Concentrations Of Ergothioneine Research Articles

Reduced tillage agriculture may improve plant nutritional quality through increased mycorrhizal colonization and uptake of the antioxidant ergothioneine

Many farmers have adopted reduced tillage management practices. While the effectiveness of these practices at reducing soil erosion and enhancing soil health are well documented, the impact of reduced tillage on plant nutritional quality is not well understood. Current interest in the role of the fungal derived antioxidant ergothioneine (ERGO) in human health has driven efforts to understand the influence of different crop management practices on the transfer of ERGO from soil to plants and ultimately to human consumption. We sampled roots and plant tissue from soybeans (Glycine max) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) in a long-term (40+ year) side-by-side tillage trial and examined the extent to which moldboard plow (high intensity tillage), chisel/disk (intermediate tillage), and no-till (minimal disturbance) practices affected mycorrhizal colonization, ERGO concentration, mineral nutrient concentration, and yield. We found that high tillage intensity reduced the ERGO concentration of wheat grain by about half. The ERGO concentration of wheat was positively correlated with percent mycorrhizal colonization. Additional benefits of reduced tillage were increased concentration of soybean P, Mg, Cu, Zn, and increased soybean yield. These results demonstrate a possible link between soil health and human health through positive mycorrhizal influence on plant ERGO uptake.

Impact of aging and ergothioneine pre-treatment on naphthalene toxicity in lung

Aging increases susceptibility to lung disease, but the topic is understudied, especially in relation to environmental exposures with the bulk of rodent studies using young adults. This study aims to define the pulmonary toxicity of naphthalene (NA) and the impacts of a dietary antioxidant, ergothioneine (ET), in the liver and lungs of middle-aged mice. NA causes a well-characterized pattern of conducting airway epithelial injury in the lung in young adult mice, but NA’s toxicity has not been characterized in middle-aged mice, aged 1–1.5 years. ET is a dietary antioxidant that is synthesized by bacteria and fungi. The ET transporter (ETT), SLC22A4, is upregulated in tissues that experience high levels of oxidative stress. In this study, middle-aged male and female C57BL/6 J mice, maintained on an ET-free synthetic diet from conception, were gavaged with 70 mg/kg of ET for five consecutive days. On day 8, the mice were exposed to a single intraperitoneal NA dose of 50, 100, 150, or 200 mg/kg. At 24 hours post NA injection samples were collected and analyzed for ET concentration and reduced (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) concentrations. Histopathology, morphometry, and gene expression were examined. Histopathology of mice exposed to 100 mg/kg of NA suggests reduction in toxicity in the terminal airways of both male (p ≤ 0.001) and female (p ≤ 0.05) middle-aged mice by the ET pretreatment. Our findings in this study are the first to document the toxicity of NA in middle-aged mice and show some efficacy of ET in reducing NA toxicity.

TrkB phosphorylation in serum extracellular vesicles correlates with cognitive function enhanced by ergothioneine in humans

Oral administration of the food-derived antioxidant amino acid ergothioneine (ERGO) results in its efficient distribution in the brain and enhances cognitive function. However, effect of ERGO deficiency on cognitive impairment and the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. We revealed that cognitive function and hippocampal neurogenesis were lower in mice fed an ERGO-free diet than in those fed the control diet. Furthermore, ERGO supplementation to achieve the control diet ERGO levels reversed these effects and restored ERGO concentrations in the plasma and hippocampus. The ERGO-induced recovery of cognitive function and hippocampal neurogenesis was blocked by inhibiting the neurotrophic factor receptor tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB), with a concomitant reduction in hippocampal phosphorylated TrkB, suggesting the involvement of TrkB in these events in mice. Phosphorylated TrkB was also detected in extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from serum of volunteers who had been orally administered placebo or ERGO-containing tablets. Importantly, the ratio of serum EV-derived phosphorylated TrkB was significantly higher in the ERGO-treated group than in the placebo-treated group and was positively correlated with both serum ERGO concentrations and several cognitive domain scores from Cognitrax. Altogether, TrkB phosphorylation is involved in ERGO-induced cognitive enhancement in mice, and TrkB phosphorylation levels in serum EVs may quantitatively represent ERGO-induced cognitive enhancement in humans.

