Anti-Xanthine Oxidase 5'-Hydroxyhericenes A-D from the Edible Mushroom Hericium erinaceus and Structure Revision of 3-[2,3-Dihydroxy-4-(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydrofuran-1-yl]-pyridine-4,5-diol

Hericium erinaceus ethanol extract exhibits potent DNA-protective and antioxidant action: Evidence from in vitro and Drosophila melanogaster studies

Lion's mane (Hericium erinaceus (Bull.: Fr.) Pers.) is a highly valued edible fungus recognized for its diverse health benefits. This study investigated the in vitro DNA-protective effects and in vivo genotoxicity and antioxidant activity of an ethanol extract from the fruiting bodies of cultivated H. erinaceus (HEEE) using a Drosophila model. HEEE exhibited remarkable, concentration-dependent protection against DNA damage induced by hydroxyl and peroxyl radicals in vitro reaching optimal protection at 400 μg mL-1, without showing genotoxic effects in third instar Drosophila melanogaster larvae, at tested concentrations below 20 mg mL-1. HEEE displayed significant in vivo antioxidant activity under oxidative stress conditions at concentrations up to 2.5 mg mL-1. In the range of 1.25-10 mg mL-1, HEEE reduced malondialdehyde levels, while a concentration of 40 mg mL-1 exhibited a significant pro-oxidant effect. At 1.25 mg mL-1, superoxide dismutase and catalase activities increased by 23.1% and 10.6%, respectively. The concentrations of 10, 20, and 40 mg mL-1 significantly reduced superoxide dismutase activity, by 44.1%, 52.0%, and 66.4%, respectively. The concentrations of 10, 20, and 40 mg mL-1 induced an increase in glutathione (GSH) levels of 131.5%, 145.8%, and 228.7%, respectively. Quantitative Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (qNMR) spectroscopy revealed the presence of hericenes and hericenones and allowed to quantify, for the first time directly without prior separation steps, these active ingredients at 0.43% (w/w), expressed as the relative content of hericenone C. Phenolics hericenes and hericenones C-H likely contribute to the observed antioxidant and DNA-protective activities. These findings suggest that HEEE could be a valuable dietary supplement providing protection against oxidative DNA damage and supporting antioxidant defenses.

Biological Activities and Chemical Contents of Edible Hohenbuehelia petaloides (Bull.) Schulzer

Mushrooms are a good diet with high protein and polyunsaturated fatty acid contents in health, food, and industry from past to present. Mushrooms have attracted a lot of attention in terms of the bioavailability of natural products. Hohenbuehelia petaloides, a member of the Pleuroteceae family, is an edible wood fungus that grows naturally on the trunks of old and decayed trees. In this study, the cytotoxic activities of hexane, methanol, and water extracts of H. petaloides against various cancer cell lines A549, MCF-7, PC-3, and HT-29 were investigated with the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-dipenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. In addition, the apoptotic, inflammatory, angiogenic, and antimicrobial effects of the extracts were examined by flow cytometry, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and well diffusion assays, respectively. Moreover, the antioxidant activity and phenolic and lipid components of H. petaloides were determined. The hexane extract showed the highest cytotoxic activity (IC50 = 26.48 ± 0.02 μg/mL) against A549 cells, while water and methanol extracts exhibited the highest cytotoxicity (IC50 = 83.18 ± 0.05 μg/mL and IC50 = 90.95 ± 0.05 μg/mL, respectively) against PC-3 cells. The hexane extract killed A549 cells via apoptosis. The methanol extract, at the IC50 level, was the most effective in decreasing both tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) release. In antioxidant activity tests performed with 5 different methods, the methanol extract had higher antioxidant activity than the others, followed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical (IC50 = 82.61 ± 0.90 μg/mL) and 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) cation radical removal (IC50 = 55.20 ± 0.65 μg/mL) and CUPRAC-reducing power (IC50 = 76.41 ± 0.73 μg/mL). Among the extracts studied, the hexane extract showed antimicrobial activity against Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Micrococcus luteus with different inhibition zones. The major lipid components of H. petaloides analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) were elaidic acid (38.22%), palmitic acid (30.59%), stearic acid (13.21%), linoleic acid (4.35%), and azelaic acid (4.29%). The phenolic compounds determined by the high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode-array detection (HPLC-DAD) system were p-hydroxybenzoic acid (7.42 μg/g extract), cinnamic acid (6.83 μg/g extract), gallic acid (5.36 μg/g extract), and protocatechuic acid (1.83 μg/g extract). The results showed that H. petaloides has the potential to be a natural source for the development of novel anticancer and antimicrobial agents as well as a beneficial food supplement for the prevention of cancer.

