Search Results (25)

Sanghuangporus sanghuang (S. sanghuang) is an important medicinal mushroom rich in bioactive compounds. Selenium (Se) biofortification may further enhance its functional value and industrial profitability; however, evidence-based guidance on Se source selection and dosage for production remains insufficient. Using the strain “Sanghuang Hu2”, we compared sodium selenite, nano-selenium (nano-Se), and selenium-enriched yeast (Se-yeast) at different supplementation levels and comprehensively evaluated their effects on mycelial growth and fruiting body development, Se accumulation and speciation, and nutritional quality. The responses of S. sanghuang were strongly Se-source-specific and concentration-dependent. Se-yeast caused the least inhibition of mycelial growth while achieving the highest Se uptake and biotransformation efficiency. During bag cultivation, supplementation with 15 mg/kg Se-yeast significantly increased single-bag yield and biological efficiency without prolonging full colonization time and exhibited superior input cost performance. This treatment enabled an extremely high proportion of organic Se accumulation (>99.5%), dominated by selenomethionine. Moreover, Se-yeast markedly improved crude protein, crude polysaccharides, and total amino acids in fruiting bodies, with lysine showing the largest increase. Overall, considering growth and yield, Se accumulation/speciation, nutritional enhancement, and economic feasibility, Se-yeast is the optimal Se source for Se-enriched Sanghuang, with a recommended dosage of 15 mg/kg. Full article

Sanghuangporus vaninii (Ljub.) is an edible and medicinal macrofungus that has become the main strain for artificial cultivation of Sanghuang. In this study, twenty-six compounds (1–26), including five previously undescribed ergosterols, named sanghusterols A–E (1–5), were isolated from the fruiting bodies of S. vaninii. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Compounds 1, 15, 17, 21 and 25 exhibited potent inhibitory activity against NO production with the IC₅₀ value of 8.3–14.8 μM and dose-dependently decreased iNOS and COX-2 protein expression in RAW264.7 cells. Molecular docking studies confirmed the capacity of compounds 1, 15, 17, 21 and 25 to interact with iNOS and COX-2 proteins. These findings may provide a solid phytochemical and pharmacological basis for developing the mushroom as potential anti-inflammatory agents. Full article

Inonotus hispidus is an important medicinal and edible fungus within the “Sanghuang” category, featuring a broad host range and rapid fruiting body growth. However, its wild resources are currently threatened by overharvesting. Simultaneously, large-scale jujube (Ziziphus jujuba) cultivation generates substantial pruning waste, often burned. This study explored the feasibility of using jujube wood as a cultivation substrate for I. hispidus. Three I. hispidus strains, Z1, Z2, and ZL, were cultivated on substrates with varying proportions of jujube wood replacing cottonseed hulls. The biological efficiency, nutritional components, active compounds, and free amino acid profiles of the resulting fruiting bodies were analyzed. Non-targeted metabolomics was used to investigate global metabolic changes. Results indicated that all strains successfully colonized the jujube-based substrates and produced fruiting bodies. Strain ZL exhibited the highest biological efficiency and the shortest growth period on the 48% jujube wood substrate, while others showed significantly increased triterpenoids and flavonoids content. Metabolomic analysis revealed substrate-dependent and strain-specific alterations in metabolic pathways, particularly in amino acid biosynthesis, the TCA cycle, and secondary metabolism. This study confirms jujube wood as a viable alternative substrate for the edible (ZL) and medicinal (Z1, Z2) cultivation of I. hispidus, providing a sustainable production method while establishing a valuable utilization pathway for jujube wood waste. Full article

