and caspase-3/8/9 colorimetric assay. Western blot was performed to detect protein level changes related to apoptosis and mTOR signaling pathways. The in vivo anticancer effect of PAA was evaluated using xenograft tumorigenesis model in nude mice. Our results showed that PAA suppressed SKOV3 cellular viability, migration, and invasion in a dosage-dependent manner. Flow cytometry results demonstrated PAA treatment could induce SKOV3 cell apoptosis. In addition, increased ratio of LC3-II/LC3-I (a marker for autophagosome formation) was observed after PAA treatment, as well as inhibition of m-TOR and p70s6k phosphorylation. In nude mice, PAA treatment reduced the xenograft tumor weight by 70% (P<0.05). In conclusion, our data suggested that PAA induced apoptosis and autophagy in ovarian cancer via modulating the mTOR/p70s6k signaling axis.

Targeting the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway as a Potential Therapeutic Strategy in Renal Tubulointerstitial Fibrosis

The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway plays important roles in embryonic development and tissue homeostasis. Wnt signaling is induced, and β-catenin is activated, associated with the development and progression of renal fibrosis. Wnt/β-catenin controls the expression of various downstream mediators such as snail1, twist, matrix metalloproteinase-7, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, transient receptor potential canonical 6, and renin-angiotensin system components in epithelial cells, fibroblast, and macrophages. In addition, Wnt/β-catenin is usually intertwined with other signaling pathways to promote renal interstitial fibrosis. Actually, given the crucial of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in renal fibrogenesis, blocking this signaling may benefit renal interstitial fibrosis. There are several antagonists of Wnt signaling that negatively control Wnt activation, and these include soluble Fzd-related proteins, the family of Dickkopf 1 proteins, Klotho and Wnt inhibitory factor-1. Furthermore, numerous emerging small-molecule β-catenin inhibitors cannot be ignored to prevent and treat renal fibrosis. Moreover, we reviewed the knowledge focusing on anti-fibrotic effects of natural products commonly used in kidney disease by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Therefore, in this review, we summarize recent advances in the regulation, downstream targets, role, and mechanisms of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in renal fibrosis pathogenesis. We also discuss the therapeutic potential of targeting this pathway to treat renal fibrosis; this may shed new insights into effective treatment strategies to prevent and treat renal fibrosis.

Competing sexual-asexual generic names in Agaricomycotina (Basidiomycota) with recommendations for use

With the change to one scientific name for fungal taxa, generic names typified by species with sexual or asexual morph types are being evaluated to determine which names represent the same genus and thus compete for use. In this paper generic names of the Agaricomycotina (Basidiomycota) were evaluated to determine synonymy based on their type. Forty-seven sets of sexually and asexually typified names were determined to be congeneric and recommendations are made for which generic name to use. In most cases the principle of priority is followed. However, 16 generic names are recommended for use that do not have priority and thus need to be protected: Aleurocystis over Matula; Armillaria over Acurtis and Rhizomorpha; Asterophora over Ugola; Botryobasidium over Acladium, Allescheriella, Alysidium, Haplotrichum, Physospora, and Sporocephalium; Coprinellus over Ozonium; Coprinopsis over Rhacophyllus; Dendrocollybia over Sclerostilbum and Tilachlidiopsis; Diacanthodes over Bornetina; Echinoporia over Echinodia; Neolentinus over Digitellus; Postia over Ptychogaster; Riopa over Sporotrichum; Scytinostroma over Artocreas, Michenera, and Stereofomes; Tulasnella over Hormomyces; Typhula over Sclerotium; and Wolfiporia over Gemmularia and Pachyma. Nine species names are proposed for protection: Botryobasidium aureum, B. conspersum, B. croceum, B. simile, Pellicularia lembosporum (syn. B. lembosporum), Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Polyporus metamorphosus (syn. Riopa metamorphosa), Polyporus mylittae (syn. Laccocephalum mylittae), and Polyporus ptychogaster (syn. Postia ptychogaster). Two families are proposed for protection: Psathyrellaceae and Typhulaceae. Three new species names and 30 new combinations are established, and one lectotype is designated.

