Search Results (8)

Tremella fuciformis is high in polysaccharides, which have a structure made up of a straight chain of (1→3) α-D-mannan and side chains of glucuronic acid, xylose, and fucose. This study aimed to evaluate whether the non-animal hyaluronic acid extracted from Tremella fuciformis can maintain the chemical and physical characteristics of hyaluronic acid that ensure its biological functionality. Chemical and physical analyses such as hyaluronic content, screening of metals, purity, pH, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR/FTIR), and MALDI-TOF were performed. Chemical characterisation revealed that the most abundant polysaccharide in the extract was hyaluronic acid, accounting for ca. 87.76%, with a molecular weight above 2000 kDa. In addition, ATR/FTIR and NMR spectroscopy and MALDI-TOF analysis confirmed that Tremella fuciformis extract is a source of non-animal hyaluronic acid. In summary, every molecular attribute examined played a significant role in determining the functional qualities of the extract, indicating that a thoughtful choice of extraction technique can enhance its advantages. Full article

Background/Objectives: Chronic stress disrupts neurochemical balance, triggers inflammation, and compromises neuronal integrity, contributing to the development of stress-related disorders. This study aimed to evaluate the preventative effects of Tremella fuciformis Berk (TF) enzymatic extracts on chronic restraint stress (CRS)-induced behavioral, neurochemical, and inflammatory dysfunctions in mice. Methods: Male C57BL/6N mice were administered TF at doses of 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg daily via oral gavage for 21 days during CRS exposure. Behavioral assessments, including anxiety and depression-like behavior tests, were conducted. Neurochemical and inflammatory markers were analyzed using PCR and ELISA, while histological examinations of hippocampal regions were performed to assess neuronal integrity. In vitro assays evaluated neuronal cell viability, protection against corticosterone (CORT)-induced cytotoxicity, and inhibition of monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity. Results: TF supplementation alleviated CRS-induced weight loss, normalized serum CORT levels, increased locomotor activity, reduced immobility time, and decreased anxiety-like behaviors. TF upregulated brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA, downregulated pro-inflammatory markers (CXCL2, iNOS, IFNG), and mitigated neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampus. In vitro, TF improved neuronal cell viability, protected against CORT-induced cytotoxicity, and significantly inhibited MAO activity, particularly MAO-A. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the neuroprotective and anti-stress effects of Tremella fuciformis Berk enzymatic extracts, supporting its potential as a natural therapeutic intervention for stress-related disorders. Full article

This research aimed to modify polysaccharides extracted from the edible mushroom Tremella fuciformis with gallic acid (GA) and to complex them with zinc ions. The functionalities of the modified Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides (TFPs) were investigated. Regarding antioxidant activity, TFP-GA demonstrated effective scavenging activity against DPPH radicals, nitric oxide, and hydrogen peroxide. Additionally, TFP-GA exhibited superior reducing ability toward Fe³⁺ and enhanced chelating activity toward Fe²⁺ compared to unmodified TFP. Notably, the TFP-GA conjugate outperformed GA in Fe²⁺-chelating activity. In terms of antimicrobial activity, the TFP-GA-Zn complex showed significantly improved antimicrobial effectiveness against S. aureus and E. coli compared to TFP-GA. Full article

In this study, Tremella fuciformis polysaccharides (TFPs) were extracted by ultrasound-assisted enzymatic extraction (UAE) at different extraction parameters in order to explore the potential of ultrasound in intensifying the extraction yield. The effects of experimental conditions on the extraction yields were optimized using response surface methodology, with the optimal ultrasonic power of 700 W, temperature of 45 °C and time of 50 min. The kinetic analysis revealed that UAE significantly promoted the dissolution, diffusion and migration with the maximum yield of 26.39%, which was enhanced by 40.45% and 156.96% compared with individual ultrasonic extraction (UE) and enzymatic extraction (EE). According to the modified Fick’s second law of diffusion, the extraction process of TFPs illustrated a good linear correlation (R² ≥ 0.9), and the rate constant gradually elevated as the temperature increased from 25 to 45 °C, while the presence of ultrasound exerted a vital role in extracting TFPs. Regarding to the thermodynamic results, the positive values of ΔH and ΔG demonstrated that UAE, UE and EE were endothermic and unspontaneous processes. This study provides a theoretical basis for polysaccharide extraction processing. Full article

According to recent trends, people are more interested in cosmetic products based on natural raw materials, known to be safe for humans, including extracts obtained from selected plants, rich in active ingredients, such as proteins, vitamins, micro- and macro-elements, phospholipids, antioxidants, and natural preservatives. An example of such raw materials is Tremella fuciformis extract, which is a natural alternative to hyaluronic acid. It retains water deep in the skin cells and stimulates the skin to fight free radicals, which are responsible for the premature aging of the skin. The aim of this study was to optimize the composition of cosmetic formulations based on natural substitutes for the synthetic substances, as well as their characterization, which included the determination of the physicochemical and skin care properties. Formulations containing Tremella fuciformis extract had the effect of reducing TEWL by 12.4%, compared to a formulation that did not contain this active ingredient, and allowed adequate hydration of the epidermis, which was confirmed by apparatus methods. Additionally, dermatological tests were also conducted for the formulations obtained, which showed that no erythema or swelling/irritation was observed in any of the test volunteers 48 and 72 h after the application of the product. Full article