Sanghuangporus spp. are medicinal fungi with significant therapeutic value, but their taxonomic ambiguity and frequent market adulteration have hindered their standardized utilization. In this study, untargeted metabolomics based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS was employed to systematically analyze the metabolic profiles of three Sanghuangporus species: Sanghuangporus. sanghuang (SS), Sanghuangporus. vaninii (SV), and Sanghuangporus. baumii (SB). A total of 788 metabolites were identified and classified into 16 categories, among which 97 were common differential metabolites, including bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, polysaccharides, and terpenoids. Multivariate statistical analyses (PCA and OPLS-DA) revealed distinct metabolic patterns among the species. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that the differential metabolites were mainly involved in flavonoid and isoflavonoid biosynthesis. Notably, SV and SB exhibited significantly higher levels of several key bioactive compounds, including Apigenin and D-glucuronolactone, compared to SS. These findings highlight substantial interspecies differences in metabolic composition and pharmacological potential, providing a scientific basis for species authentication, quality control, and medicinal development of Sanghuangporus. Full article

Sanghuang (SH), a natural fungal resource used for food and medicinal purposes, has drawn considerable attention due to its pharmacological effects and efficacy. This study focused on Wild Sanghuang (WS) and Sanghuang cultivated using two different methods: Duanmu Sanghuang and Mycelium Sanghuang. Using UPLC-O-TOF-MS, we conducted an in-depth analysis of the secondary metabolites present in SH. The content of 18 amino acids was measured using an automated amino acid analyzer. The results demonstrated major differences in secondary metabolites, including flavonoids, organic acids, amino acids, and their derivatives, between WS and cultivated Sanghuang (CS). The total amino acid content in WS surpassed that of CS, with segmental trunk SH exhibiting a total amino acid content 1.3 times (p < 0.05) greater than that of bag material SH. This variation may be linked to the biosynthetic pathways of valine, leucine, isoleucine, and flavonoids. By comparing the metabolomic and amino acidomic differences between WS and artificially CS, this study aims to provide a scientific basis for understanding the nutritional and medicinal value of various cultivation methods for SH and offer theoretical support for the future development of SH-related products. Full article

Inonotus hispidus growing on Morus alba is traditionally regarded as the authentic source of the medicinal fungus. However, this species is also found on other host trees, such as Ulmus macrocarpa and Acer truncatum; yet, whether these strains share comparable genomic and functional traits with Morus-derived strains remains unknown. Here, we performed whole-genome sequencing of a strain isolated from U. macrocarpa (UMI) using Illumina and PacBio platforms and conducted comparative genomic analysis with strains from M. alba (MAI) and A. truncatum (AMI). Antagonistic interactions were also evaluated via dual-culture confrontation assays. The UMI genome was 36.44 Mb in size, comprising 9097 predicted genes, of which 6991 and 1672 were annotated in the KEGG and COG databases, respectively. SNP analysis revealed 623,498 and 335,343 variants in AMI and MAI, with AMI showing greater genomic variation. Core–pan genome analysis identified 2651 core genes and 1046, 1424, and 1217 strain-specific genes in UMI, AMI, and MAI, respectively. Phenotypic assays demonstrated distinct mycelial growth dynamics and antagonistic behaviors, which likely reflect host-related environmental adaptation. Overall, I. hispidus strains from non-Morus hosts exhibit unique genomic and phenotypic features, providing a valuable basis for resource evaluation, artificial domestication, and the medicinal development of wild Sanghuang strains beyond traditional sources. Full article

Sanghuang (Sanghuangporus sanghuang, SS) is a medicinal fungus with multiple pharmacological effects, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immune-boosting, and anti-cancer activities. 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is a commonly used chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of colorectal cancer. It primarily exerts its antitumor effect by inhibiting DNA and RNA synthesis, leading to cell apoptosis. However, it frequently induces adverse effects These issues limit the clinical application of 5-FU. This research aims to determine the potential of SS as a therapeutic agent in reducing 5-FU-induced intestinal mucositis in a mouse model. The results indicated that 5-FU administration significantly increased diarrhea severity, reduced colon length, caused small intestinal villus atrophy, disrupted intestinal architecture, led to insufficient crypt cell proliferation, and resulted in weight loss. It also significantly upregulated inflammatory responses, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathways, and disrupted the integrity of intestinal mucosal tight junction, while elevating pro-inflammatory cytokines and reducing antioxidant capacity. However, SS significantly ameliorating alleviating the adverse impacts of the chemotherapeutic agent on the intestinal mucosa. In conclusion, this investigation provides the first evidence of the protective effects of SS on 5-FU-induced mucositis. These findings suggest SS as a potential therapeutic application, offering a promising strategy for reducing the adverse effects of 5-FU chemotherapy and improving the treatment and quality of life for colorectal cancer patients. Full article

