Purification, characterization and antioxidant activities in vitro and in vivo of the polysaccharides from Boletus edulis bull

Experimental Models in Unraveling the Biological Mechanisms of Mushroom-Derived Bioactives against Aging- and Lifestyle-Related Diseases: A Review

Mushrooms have garnered considerable interest among researchers due to their immense nutritional and therapeutic properties. The presence of biologically active primary and secondary metabolites, which includes several micronutrients, including vitamins, essential minerals, and other dietary fibers, makes them an excellent functional food. Moreover, the dietary inclusion of mushrooms has been reported to reduce the incidence of aging- and lifestyle-related diseases, such as cancer, obesity, and stroke, as well as to provide overall health benefits by promoting immunomodulation, antioxidant activity, and enhancement of gut microbial flora. The multifunctional activities of several mushroom extracts have been evaluated by both in vitro and in vivo studies using cell lines along with invertebrate and vertebrate model systems to address human diseases and disorders at functional and molecular levels. Although each model has its own strengths as well as lacunas, various studies have generated a plethora of data regarding the regulating players that are modulated in order to provide various protective activities; hence, this review intends to compile and provide an overview of the plausible mechanism of action of mushroom-derived bioactives, which will be helpful in future medicinal explorations.

Biotechnological Applications of Mushrooms under the Water-Energy-Food Nexus: Crucial Aspects and Prospects from Farm to Pharmacy

Mushrooms have always been an important source of food, with high nutritional value and medicinal attributes. With the use of biotechnological applications, mushrooms have gained further attention as a source of healthy food and bioenergy. This review presents different biotechnological applications and explores how these can support global food, energy, and water security. It highlights mushroom's relevance to meet the sustainable development goals of the UN. This review also discusses mushroom farming and its requirements. The biotechnology review includes sections on how to use mushrooms in producing nanoparticles, bioenergy, and bioactive compounds, as well as how to use mushrooms in bioremediation. The different applications are discussed under the water, energy, and food (WEF) nexus. As far as we know, this is the first report on mushroom biotechnology and its relationships to the WEF nexus. Finally, the review valorizes mushroom biotechnology and suggests different possibilities for mushroom farming integration.

Chemical profiles and health-promoting effects of porcini mushroom (Boletus edulis): A narrative review

Boletus edulis is an edible mushroom with nutritious, delicacy, and pharmacological properties. It is rich in carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, and taste compounds, while low in fat and calories. Diverse bioactive compounds, including polysaccharides, phenolic compounds, and phytosterols, have been found in B. edulis. In addition, bioactive compounds and chemical extracts from B. edulis have been verified to possess constipation prevention, antioxidant, antineoplastic, anti-inflammatory, hepato-protective, antibacterial, and antiviral activities. This paper provides an overview of B. edulis research in recent two decades, emphasizing the nutrition constituents, taste and flavor components, bioactive compounds, and health-promoting effects of B. edulis. Boletus edulis appeared to have health-promoting effects that may effectively prevent or treat various chronic diseases. The potential of B. edulis as a functional food and medicine needs to be further investigated and confirmed.

Preparation, structural characterisation, and antioxidant activities of polysaccharides from eight boletes (Boletales) in tropical China

Polysaccharides in boletes (Boletales) are economically significant to both function food and medicinal industries. The polysaccharides were extracted from the fruit bodies of eight boletes, namely, Aureoboletus longicollis, Butyriboletus hainanensis, Crocinoboletus rufoaureus, Hemioporus japonicus, Neoboletus infuscatus, Neoboletus obscureumbrinus, Tylopilus otsuensis, Xanthoconium fusciceps, which were collected from tropical China; their physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities were characterised and evaluated, respectively. The results revealed that the polysaccharides among the eight boletes were mainly composed of glucose, mannose, and galactose, with a broad molecular weight range, and contained a pyranose ring revealed by FT-IR and NMR spectral analyses. Many factors such as different species of boletes, geographic conditions, molecular weight, configuration, and monosaccharide content may affect the antioxidant power of polysaccharides, simultaneously, instead of one single factor. The antioxidant activities of the polysaccharides were measured according to in vitro assays of DPPH scavenging, superoxide anion scavenging, and ferrous ion reducing tests. The polysaccharide of C. rufoaureus has greatly superior antioxidant activity and it could serve as potential functional food or medicine.

Edible Mushrooms for Sustainable and Healthy Human Food: Nutritional and Medicinal Attributes

Global food production faces many challenges, including climate change, a water crisis, land degradation, and desertification. These challenges require research into non-traditional sources of human foods. Edible mushrooms are considered an important next-generation healthy food source. Edible mushrooms are rich in proteins, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other bioactive components (alkaloids, lactones, polysaccharides, polyphenolic compounds, sesquiterpenes, sterols, and terpenoids). Several bioactive ingredients can be extracted from edible mushrooms and incorporated into health-promoting supplements. It has been suggested that several human diseases can be treated with extracts from edible mushrooms, as these extracts have biological effects including anticancer, antidiabetic, antiviral, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, immune-potentiating, and hypo-cholesterolemic influences. The current study focuses on sustainable approaches for handling edible mushrooms and their secondary metabolites, including biofortification. Comparisons between edible and poisonous mushrooms, as well as the common species of edible mushrooms and their different bioactive ingredients, are crucial. Nutritional values and the health benefits of edible mushrooms, as well as different biomedical applications, have been also emphasized. Further research is needed to explore the economic sustainability of different medicinal mushroom bioactive compound extracts and their potential applications against emerging diseases such as COVID-19. New approaches such as nano-biofortification are also needed to supply edible mushrooms with essential nutrients and/or to increase their bioactive ingredients.