A novel strategy of "pick the best of the best" for the nondestructive identification of Poria cocos based on near-infrared spectroscopy

In this paper, a novel strategy of "pick the best of the best" was proposed for the nondestructive identification of different-origin and adulterated Poria cocos with near-infrared spectroscopy. First, various preprocessing methods were divided into three classes: baseline correction, scattering and trend correction, and scaling. The single preprocessing methods with the best predictions in each class were selected. Then, the selected preprocessing methods were combined in pairs according to three classes. The pair combination preprocessing methods with the best predictions and also better predictions than single methods were selected. Finally, the selected pair combination preprocessing method was combined with the methods in the unselected class. The three combination preprocessing methods with the best predictions and also better predictions than pair combination methods were selected as the final prediction. With this strategy, the optimized preprocessing combination can be obtained quickly, and the identification accuracy with principal component analysis method can be greatly improved. 0% identification accuracy of adulterated samples and 12.5% identification accuracy of different-origin samples were obtained with the raw data. However, 100% accuracy of adulterated samples, 93.8% accuracy of calibration dataset, and 75% accuracy of validation dataset can be obtained with the novel strategy. The developed technology can be regarded as a simple, rapid, and accurate nondestructive identification method for different-origin and adulterated samples, and has a broad application prospect in the future.

Beneficial Effects of Polysaccharides on the Epithelial Barrier Function in Intestinal Mucositis

Intestinal mucositis is a clinically relevant side effect of anticancer therapies. It is experienced by 60–100% of patients undergoing treatment with high doses of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and bone marrow transplantation. Intestinal mucositis can manifest as pain, weight loss, inflammation, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and infection; affecting normal nutritional intake and intestinal function. It often impacts adherence to anticancer therapy as it frequently limits patient’s ability to tolerate treatment, causing schedule delays, interruptions, or premature discontinuation. In some cases, local and systemic secondary infections are observed, increasing the costs toward medical care and hospitalization. Several strategies for managing mucositis are available which do not always halt this condition. In this context, new therapeutic strategies are under investigation to prevent or treat intestinal mucositis. Polysaccharides from natural resources have recently become promising molecules against intestinal damage due to their ability to promote mucosal healing and their anti-inflammatory actions. These effects are associated with the protection of intestinal mucosa and regulation of microbiota and immune system. This review aims to discuss the recent advances of polysaccharides from natural resources as potential therapies for intestinal mucositis. The source, species, doses, treatment schedules, and mechanisms of action of polysaccharides will be discussed in detail.

137Cs and 40K activities and total K distribution in the sclerotia of the Wolfiporia cocos fungus from China

The activity concentration of ¹³⁷Cs and ⁴⁰K and total K content in the sclerotia of the Chinese medicinal fungus Wolfiporia cocos collected mainly from Yunnan province of China during the period 2013-2015 were investigated. W. cocos in Yunnan is collected from the wild and is cultivated in field conditions and the wood substrate used is derived from the local pine (Pinus yunnanensis Franch.) logs from neighborhood forests. The outer part of sclerotia was found to be richer than the inner one in both ¹³⁷Cs and ⁴⁰K with median values of 7.3 and 3.2 Bq kg^-1 dry weight (dw) for ¹³⁷Cs, 220 and 140 Bq kg^-1 dw for ⁴⁰K. The median K concentrations were 6800 mg kg^-1 dw in the outer and 3700 mg kg^-1 dw in the inter parts. No statistically significant correlation was found for activity concentrations between the inner and outer parts, both for ¹³⁷Cs and ⁴⁰K (p > 0.05). Using the median activities of ¹³⁷Cs, the nominal values of effective dose (mSv) for exposed adults annually consuming 50 g of sclerotia, were estimated at 0.0035 mSv and 0.084 mSv (outer part), and 0.0020 mSv and 0.040 mSv (inner part) per capita, respectively. Sclerotia of W. cocos seemed to be a relatively good source of K.

Protective effects of Poria cocos and its components against cisplatin-induced intestinal injury

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Poria cocos (Schw.) Wolf (Poria) is a well-known traditional medicinal fungus. It has been considered to possess spleen-invigorating (Jianpi) effects in traditional Chinese medicine, and is used clinically to treat spleen deficiency (Pixu) with symptoms of intestinal disorders such as diarrhea, indigestion, mucositis and weight loss.