Prostate cancer remains a significant global health challenge, necessitating the development of novel therapeutic approaches. This study investigated the therapeutic potential of the Antrodia cinnamomea formula (XIANZHIFANG formula, XZF), comprising Antrodia cinnamomea, Sanghuangporus sanghuang, Ganoderma lucidum, Ganoderma sinense, and Inonotus obliquus, in prostate cancer treatment. HPLC analysis confirmed the presence of key triterpenoids, including Antcin A, B, C, K, and Zhankuic acid B, C, and 4,7-dimethoxy-5-methyl-1,3-benzodioxole. Cytotoxicity assays demonstrated that XZF (50–200 μg/mL) exhibited selective activity, maintaining viability in non-cancerous 293T-cells while enhancing the viability of activated CD8+ and CD4+ T-cells in a dose-dependent manner. XZF significantly reduced PD-1 expression in CD8+ T-cells but not in CD4+ T-cells and inhibited the PD-L1/PD-1 interaction, achieving 93% inhibition at 200 μg/mL. Furthermore, when combined with atezolizumab (1 μg/mL), XZF demonstrated complete blockade of PD-L1/PD-1 interaction. In prostate cancer cells, XZF exhibited differential antiproliferative effects. In PC-3 cells, XZF significantly reduced viability across a concentration range of 25–200 μg/mL, whereas DU145 cells showed only partial inhibition at higher concentrations (100–200 μg/mL). LNCaP cells exhibited a dose-dependent reduction in viability, mirroring the response pattern of PC-3 cells. Conditioned medium from XZF-treated macrophages, particularly human THP-1 cells, significantly suppressed the viability and migration of prostate cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. Notably, the conditioned medium from XZF-treated THP-1 cells exhibited a stronger inhibitory effect on prostate cancer cell viability and migration compared to murine RAW 264.7 macrophages. These findings indicate that XZF exerts its therapeutic potential through multiple mechanisms, including direct antiproliferative effects on cancer cells, enhancement of T-cell responses, modulation of immune checkpoint pathways, and macrophage-mediated suppression of prostate cancer cell survival and migration. The pronounced effects observed in human macrophage models suggest a promising avenue for further investigation in clinical settings, particularly in combination with existing immunotherapies. Full article

Sanghuang as a medicinal fungus in China has a history of more than 2000 years, and is known as the “forest gold”. Most notably, the polysaccharides of Sanghuangporus sp. have attracted widespread attention due to their significant bioactivity in recent years. At present, extensive studies are being carried out on the extraction methods, structural characterization, and activity evaluation of polysaccharides. Here, we aimed to evaluate the structure and bioactivity of LEPS-1, an exopolysaccharide derived from the S. sanghuang JM-1 strain. The structure was elucidated by chromatography/spectral methods and hydrolyzation, and the solubility, the antioxidant activity, hypoglycemic activity and immunomodulatory activity were investigated. Results showed that LEPS-1 contained a →2)-α-Manp(1→6)-α-Galp(1→[2)-α-Manp(1→]_n→2,6)-α-Manp(1→6,2)-α-Manp(1→3)-α-Manp(1→ backbone substituted at the O-6 and O-2 positions with side chains. These two branching fragments were β-Manp(1→. The molecular weight of LEPS-1 is 36.131 kDa. The results of biological activity analysis suggested that LEPS-1 was easily soluble in water, with reducing capability and DPPH radical scavenging capability. Furthermore, the IC₅₀ values of LEPS-1 against α-amylase and α-glucosidase were 0.96 mg/mL and 1.92 mg/mL. LEPS-1 stimulated RAW264.7 cells to release NO, TNF-α and IL-6 with no cytotoxicity, showing potent potential for immunomodulatory activity. These findings describe a potential natural exopolysaccharide with medicinal value and a basis for the development of S. sanghuang exopolysaccharides. Full article

