Begell House Inc.
International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms
IJM
1521-9437
13
5
2011
Medicinal Mushrooms for Glycemic Control in Diabetes Mellitus: History, Current Status, Future Perspectives, and Unsolved Problems (Review)
401-426
10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v13.i5.10
Hui-Chen
Lo
Department of Nutritional Science, Fu Jen Catholic University, 510 Zhongzheng Road, Xinzhuang District, New Taipei City 24205, Taiwan
Solomon P.
Wasser
International Centre for Biotechnology and Biodiversity of Fungi,
Institute of Evolution and Faculty of Natural Sciences,
University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, Haifa 31905, Israel
medicinal mushrooms
diabetes mellitus
glycemic control
hyperglycemia
insulin secretion
insulin resistance
polysaccharides
protein complexes
dietary fibers
anti-hyperglycemic activity
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia with defects in insulin secretion and/or insulin resistance. Despite great efforts that have been made in the understanding and management of diabetes, its prevalence continues to grow. Recent discoveries have opened up an exciting opportunity for developing new types of therapeutics from medicinal mushrooms to control DM and its complications. To date, more and more active components including polysaccharides and their protein complexes, dietary fibers, and other compounds extracted from fruiting bodies, cultured mycelium, or cultured broth of medicinal mushrooms have been reported as to having anti-hyperglycemic activity. These compounds exhibit their antidiabetic activity via different mechanisms. This article presents an overview of the multiple aspects of diabetes mellitus and the efficacy and mechanism of medicinal mushrooms for glucose control in diabetes, including the inhibition of glucose absorption, protection of beta-cell damage, increase of insulin release, enhancement of antioxidant defense, attenuation of inflammation, modulation of carbohydrate metabolism pathway, and regulation of insulin-dependent and insulin-independent signaling pathways. However, there is insufficient evidence to draw definitive conclusions about the efficacy of individual medicinal mushrooms for diabetes. In addition, the wide variability, the lack of standards for production, and the lack of testing protocols to assess product quality are still problems in producing medicinal mushroom products. Moreover, well-designed randomized controlled trials with long-term consumption are needed to guarantee the bioactivity and safety of medicinal mushroom products for diabetic patients.
Antitumor Effect of Culinary-Medicinal Oyster Mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.: Fr.) P. Kumm., Derived Protein Fraction on Tumor-Bearing Mice Models
427-440
10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v13.i5.20
Swatilekha
Maiti
Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India
Sanjaya Kumar
Mallick
Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India
Sujit Kumar
Bhutia
Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India
Birendra
Behera
Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India
Mohitosh
Mandal
School of Medical Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India
Tapas K
Maiti
Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, India
medicinal mushrooms
Pleurotus ostreatus
antitumor protein
Dalton’s lymphoma
immunomodulation
Previously, we reported the in vitro anticancer and immunomodulatory effect of a protein fraction designated as Cibacron blue affinity purified protein (CBAEP) obtained from the culinary-medicinal oyster mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus. In the present study, we investigated the in vivo antitumor potential of CBAEP in different tumor-bearing mice models and studied the detailed mechanism of tumor regression in Dalton lymphoma (DL)-bearing mice. The lethal dose (LD50) of CBAEP was found to be 55 mg/kg body weight and sublethal doses (5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg body weight) showed a prolonged tumor survival time in DL, Sarcoma-180, and B16F0 melanoma tumor-bearing mice. Further, CBAEP reduced about 35.68 and 51.43% DL cell growth in 5 and 10 mg/kg body weight, respectively. The in vivo CBAEP treatment showed an apoptotic feature as demonstrated in morphological study and sub-G0/G1 population in cell cycle and Western blot of DL cells. CBAEP also activated immunosuppression condition in DL tumor-bearing host. It also stimulated immune cells in the presence of nonspecific immunostunulator (LPS and ConA) ex vivo as well as enhanced Th1 response with production of TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-2. Moreover, it activated tumor-associated macrophages and NK cells. The present findings revealed the potent antitumor property of CBAEP, which might help in developing a new anticancer drug.
Immunomodulation of Bone Marrow Macrophages by GLIS, a Proteoglycan Fraction from Lingzhi or Reishi Medicinal Mushroom Ganoderma lucidium (W.Curt.:Fr.) P. Karst.