Unveiling the Chemical Composition and Biofunctionality of Hericium spp. Fungi: A Comprehensive Overview

In recent years, research on mushrooms belonging to the Hericium genus has attracted considerable attention due to their unique appearance and well-known medicinal properties. These mushrooms are abundant in bioactive chemicals like polysaccharides, hericenones, erinacines, hericerins, resorcinols, steroids, mono- and diterpenes, and corallocins, alongside essential nutrients. These compounds demonstrate beneficial bioactivities which are related to various physiological systems of the body, including the digestive, immune, and nervous systems. Extensive research has been conducted on the isolation and identification of numerous bioactive chemicals, and both in vitro and in vivo studies have confirmed their antimicrobial, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, antidiabetic, anticholesterolemic, anticancer, and neuroprotective properties. Therefore, this review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the latest scientific literature on the chemical composition and secondary metabolites profile of Hericium spp. through an introduction to their chemical characteristics, speculated biosynthesis pathways for key chemical families, potential toxicological aspects, and a detailed description of the recent updates regarding the bioactivity of these metabolites.

Polysaccharides from an edible mushroom, Hericium erinaceus, alleviate ulcerative colitis in mice by inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasomes and reestablish intestinal homeostasis

This study aimed to assess the effects of polysaccharides extracted from Hericium erinaceus fruiting bodies (HEFPs) on the inflammatory response to oxidative stress in a mouse model of ulcerative colitis (UC) induced by ingestion of dextran sodium sulfate. The results indicated reduced oxidative damage in the HEFPs groups, as evidenced by significantly decreased malondialdehyde levels and significantly increased levels of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase in colon homogenates, compared with those in the Model Control (MC) group. Additionally, compared with the levels in the MC group, the levels of the pro-inflammatory factors IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α in the positive-control (PC) and HEFPs groups were significantly lower, and that of the anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 was significantly higher. qRT-PCR analyses revealed that the colon expression patterns of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-18 were consistent with the serum levels. Western-blotting results indicated significantly lower levels of NLRP3, ASC, and caspase 1 P20 in the HEFPs and PC groups than in the MC group. These findings suggest that HEFPs alleviate UC by suppressing the NLRP3 inflammasome/Caspase-1 pathway. Lachnospiraceae, Clostridiales, Parabacteroides, Oscillibacter, and Clostridium XlVa genera were more abundant in the gut microbiota of the HEFPs group than that of the MC group.

Anti-Hyperuricemia Activity and Potential Mechanisms of Medicinal Mushroom Activity: A Review of Preclinical Studies

Hyperuricemia (HUA) is characterized by abnormally elevated levels of serum uric acid, the product of purine metabolism. The primary symptom of HUA is gout; however, asymptomatic HUA is associated with complications such as hypertension, kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome. The activation of xanthine oxidase (XO), a pivotal enzyme in uric acid biosynthesis, is coupled with extensive reactive oxygen species generation, leading to inflammatory responses, and triggers the development of HUA and its complications. In clinical practice, XO inhibitors are primarily used to treat HUA; however, their prolonged use is accompanied by serious adverse effects. Mushrooms and their bioactive constituents have shown promising anti-HUA activities in both in vitro and in vivo studies, including inhibition of urate production, modulation of renal urate transporters, enhancement of intestinal uric acid excretion, and antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimetabolic syndrome properties. Clinical trials are necessary to validate the beneficial effects and safety of mushrooms in preventing or alleviating HUA and attenuating the associated complications. This review presents contemporary insights into the pathogenesis of HUA, the bioactive components of mushrooms, their therapeutic potential, and the underlying mechanisms involved in ameliorating HUA.