The newly identified Sanghuangporus alpinus species of the Sanghuang mushroom genus has been found to possess significant medical benefits. However, the current artificial cultivation technology has not reached the requisite maturity. The response-surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the Sanghuangporus alpinus culture medium formulation and evaluate the functional activity of S. alpinus exopolysaccharides. First, a single-factor experiment was conducted to screen for optimal carbon and nitrogen sources for S. alpinus. Then, using Box–Behnken’s central composite design, a response-surface experiment was conducted to determine optimal culture parameters. Finally, the rationality of those parameters was assessed in a shaking flask experiment. The optimal culture parameters, determined through regression analysis, were 20.20 ± 0.17 g/L fructose (carbon source), 7.29 ± 0.10 g/L yeast extract (nitrogen source), and 0.99 ± 0.01 g/L dandelion. With optimization, the S. alpinus yield increased to 12.79 ± 1.41 g/L, twice that obtained from the initial culture medium. The S. alpinus exopolysaccharide exhibited an excellent antioxidant capacity, with the strongest scavenging effect noted on ABTS free radicals (lowest half-inhibitory concentration: 0.039 mg/mL). Additionally, this exopolysaccharide effectively inhibited various cancer cells, exhibiting the strongest activity against human glioma cells U251 (half-inhibitory concentration: 0.91 mg/mL). The RSM used to optimize the fermentation culture parameters of S. alpinus significantly increased the mycelial biomass. The improvement of Sanghuangporus alpinus yield through liquid fermentation and optimizing the fermentation medium could fill the existing gap in the cultivation of Sanghuangporus alpinus, as well as provide valuable data for the large-scale production of S. alpinus. Full article

Sanghuangporus sanghuang is a rare fungus growing on mulberry trees that has immense medicinal value. This study aimed to optimize the liquid-fermentation-media formulation and culture conditions for large-scale culturing of S. sanghuang by performing one-way testing and response surface methodology. The antioxidant and anticancer activities of the extracellular polysaccharides from S. sanghuang were also analyzed. The optimal formulation and growth conditions for S. sanghuang were as follows: glucose, 30.2 ± 0.37 g/L; yeast extract, 14.60 ± 0.05 g/L; dandelion powder, 1.24 ± 0.01 g/L; shaker speed, 150 r/min; and temperature, 25 °C. We obtained 13.99 ± 0.42 g/L of mycelium biomass by culturing S. sanghuang for 15 days with the optimized formulation. This was 2-fold higher than the mycelial mass obtained with the sub-optimal formulation. The extracellular fungal polysaccharides showed significant antioxidant activity against ABTS and DPPH free radicals, and significantly reduced the in vitro growth and survival of several cancer cell lines. The anticancer activity of the extracellular fungal polysaccharides was significantly higher in the human glioma cells than in other cancer cell lines. In summary, this study optimized the liquid media formulation and conditions for the large-scale culturing of S. sanghuang. Furthermore, the extracellular polysaccharides from S. sanghuang showed significant antioxidant and anticancer activities. Full article

The species in Sanghuangporus are a group of edible mushrooms with a long history of oral use in East Asia as a health-improvement method. They should be classified under the genus Sanghuangporus rather than mistakenly in Phellinus or Inonotus. The major components in this genus consist of polysaccharides, polyphenols, triterpenoids, and flavonoids, all of which exist in the fruiting bodies and mycelia. For extraction, studies have shown methods using hot water, ethanol, DES solvent, and alkaline, followed by purification methods including traditional anion column, Sevag solution, macroporous resin, and magnetic polymers. Proven by modern medical technology, these components possess promising anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antitumor, and immunoregulation effects; additionally, they have health-improving effects including pulmonary protection, hypoglycemic properties, sleep improvement, gout mitigation, antiaging, neuroprotection, and muscle-strengthening abilities. Several toxicity studies have revealed their safety and recommend a dose of 1 g/kg for mice. As a newly emerged concept, functional food can provide not only life-sustaining nutrients but also some health-improving effects. In conclusion, we substantiate Sanghuang as a functional food by comprehensively presenting information on extraction and purification methods, component medical and structural properties, and nontoxicity, hoping to benefit the development of Sanghuang species as a group of functional food. Full article