Rapid large-scale preparation of polysaccharides from jackfruit peel waste by high-speed countercurrent chromatography and their antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities

Polysaccharides with antioxidant and hypoglycemic activities were first isolated from jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) peel through the one-step high-speed countercurrent chromatography. The separation process was completed using the polymer two-phase aqueous system constituted by PEG1000-K₂ HPO₄ -KH₂ PO₄ -H₂ O (0.8:1.25:1.25:6.5, w/w). For every separation process, two main polysaccharides, namely, fraction-1 and fraction-2 (165 and 225 mg, respectively) were obtained from a 2.0 g crude sample. As suggested by high-performance gel permeation chromatography, jackfruit peel polysaccharides had the mean molecular weight values of 113.3 and 174.3 kDa, separately. Physicochemical analysis suggested that two polysaccharides were dominant in galacturonic acid, galactose, rhamnose, arabinose, glucose, mannose, as well as fucose, which were highly esterified. Biological activity analysis showed that fraction-1 exhibited stronger antioxidant activity in vitro and hypoglycemic activity in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice compared with fraction-2. The results suggest that polysaccharide fraction-1 may be developed as a potential functional food supplement.

Fungi and Algae as Sources of Medicinal and Other Biologically Active Compounds: A Review

Many species of fungi including lichenized fungi (lichens) and algae have the ability to biosynthesize biologically active compounds. They produce, among others, polysaccharides with anticancer and immunostimulatory properties: (1) Background: This paper presents the characteristics of the most important bioactive compounds produced by fungi and algae; (2) Methods: Based on the example of the selected species of mushrooms, lichens and algae, the therapeutic properties of the secondary metabolites that they produce and the possibilities of their use are presented; (3) Results: The importance of fungi, especially large-fruited mushrooms, lichens and algae, in nature and human life is discussed, in particular, with regard to their use in the pharmaceutical industry and their nutritional value; (4) Conclusions: The natural organisms, such as fungi, lichenized fungi and algae, could be used as supplementary medicine, in the form of pharmaceutical preparations and food sources. Further advanced studies are required on the pharmacological properties and bioactive compounds of these organisms.

Anti-inflammatory effects of Boletus edulis polysaccharide on asthma pathology

Asthma is a chronic airway disease common around the world. The burden of this disease could be reduced with new and effective treatments. Here, the efficacy of a polysaccharide extract from the Boletus edulis (BEP) mushroom, which has demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties, was tested in a mouse model of asthma. Five groups of BaLB/C mice were developed; one group served as a control and did not have asthma induction. The other four groups of mice were sensitized by ovalbumin challenge. FinePointe™ RC animal airway resistance and pulmonary compliance was used to assess airway function in asthma models. Three of the 4 model groups received treatments: one received pravastatin, one received dexamethasone, and one received BEP. Histopathology of lung tissues was performed using H&E and AB-PAS staining. Levels of cytokines IL-4 and IFN-g were detected using ELISA, qRT-PCR, and Western blotting. Cyclophilin A was measured by Western blot, and flow cytometry was used to determine the proportion of CD4⁺CD25⁺FOXP3⁺ Treg cells. BEP treatment resulted in improvements in lung pathology, IL-4 level (P<0.05), and IFN-γ level (P<0.05) similar to traditional dexamethasone treatment. Further, the proportion of anti-inflammatory CD4⁺CD25⁺FOXP3⁺ Treg cells significantly increased (P<0.05) compared to untreated asthma models, and expression of cyclophilin A significantly decreased (P<0.05). Thus, Boletus edulis polysaccharide reduces pro-inflammatory responses and increases anti-inflammatory responses in mouse models of asthma, suggesting this may be a novel treatment method.

Boletus edulis Nitrite Reductase Reduces Nitrite Content of Pickles and Mitigates Intoxication in Nitrite-intoxicated Mice

Pickles are popular in China and exhibits health-promoting effects. However, nitrite produced during fermentation adversely affects health due to formation of methemoglobin and conversion to carcinogenic nitrosamine. Fruiting bodies of the mushroom Boletus edulis were capable of inhibiting nitrite production during pickle fermentation. A 90-kDa nitrite reductase (NiR), demonstrating peptide sequence homology to fungal nitrite reductase, was isolated from B. edulis fruiting bodies. The optimum temperature and pH of the enzyme was 45 °C and 6.8, respectively. B. edulis NiR was capable of prolonging the lifespan of nitrite-intoxicated mice, indicating that it had the action of an antidote. The enzyme could also eliminate nitrite from blood after intragastric administration of sodium nitrite, and after packaging into capsule, this nitrite-eliminating activity could persist for at least 120 minutes thus avoiding immediate gastric degradation. B. edulis NiR represents the first nitrite reductase purified from mushrooms and may facilitate subsequent applications.