THE AIM OF THIS STUDY

To investigate the protective effects of Poria and its three component fractions (Water-soluble polysaccharides, WP; alkali-soluble polysaccharides, AP; triterpene acids, TA) on cisplatin-induced intestinal injury and explore the underlying mechanisms.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

C57BL/6 mice were treated with Poria powder (PP), WP, AP and TA by oral gavage respectively for 13 days, and intraperitoneally injected with 10 mg/kg of cisplatin on day 10 to conduct a cisplatin-induced intestinal injury model. Pathological changes of ileum and colon were examined using H&E staining. The composition of gut microbiota and the alteration of host metabolites were characterized by 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing and UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS based untargeted metabolomics analysis.

RESULTS

PP and WP attenuated the cisplatin-induced ileum and colon injury, and WP alleviated the weight loss and reversed the elevation of IL-2, IL-6 in serum. Both PP and WP could mitigate cisplatin-induced dysbiosis of gut microbiota, in particular PP and WP decreased the abundance of pathogenic bacteria including Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Ruminococcaceae and Helicobacteraceae, while WP promoted the abundance of probiotics, such as Erysipelotrichaceae and Prevotellaceae. Moreover, WP attenuated the cisplatin-induced alteration of metabolic profiles. The levels of potential biomarkers, including xanthine, L-tyrosine, uridine, hypoxanthine, butyrylcarnitine, lysoPC (18:0), linoleic acid, (R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid, D-ribose, thiamine monophosphate, indolelactic acid and plamitic acid, showed significant correlations with intestinal flora.

CONCLUSIONS

PP and WP possess protective effects against cisplatin-induced intestinal injury via potentially regulating the gut microbiota and metabolic profiles.

Medical Application of Substances Derived from Non-Pathogenic Fungi Aspergillus oryzae and A. luchuensis-Containing Koji

Although most fungi cause pathogenicity toward human beings, dynasties of the East Asian region have domesticated and utilized specific fungi for medical applications. The Japanese dynasty and nation have domesticated and utilized koji fermented with non-pathogenic fungus Aspergillus oryzae for more than 1300 years. Recent research has elucidated that koji contains medicinal substances such as Taka-diastase, acid protease, koji glycosylceramide, kojic acid, oligosaccharides, ethyl-α-d-glucoside, ferulic acid, ergothioneine, pyroglutamyl leucine, pyranonigrin A, resistant proteins, deferriferrichrysin, polyamines, Bifidobacterium-stimulating peptides, angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitor peptides, 14-dehydroergosterol, beta-glucan, biotin, and citric acid. This review introduces potential medical applications of such medicinal substances to hyperlipidemia, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular and cognitive diseases, chronic inflammation, epidermal permeability barrier disruption, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and anti-cancer therapy.

Identification of Triterpene Acids in Poria cocos Extract as Bile Acid Uptake Transporter Inhibitors

Literature reports that Poria cocos reduces blood lipid levels; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Blood lipid levels are closely related to the enterohepatic circulation of bile acids, where uptake transporters playing a significant role. P. cocos extract is commonly used in traditional prescriptions and food supplements in China. We investigated the effects of P. cocos and its five triterpene acids on bile acid uptake transporters, including intestinal apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter (ASBT) and hepatic sodium/taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide (NTCP). Triterpene acids were fingerprinted by high-performance liquid chromatography-TripleTOF and quantified by ultraperformance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. The inhibitory effect of P. cocos and its five major representative triterpene acids on ASBT and NTCP was investigated by in vitro assays using Xenopus oocytes expressing ASBT and NTCP. P. cocos extract exhibited significant inhibitory effects with half-maximum inhibition constants of 5.89 µg/ml and 14.6 µg/ml for NTCP and ASBT, respectively. Among five triterpene acids, poricoic acid A, poricoic acid B, and polyporenic acid C significantly inhibited NTCP function. Poricoic acid A, poricoic acid B, and dehydrotumulosic acid significantly inhibited ASBT function. The representative triterpene acid, poricoic acid A, was identified as a competitive inhibitor of NTCP with an inhibitory constant of 63.4 ± 18.7 µM. In conclusion, our results indicate that both P. cocos extract and its major triterpenes are competitive inhibitors of ASBT and NTCP. Accordingly, it was suggested that competitive inhibition of these bile acid transporters is one of the underlying mechanisms for the hypolipidemic effect of P. cocos. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Poria cocos, a commonly used Chinese herbal medicine and food supplement, demonstrates significantly inhibitory effects on the function of apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter and sodium/taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide. P. cocos has potential to reduce the blood lipid through inhibition of these uptake transporters in enterohepatic circulation of bile acid.