Effect of hot air-drying and pasteurization on ergothioneine content in edible mushrooms

This study investigates the effects of thermal processing and storage on ergothioneine concentration in three edible mushroom species: Agaricus bisporus (button mushrooms), Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushrooms), and Lentinula edodes (shiitake). Oyster mushrooms and shiitake underwent hot air drying, while button mushrooms were subjected to canning. Ergothioneine extracts were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography. Oyster mushrooms exhibited the highest ergothioneine concentration (2.22 mg/g) and stability when subjected to hot air-drying at 57 °C for 6 h, in contrast to shiitake (1.02 mg/g). Canning procedures for button mushrooms resulted in reduced ergothioneine concentrations, with the most significant losses occurring during thermal bleaching (33%) and pasteurization (59%). During storage, ergothioneine concentration in canned mushrooms declined by 28%, while it increased in the brine by 72%. In conclusion, the observed variations in ergothioneine concentration among these mushroom species appear to be influenced by their inherent compositions and distinct processing methods. Additionally, our findings highlight that the combination of heat and moisture content is a pivotal factor contributing to the loss of ergothioneine concentration in mushrooms.

Dose-related relationship between ergothioneine concentrations and risk of preeclampsia.

The study by Kenny et al. is of considerable importance. They concluded that there was a weak association between the ergothioneine levels and maternal age, and if a threshold was set at the 90th percentile of the reference range in the control population (≥ 462 ng/mL), only one of these 97 women (1%) developed preeclampsia, versus 96/397 (24.2%) whose ergothioneine level was below this threshold. These results suggest that there might be a dichotomized association between ergothioneine concentrations and preeclampsia; and only a high ergothioneine level over 90th percentile of the control population could be protective against preeclampsia.With the kind supply of the dataset from the authors, I had performed some further analysis using univariable as well as multivariable analyses, allowing non-linearity between ergothioneine concentrations and risk of preeclampsia using a 3-knot restricted cubic spline function. The univariable results showed that ergothioneine had a significant non-linear association with preeclampsia and it would start to offer protective effect from 300ng/mL onward. The results were similar to the multivariable analysis. In addition, the analysis also confirmed that body mass index (BMI) was significantly associated with an increased risk of preeclampsia.

Linking soil health to human health: Arbuscular mycorrhizae play a key role in plant uptake of the antioxidant ergothioneine from soils

Societal Impact StatementEvidence has emerged that the antioxidant ergothioneine may be important in preventing many inflammatory diseases in humans. However, ergothioneine is not produced by humans or plants and is only made by fungi and some bacteria in soils. As such, humans get ergothioneine from eating fungi (mushrooms) or plants that take it up from the soil. In this study, we found that growing plants with beneficial fungi called arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi increased the amount of ergothioneine in plant tissues. This suggests that promoting agricultural practices that maintain healthy populations of beneficial soil fungi may improve the nutritional quality of crops.Summary The amino acid ergothioneine (ERGO) has recently gained attention as an antioxidant that benefits human health. ERGO is produced by fungi and mycobacteria in soils and is acquired only from diet. The mechanism by which ERGO is transferred from soil to plant is unknown. Recent work has shown that tillage reduces the amount of ERGO in crops. As tillage also reduces arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) populations, we examined the relationship between AMF and plant ERGO uptake. We grew asparagus, black beans, wheat, and oats with a variety of single and mixed species AMF inocula and compared ERGO levels of these plants to plants that were uninoculated. Mycorrhizal inoculation enhanced ERGO content across all plants. There was a positive correlation between AMF colonization level and plant ERGO content. AMF appear to be important mediators of plant ERGO uptake. Future research is needed to identify the mechanism that leads to higher ERGO in plants colonized by AMF in order to promote farming practices that enhance AMF populations and increase crop ERGO concentration in field settings.

Antioxidant effect of ergothioneine on in vitro maturation of porcine oocytes.