441-448
10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v13.i5.30
Zhe
Ji
National Engineering Research Center of Edible Fungi; Key Laboratory of Applied Mycological Resources and Utilization, Ministry of Agriculture; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genetics and Breeding; Institute of Edible Fungi,
Qingjiu
Tang
Key Laboratory of Edible Fungi Resources and Utilization (South) of Ministry of Agriculture; National Engineering Research Center of Edible Fungi, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genetics and Breeding of Shanghai; Institute of Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
Jingsong
Zhang
Institute of Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences; Key Laboratory of Edible Fungi Resources and Utilization (South), Ministry of Agriculture, P.R. China; National Engineering Research Center of Edible Fungi; National R&D Center for Edible Fungi Processing, Shanghai, 201403, P.R. China
Yan
Yang
National Engineering Research Center of Edible Fungi, Key Laboratory of Applied Mycological Resources and Utilization of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genetics and Breeding, Institute of
Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, China
Yanfang
Liu
Key Laboratory of Edible Fungi Resources and Utilization (South) of Ministry of Agriculture; National Engineering Research Center of Edible Fungi, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genetics and Breeding of Shanghai; Institute of Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
Ying-jie
Pan
College of Food Sciences, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 200090, China
medicinal mushrooms
cytokines
Ganoderma lucidum
immunoactivation
bone marrow macrophages
The immunomodulatory effect of GLIS (Lingzhi or Reishi medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum immunomodulating substance) on macrophages has been investigated as part of ongoing research into the anticancer properties of this mushroom. Proliferation of bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) was enhanced by GLIS in a dose-dependent manner. Microscopic examination revealed that numerous GLIS-treated BMMs were enlarged and formed pseudopodia. Exposure of BMMs to GLIS resulted in significant increases in NO production, induction of cellular respiratory burst activity, and increased levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12p35, IL-12p40, IL-18, and TNF-α gene expression and levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-12 secretion. Our data indicate that GLIS activates the immune system by modulating cytokine production.
Indole Compounds in Some Culinary-Medicinal Higher Basidiomycetes from Poland
449-454
10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v13.i5.40
Bozena
Muszynska
Jagiellonian University Medical College, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Medyczna 9, 30-688 Kraków, Poland
Katarzyna
Sutkowska-Ziaja
Chair and Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Jagiellonian University, Collegium Medicum, Medyczna Street 9, Krakow, Poland
Halina
Ekiert
Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Jagiellonian University, Collegium Medicum, Kraków, Poland
culinary-medicinal mushrooms
Boletus edulis
Suillus luteus
Pleurotus ostreatus
indole compounds
Methanolic extracts of two species collected from natural habitats in Poland, Boletus edulis and Suillus luteus, and one species from a commercial source, Pleurotus ostreatus, were analyzed for the presence of non-hallucinogenic indole compounds. The contents of indole compounds in these species were both qualitatively and quantitatively diverse, ranging from 0.01 to 34.11 mg/100 g d.w. Two of 11 tested indole compounds, 5-hydroxytryptophan (0.18, 2.08, 1.63 mg/100 g d.w.) and serotonin (6.52, 10.14, 34.11 mg/100 g d.w.), were present in all three species under study. B. edulis and S. luteus were found to contain L-tryptophan (0.39 and 2.61 mg/100g d.w.) and melatonin (0.68 and 0.71 mg/100 g d.w.). Tryptamine was present in two species, i.e., B. edulis (1.17 mg/100 g d.w.) and in P. ostreatus (0.91mg/100 g d.w.), in which slight amounts of indole acetonitrile (0.04 and 0.01 mg/100 g d.w., respectively) were also identified. Indoleacetic acid was a common metabolite for P. ostreatus and S. luteus and its contents amounted to 0.21 and 0.04 mg/100 g d.w., respectively. Indole compounds degradation products kynurenic acid (2.63 mg/100 g d.w.) and kynurenine sulfate were (19.57 mg/100 g d.w.) were observed only in S. luteus.
Enhanced Production of Medicinal Polysaccharide by Submerged Fermentation of Lingzhi or Reishi Medicinal Mushroom Ganoderma lucidium (W.Curt.:Fr.) P. Karst. Using Statistical and Evolutionary Optimization Methods
455-464
10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v13.i5.50
Gurunathan
Baskar
Department of Biotechnology, St. Joseph's College of Engineering, Chennai, India
Shree Rajesh K. Lakshmi Jai
Sathya
Department of Biotechnology, St. Joseph's College of Engineering, Chennai − 600 119, India
medicinal mushrooms
Ganoderma lucidum
exopolysaccharide
submerged fermentation
optimization
artificial neural network
genetic algorithm
Statistical and evolutionary optimization of media composition was employed for the production of medicinal exopolysaccharide (EPS) by Lingzhi or Reishi medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidium MTCC 1039 using soya bean meal flour as low-cost substrate. Soya bean meal flour, ammonium chloride, glucose, and pH were identified as the most important variables for EPS yield using the two-level Plackett-Burman design and further optimized using the central composite design (CCD) and the artificial neural network (ANN)-linked genetic algorithm (GA). The high value of coefficient of determination of ANN (R2 = 0.982) indicates that the ANN model was more accurate than the second-order polynomial model of CCD (R2 = 0.91) for representing the effect of media composition on EPS yield. The predicted optimum media composition using ANN-linked GA was soybean meal flour 2.98%, glucose 3.26%, ammonium chloride 0.25%, and initial pH 7.5 for the maximum predicted EPS yield of 1005.55 mg/L. The experimental EPS yield obtained using the predicted optimum media composition was 1012.36 mg/L, which validates the high degree of accuracy of evolutionary optimization for enhanced production of EPS by submerged fermentation of G. lucidium.
Morpho-physiological Diversity between Lingzhi or Reishi Medicinal Mushroom Ganoderma lucidium (W. Curt.:Fr.) P. Karst. and G. carnosum Pat.