Sanghuangporus sanghuang is a large wood-decaying mushroom highly valued in traditional Chinese medicine due to its medicinal properties, including hypoglycemic, antioxidant, antitumor, and antibacterial properties effects. Its key bioactive compounds include flavonoids and triterpenoids. Specific fungal genes can be selectively induced by fungal elicitors. To investigate the effect of fungal polysaccharides derived from Perenniporia tenuis mycelia on the metabolites of S. sanghuang, we conducted metabolic and transcriptional profiling with and without elicitor treatment (ET and WET, respectively). Correlation analysis showed significant differences in triterpenoid biosynthesis between the ET and WET groups. In addition, the structural genes associated with triterpenoids and their metabolites in both groups were verified using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS/MS). Through metabolite screening, three triterpenoids were identified: betulinol, betulinic acid, and 2-hydroxyoleanolic acid. Excitation treatment increased the level of betulinic acid by 2.62-fold and 2-hydroxyoleanolic acid by 114.67-fold compared to WET. The qRT-PCR results of the four genes expressed in secondary metabolic pathways, defense gene activation, and signal transduction showed significant variation between the ET and WET groups. Overall, our study suggests that the fungal elicitor induced the aggregation of pentacyclic triterpenoid secondary metabolites in S. sanghuang. Full article

Sanghuangporus sanghuang, the generic type of Sanghuangporus belonging to Hymenochaetaceae, is a precious medicinal wood-inhabiting macrofungus with high commercial potential. To facilitate the medicinal utilization of this fungal resource, transcriptome sequences are newly generated from S. sanghuang strain MS2. In association with the previously generated genome sequences from the same strain by our lab and all available fungal homologous protein sequences in the UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot Protein Sequence Database, a new methodology was employed for genome assembly and annotation. A total of 13,531 protein-coding genes were identified from the new version of the genome of S. sanghuang strain MS2 with a complete BUSCOs of 92.8%, which indicates a remarkable improvement in the accuracy and completeness of the genome assembly. In general, more genes involved in medicinal functions were annotated compared with the original version of the genome annotation, and most of these genes were also found in the transcriptome data of the currently sampled growth period. Given the above, the current genomic and transcriptomic data provides valuable insights into the evolution and metabolites analysis of S. sanghuang. Full article

Mushrooms play a crucial role in human life as well as in nature, providing food, medicine, and carrying out vital processes of decomposition, nutrient recycling, and developing mycorrhizal association with plants. The traditional system of knowledge about identification, collection, and usage of mushrooms has been accumulated through the shared experiences of many generations. Unfortunately, there have been continuous threats to the folk knowledge of mushrooms mainly due to habitat degradation, urbanization, and contemporary medication. The current research was, therefore, aimed to document an ethnomycological knowledge possessed by the ethnic communities of Swat, Pakistan. The purposive randomized sampling was carried out using chain referral method. Ethno-mycological information was collected from 62 informants using free listing, preference ranking, and use totaled methods. In total, 34 species of mushrooms belonging to 31 genera and 21 families were reported. About 85% of the reported species belong to Basidiomycetes, and 12.5% to Ascomycetes are used as food and for medicinal purposes. Morchella angusticeps, M. esculenta, Pleurotus sp., Auricularia sp., Flammulina velutipes, Agaricus bisporus, Ganoderma lucidum, and Sanghuangporus sanghuang were among the most cited edible and medicinal mushrooms. The current study revealed that district Swat is rich in wild edible and medicinal mushrooms (WEMs), and the local communities possess rich traditional knowledge about their collection, storage, and utilization. The diversity of WEMs of this region could contribute substantially to the socio-economic uplifting of the local communities through appropriate domestication and commercialization. Anthropogenic factors, coupled with depletion of traditional knowledge, threaten the diversity of WEMs in the region; therefore, in situ and ex situ conservation strategies are highly recommended. Full article