The main goal of this investigation is to conduct a thorough analysis of the physical, chemical, and morphological characteristics of chitosan derived from various forest fungi. Additionally, the study aims to determine the effectiveness of this vegetal chitosan as an antimicrobial agent. In this study, Auricularia auricula-judae, Hericium erinaceus, Pleurotus ostreatus, Tremella fuciformis, and Lentinula edodes were examined. The fungi samples were subjected to a series of rigorous chemical extraction procedures, including demineralization, deproteinization, discoloration, and deacetylation. Subsequently, the chitosan samples were subjected to a comprehensive physicochemical characterization analysis, encompassing Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), degree of deacetylation determination, ash content determination, moisture content determination, and solubility determination. To evaluate the antimicrobial efficacy of the vegetal chitosan samples, two different sampling parameters were employed, namely human hand and banana, to assess their effectiveness in inhibiting microbial growth. Notably, the percentage of chitin and chitosan varied significantly among the distinct fungal species examined. Moreover, EDX spectroscopy confirmed the extraction of chitosan from H. erinaceus, L. edodes, P. ostreatus, and T. fuciformis. The FTIR spectra of all samples revealed a similar absorbance pattern, albeit with varying peak intensities. Furthermore, the XRD patterns for each sample were nearly identical, with the exception of the A. auricula-judae sample, which exhibited sharp peaks at ~37° and ~51°, while the crystallinity index of this same sample was approximately 17% lower than the others. The moisture content results indicated that the L. edodes sample was the least stable, while the P. ostreatus sample was the most stable, in terms of degradation rate. Similarly, the solubility of the samples showed substantial variation among each species, with the H. erinaceus sample displaying the highest solubility among the rest. Lastly, the antimicrobial activity of the chitosan solutions exhibited different efficacies in inhibiting microbial growth of skin microflora and microbes found on the peel of Musa acuminata × balbisiana. Full article

This study was aimed at increasing the capacity of fermented Tremella fuciformis extracellular polysaccharides (TEPS) for possible functional food applications. Thus, strain varieties, fermentation parameters and purification conditions, and the in vitro antioxidant activities of purified EPS fractions were investigated. An EPS high-yield strain Tf526 was selected, and the effects of seven independent fermentation factors (time, temperature, initial pH, inoculum size, shaking speed, carbon, and nitrogen source) on the EPS yield were evaluated. By single factor optimization test, yeast extract and glucose were chosen as nitrogen sources and carbon sources, respectively, and with initial pH of 6.0, inoculum size of 8%, shaking speed of 150 rpm, and culture at 25 °C for 72 h, the optimal yield of TEPS reached 0.76 ± 0.03 mg/mL. Additionally, A-722MP resin showed the most efficient decoloration ratio compared to six other tested resins. Furthermore, optimal decoloration parameters of A-722MP resin were obtained as follows: decoloration time of 2 h, resins dosage of 2 g, and temperature of 30 °C. Decoloration ratio, deproteinization ratio, and polysaccharide retention ratio were 62.14 ± 2.3%, 81.21 ± 2.13%, and 73.42 ± 1.96%, respectively. Furthermore, the crude TEPS was extracted and four polysaccharide fractions were isolated and purified as Tf1-a, Tf1-b, Tf2, and Tf3 by the DEAE-Sepharose FF column and the Sephasryl S100 column. In general, the antioxidant activities of the Lf1-a and Lf1-b were lower compared with Vc at the concentration of 0.1 to 3 mg/mL, but the FRAP assay, DPPH scavenging activity, and hydroxyl radical scavenging activity analysis still revealed that Tf1-a and Tf1-b possess significant antioxidant activities in vitro. At the concentration of 3 mg/mL, the reducing power of Lf1-a and Lf1-b reached 0.86 and 0.70, the maximum DPPH radical were 54.23 ± 1.68% and 61.62 ± 2.73%, and the maximum hydroxyl radicals scavenging rates were 58.76 ± 2.58% and 45.81 ± 1.79%, respectively. Moreover, there were significant correlations (r > 0.8) among the selected concentrations and antioxidant activities of TEPS major fractions Tf1-a and Tf1-b. Therefore, it is expected that Tf1-a and Tf1-b polysaccharide fractions from fermented TEPS may serve as active ingredients in functional foods. Full article

The glycoprotein purified from the mycelium extract of Tremella fuciformis was marked with iodine through the iodine substitution reaction. The content of iodine, which is indicative of the amount of the marked tremella glycoprotein (ITG), was detected with Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The method was found to be stable, sensitive, and accurate at detecting the content of iodine-substituted glycoprotein, and was used in the quantitative analysis of biological samples, including blood and organs. Different biological samples were collected from rats after oral administration of ITG, and were tested for iodine content by ICP-MS to calculate the amount of ITG in the samples. The results suggested that ICP-MS is a sensitive, stable, and accurate method for detection of iodinated glycoproteins in blood and organs. Full article