Ergothioneine (EGT) is a natural amino acid derivative in various animal organs and is a bioactive compound recognized as a food and medicine. This study examined the effects of EGT supplementation during the in vitro maturation (IVM) period on porcine oocyte maturation and subsequent embryonic development competence after in vitro fertilization (IVF). Each EGT concentration (0, 10, 50, and 100 µM) was supplemented in the maturation medium during IVM. After IVM, nuclear maturation, intracellular glutathione (GSH), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels of oocytes were investigated. In addition, the genes related to cumulus function and antioxidant pathways in oocytes or cumulus cells were investigated. Finally, this study examined whether EGT could affect embryonic development after IVF. After IVM, the EGT supplementation group showed significantly higher intracellular GSH levels and significantly lower intracellular ROS levels than the control group. Moreover, the expression levels of hyaluronan synthase 2 and Connexin 43 were significantly higher in the 10 µM EGT group than in the control group. The expression levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 (NQO1) were significantly higher in the oocytes of the 10 µM EGT group than in the control group. In the assessment of subsequent embryonic development after IVF, the 10 µM EGT treatment group improved the cleavage and blastocyst rate significantly than the control group. Supplementation of EGT improved oocyte maturation and embryonic development by reducing oxidative stress in IVM oocytes.

Ergothioneine Production by Submerged Fermentation of a Medicinal Mushroom Panus conchatus

Ergothioneine is a natural and safe antioxidant that plays an important role in anti-aging and the prevention of various diseases. This study aimed to report on a kind of medicinal mushroom of Panus conchatus with great potential for the bioproduction of ergothioneine. The effect of different nutritional and environmental conditions on the growth of Panus conchatus and ergothioneine production were investigated. Molasses and soy peptone were found to promote cell growth of Panus conchatus and enhance ergothioneine accumulation. Adding precursors of histidine, methionine and cysteine could increase ergothioneine production and the highest ergothioneine concentration of 148.79 mg/L was obtained. Finally, the extraction and purification processes were also established to obtain the crude ergothioneine extract for further antioxidant property evaluation. The ergothioneine from Panus conchatus showed high antioxidant activity with good stability in a lower pH environment. This study provided a new strain and process for the bioproduction of ergothioneine.

Ergothioneine and central nervous system diseases.

Ergothioneine (ERGO) is a thiol contained in the food that exhibits an excellent antioxidant effect similar to that of glutathione. Although mammals lack a biosynthetic pathway for ERGO, the carnitine/organic cation transporter OCTN1/SLC22A4, which transports ERGO in vivo, is expressed throughout the body, and ERGO is distributed to various organs after oral intake. ERGO is a stable compound that remains in the body for a long time after ingestion. OCTN1 is also expressed in brain parenchymal cells, including neurons, and ERGO in the blood permeates the blood-brain barrier and is distributed to the brain, exhibiting a neuroprotective effect. Recently, the association between central nervous system (CNS) diseases and ERGO has become a research focus. ERGO concentrations in the blood components are lower in patients with cognitive impairment, Parkinson's disease, and frailty than in healthy subjects. ERGO exerts a protective effect against various neurotoxins and improves the symptoms of cognitive impairment, depression, and epilepsy in animal models. The promotion of neurogenesis and induction of neurotrophic factors, in addition to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, may be involved in the neuroprotective effect of ERGO. This review shows the association between ERGO and CNS diseases, discusses the possible biomarkers of peripheral ERGO in CNS diseases, and the possible preventive and improvement effects of ERGO on CNS diseases.