Polyporus Umbellatus Protects Against Renal Fibrosis by Regulating Intrarenal Fatty Acyl Metabolites

Background: Chronic renal failure (CRF) results in significant dyslipidemia and profound changes in lipid metabolism. Polyporus umbellatus (PPU) has been shown to prevent kidney injury and subsequent kidney fibrosis.

Methods: Lipidomic analysis was performed to explore the intrarenal profile of lipid metabolites and further investigate the effect of PPU and its main bioactive component, ergone, on disorders of lipid metabolism in rats induced by adenine. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed for choosing intrarenal differential lipid species in CRF rats and the intervening effect of n-hexane extract of PPU and ergone on CRF rats.

Results: Compared with control group, decreased creatinine clearance rate indicated declining kidney function in CRF group. Based on the lipidomics, we identified 65 lipid species that showed significant differences between CRF and control groups. The levels of 12 lipid species, especially fatty acyl lipids including docosahexaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid (22n-3), 10,11-Dihydro-12R-hydroxy-leukotriene C4, 3-hydroxydodecanoyl carnitine, eicosapentaenoic acid, hypogeic acid and 3-hydroxypentadecanoic acid had a strong linear correlation with creatinine clearance rate, which indicated these lipid species were associated with impaired renal function. In addition, receiver operating characteristics analysis showed that 12 lipid species had high area under the curve values with high sensitivity and specificity for differentiating CRF group from control group. These changes are related to the perturbation of fatty acyl metabolism. Treatment with PPU and ergone improved the impaired kidney function and mitigated renal fibrosis. Both chemometrics and cluster analyses showed that rats treated by PPU and ergone could be separated from CRF rats by using 12 lipid species. Intriguingly, PPU treatment could restore the levels of 12 lipid species, while treatment with ergone could only reverse the changes of six fatty acids in CRF rats.

Conclusion: Altered intrarenal fatty acyl metabolites were implicated in pathogenesis of renal fibrosis. PPU and ergone administration alleviated renal fibrosis and partially improved fatty acyl metabolism. These findings suggest that PPU exerted its renoprotective effect by regulating fatty acyl metabolism as a potential biochemical mechanism. Therefore, these findings indicated that fatty acyl metabolism played an important role in renal fibrosis and could be considered as an effective therapeutic avenue against renal fibrosis.

Geographical traceability and multielement analysis of edible and medicinal fungi: Taking Wolfiporia cocos (F.A. Wolf) Ryvarden and Gilb. as an example

Different geographical environment has a certain influence on the accumulation of fungi elements and chemical components. However, our knowledge is limited to elucidate the fungi elements in response to heterogeneous environmental and the quality differences among different habitats. Here, multielement analysis, FTIR spectrum, and feature-level fusion technique combined with chemometrics were used to study Wolfiporia cocos from different geographical areas, different sampling sites and different altitude sources. From the results, (1) there is significant difference in element content of samples from different sampling sites and no positive correlation with geographical ranges. (2) There is a correlation between elevation and elements, and relatively low elevation (<1,800 m) is conducive to the enrichment of elements. (3) From the perspective of elements, the W. cocos in Yuxi have relatively better quality. (4) FTIR and feature-level models can well realize origin identification. The SVM models are better than the PLS-DA models, and the feature-level model is better than the single FTIR models. In summary, this study demonstrated that the developed method was reliable and could realize the genuineness evaluation and origin identification of W. cocos. The results have implications for the establishment of the technology system of geographical traceability and the development of high-quality geographical indication products of W. cocos.

Network Pharmacology Analysis of the Therapeutic Mechanisms Underlying Beimu-Gualou Formula Activity against Bronchiectasis with In Silico Molecular Docking Validation

Background

The classical Chinese herbal prescription Beimu-Gualou formula (BMGLF) has been diffusely applied to the treatment of respiratory diseases, including bronchiectasis. Although concerning bronchiectasis the effects and mechanisms of action of the BMGLF constituents have been partially elucidated, it remains to be determined how the formula in its entirety exerts therapeutic effects.