465-472
10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v13.i5.60
Jasmina
Ćilerdžić
University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Jelena
Vukojević
Institute of Botany and Botanical Garden "Jevremovac", Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Takovska 43, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Mirjana
Stajic
University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
Ibrahim
Hadzic
Institute of Botany, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Takovska 43, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia
medicinal mushrooms
Lingzhi or Reshi mushroom
Ganoderma lucidum
Ganoderma carnosum
ligninolytic enzymes
morphology
polysaccharides
Two weakly differentiated taxa, Ganoderma lucidum and G. carnosum, were compared in their sufficient morphological and physiological features. The obtained results showed that dimensions of basidiospores and pileocystidia were insignificantly different, while pore shape and dimensions have shown greater diversity with average diameter of 138.46 μm in G. carnosum and 238.34 μm in G. lucidum. Mycelial growth rate was higher in G. lucidum (8.39 mm day−1) than in G. carnosum (6.02 mm day−1). G. lucidum was also a slightly better producer of biomass and extracellular polysaccharides (28.16 g L−1 and 1.42 mg mL−1, respectively) than G. carnosum (23.68 g L−1 and 0.35 mg mL−1, respectively). However, a higher amount of synthesized intracellular polysaccharides was noted in G. carnosum than in G. lucidum (40.00 mg g−1 and 30.00 mg g−1 of dry biomass, respectively). Higher activity levels of Mn-oxidizing peroxidases were obtained in G. carnosum, while G. lucidum was a better laccase producer. In G. carnosum, corn stem/NH4NO3 medium with nitrogen concentration of 20 mM was the optimum for Mn-dependent peroxidase production (88.00 U L−1), while the highest versatile peroxidase activity was detected in the medium with grapevine sawdust and 10 mM of nitrogen (80.80 U L−1). Wheat straw was the best carbon source for laccase synthesis in G. lucidum (55.75 U L−1).
Proteomic Analysis of Differently Cultured Endemic Medicinal Mushroom Antrodia cinnamomea T.T. Chang et W.N. Chou from Taiwan
473-482
10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v13.i5.70
Yan-Liang
Lin
School of Forestry and Resource Conservation, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan
Tuan-Nan
Wen
Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
Shang-Tzen
Chang
School of Forestry and Resource Conservation, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan
Fang-Hua
Chu
School of Forestry and Resource Conservation, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan
medicinal mushrooms
Antrodia cinnamomea
fruiting body
proteomics
Antrodia cinnamomea is peculiar to Taiwan. It only grows on one host and is highly valued as an important component of several traditional Chinese medicines. In this study, the different protein expression profiles of artificially cultivated vegetative mycelium and wild-type basidiomatal fruiting bodies were compared and unique protein spots from wild-type basidiomatal fruiting body were investigated using 2D polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and LC-MS/MS protein identification. Most of the wild-type proteins not seen in the artificially cultivated mycelium were associated to function in metabolism, cell stress, ROS scavenging, and cell growth. Several proteins from wild-type basidiomes, such as catalase, aryl-alcohol dehydrogenase, S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase, intradiol dioxygenase, haloacid dyhydrogenase, alpha- and beta-form tubulin, prohibitin, septin, chaperone, and HSP90 ATPase, showed higher expression than those from artificially cultured mycelium at the mRNA level.
Mycosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Lingzhi or Reishi Medicinal Mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum (W. Curt.:Fr.) P. Karst. and their Role as Antimicrobials and Antibiotic Activity Enhancers
483-491
10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v13.i5.80
Alka S.
Karwa
Department of Biotechnology, Amravati University, Amravati 444602, India
Swapnil
Gaikwad
Department of Biotechnology, SGB Amravati University, Amravati, Maharashtra 444602, India
Mahendra K.
Rai
Department of Biotechnology, SGB Amravati University, Amravati, Maharashtra-444 602, India
medicinal mushrooms
Ganoderma lucidum
silver nanoparticles
mycosynthesis
antibacterial activity
mycoenhancing
Lingzhi or Reishi medicinal mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum, has been used over the ages as highly medicinal herb in the Orient. Many useful properties of this fungus are still being studied; we report here a new facet of this "elixir of life" as a mycosource for synthesis of metal nanoparticles. Treating the extracellular suspension filtrate of the mycelia of G. lucidum with silver nitrate reduces the metal ions to nanoparticles. Optical detection followed by confirmation through spectroscopic analysis suggests that this fungus can be used for the purpose of safe and sure synthesis of silver nanoparticles, demand for which is growing day by day in all fields of human life. LM-20 analysis of these G. lucidum−synthesised nanoparticles reveals the polydispersity and distribution of silver nanoparticles in the range of 10−70 nm with an average size of 45 nm and a concentration of 0.37 x 108 particles/mL. FT-IR spectrum confirms the stability of these nanoparticles due to presence of amide linkages and protein capping. These nanoparticles have shown strong bactericidal activity against test pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, and also exhibited their efficiency in enhancing the activity of the synthetic antibiotic tetracycline. The method of synthesising silver nanoparticles and its bactericidal effect discussed here can be used for environment-friendly and economically feasible production for different applications where chemically synthesized nanoparticles cause undesirable effects.