Methods

In this study, the multitarget mechanisms of BMGLF against bronchiectasis were predicted with network pharmacology analysis. Using prepared data, a drug-target interaction network was established and subsequently the core therapeutic targets of BMGLF were identified. Furthermore, the biological function and pathway enrichment of potential targets were analyzed to evaluate the therapeutic effects and pivotal signaling pathways of BMGLF. Finally, virtual molecular docking was performed to assess the affinities of compounds for the candidate targets.

Results

The therapeutic action of BMGLF against bronchiectasis involves 18 core target proteins, including the aforementioned candidates (i.e., ALB, ICAM1, IL10, and MAPK1), which are assumed to be related to biological processes such as drug response, cellular response to lipopolysaccharide, immune response, and positive regulation of NF-κB activity in bronchiectasis. Among the top 20 signaling pathways identified, mechanisms of action appear to be primarily related to Chagas disease, allograft rejection, hepatitis B, and inflammatory bowel disease.

Conclusion

In summary, using a network pharmacology approach, we initially predicted the complex regulatory profile of BMGLF against bronchiectasis in which multilink suppression of immune/inflammatory responses plays an essential role. These results may provide a basis for novel pharmacotherapeutic approaches for bronchiectasis.

The Wolfiporia cocos Genome and Transcriptome Shed Light on the Formation of Its Edible and Medicinal Sclerotium

Wolfiporia cocos (F. A. Wolf) has been praised as a food delicacy and medicine for centuries in China. Here, we present the genome and transcriptome of the Chinese strain CGMCC5.78 of W. cocos. High-confidence functional prediction was made for 9277 genes among the 10,908 total predicted gene models in the W. cocos genome. Up to 2838 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified to be related to sclerotial development by comparing the transcriptomes of mycelial and sclerotial tissues. These DEGs are involved in mating processes, differentiation of fruiting body tissues, and metabolic pathways. A number of genes encoding enzymes and regulatory factors related to polysaccharide and triterpenoid production were strikingly regulated. A potential triterpenoid gene cluster including the signature lanosterol synthase (LSS) gene and its modified components were annotated. In addition, five nonribosomal peptide synthase (NRPS)-like gene clusters, eight polyketide synthase (PKS) gene clusters, and 15 terpene gene clusters were discovered in the genome. The differential expression of the velevt family proteins, transcription factors, carbohydrate-active enzymes, and signaling components indicated their essential roles in the regulation of fungal development and secondary metabolism in W. cocos. These genomic and transcriptomic resources will be valuable for further investigations of the molecular mechanisms controlling sclerotial formation and for its improved medicinal applications.

The Genus Pachyma (Syn. Wolfiporia) Reinstated and Species Clarification of the Cultivated Medicinal Mushroom "Fuling" in China

The fungus "Fuling" has been used in Chinese traditional medicine for more than 2000 years, and its sclerotia have a wide range of biological activities including antitumour, immunomodulation, anti-inflammation, antioxidation, anti-aging etc. This prized medicinal mushroom also known as "Hoelen" is resurrected from a piece of pre-Linnean scientific literature. Fries treated it as Pachyma hoelen Fr. and mentioned that it was cultivated on pine trees in China. However, this name had been almost forgotten, and Poria cocos (syn. Wolfiporia cocos), originally described from North America, and known as "Tuckahoe" has been applied to "Fuling" in most publications. Although Merrill mentioned a 100 years ago that Asian Pachyma hoelen and North American P. cocos are similar but different, no comprehensive taxonomical studies have been carried out on the East Asian Pachyma hoelen and its related species. Based on phylogenetic analyses and morphological examination on both the sclerotia and the basidiocarps which are very seldomly developed, the East Asian samples of Pachyma hoelen including sclerotia, commercial strains for cultivation and fruiting bodies, nested in a strongly supported, homogeneous lineage which clearly separated from the lineages of North American Wolfiporia cocos and other species. So we confirm that the widely cultivated "Fuling" Pachyma hoelen in East Asia is not conspecific with the North American Wolfiporia cocos. Based on the changes in Art. 59 of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants, the generic name Pachyma, which was sanctioned by Fries, has nomenclatural priority (ICN, Art. F.3.1), and this name well represents the economically important stage of the generic type. So we propose to use Pachyma rather than Wolfiporia, and subsequently Pachyma hoelen and Pachyma cocos are the valid names for "Fuling" in East Asia and "Tuckahoe" in North America, respectively. In addition, a new combination, Pachyma pseudococos, is proposed. Furthermore, it seems that Pachyma cocos is a species complex, and that three species exist in North America.

Optimization of Bioprocess Extraction of Poria cocos Polysaccharide (PCP) with Aspergillus niger β-Glucanase and the Evaluation of PCP Antioxidant Property

Poria cocos mushroom is widely used as a food and an herb in East Asian and other countries due to its high nutritional value. Research has demonstrated that Poria cocos polysaccharides (PCP) are the major bioactives and possess antioxidation, anti-inflammation, immunoregulation, and other health promoting properties. However, the efficient preparation of PCP has been a challenge, particularly in large scale for industry. Herein, we investigated the biotransformation of PCP from Poria cocos, catalyzed by β-glucanase from Aspergillus niger and focused on optimizing the most four influencing parameters: Temperature, time, pH, and enzyme dosage in this study. After numerous optimizations with the assistance of response surface optimization methodology, we have established that the optimal conditions for the biotransformation PCP preparation were as following: Enzymolysis temperature 60 °C, time 120 min, pH 5.0 and enzyme dose 20 mL. Under these conditions, the extraction yield of PCP reached as high as 12.8%. In addition, the antioxidant activities of PCP were evaluated by reducing power assay and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl, superoxide anion, and hydroxyl radicals scavenging assays. Resulting data showed that PCP presented outstanding antioxidant capacity. Thus, these findings indicate that PCP could be produced as a natural antioxidant for further development.

Novel poricoic acids attenuate renal fibrosis through regulating redox signalling and aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation

BACKGROUND

Renal fibrosis is the final manifestation of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Renal fibrosis is largely driven by oxidative stress and inflammation.

PURPOSE

The aim of the current study was to identify novel poricoic acids from Poria cocos and investigated their antifibrotic effects and the underlying mechanism.

METHODS

In this study, we identified six novel poricoic acids from Poria cocos and examined their antifibrotic effect using transforming growth factor-β1- (TGF-β1-) induced cultured human kidney proximal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) and mice with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO).

RESULTS

Treatment with six poricoic acids significantly inhibited TGF-β1-induced α-smooth muscle actin expression at both mRNA and protein levels in HK-2 cells. Three compounds with an intact carboxyl group at C-3 position showed a stronger inhibitory effect than that of other three compounds with esterified carboxyl group at the C-3 position. Mechanistically, poricoic acid ZM (PZM) and poricoic acid ZP (PZP) attenuate renal fibrosis through the modulation of redox signalling including the inhibition of proinflammatory nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signalling and its target genes as well as the activation of antioxidative nuclear factor-erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signalling and its downstream target gene in both TGF-β1-induced HK-2 cells and UUO mice. PZM treatment and PZP treatment inhibit the upregulated aryl hydrocarbon receptor and they target the gene expression in UUO mice. Intriguingly, PZM treatment exhibits a stronger inhibitory effect than that of the PZP treatment. Structure-function relationship reveals that the carboxyl group at C-3 position is the most important bioactive function group in secolanostane tetracyclic triterpenoids against renal fibrosis.

CONCLUSIONS

PZM and PZP attenuated renal fibrosis through the modulation of redox signalling and the aryl hydrocarbon receptor signalling pathway. Our findings will provide several promising leading compounds against renal fibrosis.

Mercury in traditionally foraged species of fungi (macromycetes) from the karst area across Yunnan province in China

The objective of this study is to better quantify the occurrence, intake, and potential risk from Hg in fungi traditionally foraged in SW China. The concentrations and intakes of Hg were measured from 42 species including a "hard" flesh type polypore fungi and a" soft" flesh type edible species that are used in traditional herbal medicine, collected during the period 2011-2017. Three profiles of forest topsoil from the Zhenyuan site in 2015 and Changning and Dulong sites in 2016 were also investigated. The concentrations of Hg in composite samples of polypore fungi were usually below 0.1 mg kg-1 dry weight (dw) but higher levels, 0.11 ± 0.01 and 0.24 ± 0.00 mg kg-1 dw, were noted in Ganoderma applanatum and Amauroderma niger respectively, both from the Nujiang site near the town of Lanping in NW Yunnan. Hg concentrations in Boletaceae species were usually well above 1.0 mg kg-1 dw and as high as 10 mg kg-1 dw. The quality of the mushrooms in this study in view of contamination with Hg showed a complex picture. The "worst case" estimations showed probable intake of Hg from 0.006 μg kg-1 body mass (bm) ("hard" type flesh) to 0.25 μg kg-1 bm ("soft" flesh) on a daily basis for capsulated products, from 17 to 83 μg kg-1 bm ("soft" flesh) in a meal ("hard" type flesh mushrooms are not cooked while used in traditional herbal medicine after processing), and from 0.042 to 1.7 and 120 to 580 μg kg-1 bm on a weekly basis, respectively. KEY POINTS: • Polypore species were slightly contaminated with Hg. • Hg maximal content in the polypore was < 0.25 mg kg-1 dry weight. • Many species from Boletaceae family in Yunnan showed elevated Hg. • Locals who often eat Boletus may take Hg at a dose above the daily reference dose.

Poricoic acid A as a modulator of TPH-1 expression inhibits renal fibrosis via modulating protein stability of β-catenin and β-catenin-mediated transcription

Background

Renal fibrosis is the common feature of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, few drugs specifically target fibrogenesis due to the lack of an effective therapeutic target. Hence, it is urgent to find a therapeutic strategy that inhibits renal fibrosis. Here, we identified that poricoic acid A (PAA) as the modulator of tryptophan hydroxylase-1 (TPH-1), the key enzyme in tryptophan metabolism, exerted potent anti-fibrotic effects in the kidney.

Methods

Lentiviral vector, luciferase reporter activity assay and co-immunoprecipitation were used. The animal model of unilateral ureteral obstruction and adenine-induced chronic renal failure as well as transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1-treated epithelial cells NRK-52E and fibroblasts NRK-49F were used.

Results

TPH-1 was gradually decreased during CKD progression, while PAA treatment significantly increased TPH-1 expression to suppress renal fibrosis. Pharmacological overexpression of TPH-1 by PAA treatment exhibited anti-fibrosis and was linked to Wnt/β-catenin signaling activity. TPH-1 exhibited anti-fibrotic effects by suppressing epithelial cell injury and fibroblast activation, and PAA promoted TPH-1 expression and then suppressed the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway via regulating the protein stability of β-catenin and β-catenin-mediated transcription. TPH-1 overexpression enhanced the anti-fibrotic effects of PAA, while TPH-1 deficiency weakened the anti-fibrotic effects of PAA, indicating that TPH-1 was required for the anti-fibrotic effects of PAA.

Conclusion

PAA as a modulator of TPH-1 expression attenuated renal fibrosis through regulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by acting on the protein stability of β-catenin and β-catenin-mediated transcription. TPH-1 was required for PAA to exert anti-fibrosis.

Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Activities of Wolfiporia cocos (F.A. Wolf) Ryvarden & Gilb

Poria cocos is the dried sclerotium of Wolfiporia cocos (F.A. Wolf) Ryvarden & Gilb., which was the current accepted name and was formerly known as Macrohyporia cocos (Schwein.) I. Johans. & Ryvarden, Pachyma cocos (Schwein.) Fr., Poria cocos F.A. Wolf and Sclerotium cocos Schwein. It is one of the most important crude drugs in traditional Chinese medicine, with a wide range of applications in ameliorating phlegm and edema, relieving nephrosis and chronic gastritis and improving uneasiness of minds. Its extensive pharmacological effects have attracted considerable attention in recent years. However, there is no systematic review focusing on the chemical compounds and pharmacological activities of Poria cocos. Therefore, this review aimed to provide the latest information on the chemical compounds and pharmacological effects of Poria cocos, exploring the therapeutic potential of these compounds. We obtained the information of Poria cocos from electronic databases such as SCI finder, PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, WanFang DATA and Google Scholar. Up to now, two main active ingredients, triterpenes and polysaccharides of Poria cocos, have been identified from Poria cocos. It has been reported that they have pharmacological effects on anti-tumor, anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulation, and liver and kidney protection. The review summarizes the phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of Poria cocos, which suggest that researchers should focus on the development of new drugs about Poria cocos to make them exert greater therapeutic potential.