Soil Disturbance Impact on Crop Ergothioneine Content Connects Soil and Human Health

Ergothioneine (ERGO) is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory amino acid that is produced in nature mainly by non-yeast fungi, cyanobacteria, and mycobacteria. Mounting evidence suggests that ERGO can be considered a longevity vitamin that can mitigate chronic diseases of aging and thereby increase life expectancy. Humans must obtain ERGO from their diet, and it is therefore important to know which foods contain it. Although ERGO is not produced by plants it is found in plant products such as grain, apparently because detrital or symbiotic soil fungi pass on ERGO to plants through their roots. Besides differences between plant species in their ability to accumulate ERGO, how they are managed might also affect its concentration. Soil tillage has been shown to reduce soil fungal biomass, and therefore ERGO contents in maize, soybeans, and oats grown in soil managed with annual moldboard plowing (most intensive), chisel/disking (less intensive), or no-tillage (least intensive) in crop rotation were compared. ERGO concentrations declined in all three crops as tillage intensity increased, with reductions from no till to moldboard plow of approximately 30% in all three crops. Because crop yield was also negatively impacted by intensive tillage, ERGO yield per hectare was reduced even more due to increasing tillage intensity. This study is one of the first to show that soil health improving practices that minimize soil disturbance can directly enhance a key dietary factor associated with long-term human health.

Low plasma ergothioneine levels are associated with neurodegeneration and cerebrovascular disease in dementia

Ergothioneine (ET) is a dietary amino-thione with strong antioxidant and cytoprotective properties and has possible therapeutic potential for neurodegenerative and vascular diseases. Decreased blood concentrations of ET have been found in patients with mild cognitive impairment, but its status in neurodegenerative and vascular dementias is currently unclear. To address this, a cross-sectional study was conducted on 496 participants, consisting of 88 with no cognitive impairment (NCI), 201 with cognitive impairment, no dementia (CIND) as well as 207 with dementia, of whom 160 have Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and 47 have vascular dementia. All subjects underwent blood-draw, neuropsychological assessments, as well as neuroimaging assessments of cerebrovascular diseases (CeVD) and brain atrophy. Plasma ET as well as its metabolite l-hercynine were measured using high sensitivity liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Plasma ET concentrations were lowest in dementia (p < 0.001 vs. NCI and CIND), with intermediate levels in CIND (p < 0.001 vs. NCI). A significant increase in l-hercynine to ET ratio was also observed in dementia (p < 0.01 vs. NCI). In multivariate models adjusted for demographic and vascular risk factors, lower levels of ET were significantly associated with dementia both with or without CeVD, while ET associations with CIND were significant only in the presence of CeVD. Furthermore, lower ET levels were also associated with white matter hyperintensities and brain atrophy markers (reduced global cortical thickness and hippocampal volumes). The incremental decreases in ET levels along the CIND-dementia clinical continuum suggest that low levels of ET are associated with disease severity and could be a potential biomarker for cognitive impairment. Deficiency of ET may contribute towards neurodegeneration- and CeVD-associated cognitive impairments, possibly via the exacerbation of oxidative stress in these conditions.

Putative ergothioneine transporter of salmonids as a functional tool for ergothioneine supplementation

Ergothioneine transporter (ETT) plays an important role in the incorporation of dietary ergothioneine (ET), a potent hydrophilic antioxidant produced intensively in certain edible mushroom species, in living organisms. We recently characterized ETT in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). However, the investigation of ETT in other commercially important salmonids is lacking. The present study aimed to provide molecular information on putative ETTs in coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), and chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), particularly bioinformatic identification, gene expression in blood cells, muscle, intestine, and liver, which is responsible for deposition of ET in muscle, and development of universal primer set for quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). In addition, ET concentration in these salmonids was investigated. The high sequence identity of putative ETT genes (E1s) to the characterized ETT orthologs and their placement under the ETT clade in the phylogenetic tree indicated that E1s are the putative ETTs of salmonids. The relationship between putative ETT gene expression ratio and the corresponding ET concentrations in the blood cells (whole blood for ET concentration), liver, intestine, and muscle suggested that the putative ETTs should act as ETTs. Species-specific primer sets and a universal primer set applicable for qPCR of these salmonid species were successfully developed and used for quantitative gene expression analysis. The present study successfully provides genomic information on the putative ETTs, and a universal primer set that is advantageous for detecting the expression of putative ETT genes in edible fish species. The expression of putative ETT genes highlights the potential of ET supplementation in future aquaculture of salmonids as a strategy to prevent quality deterioration due to lipid oxidation and discoloration of their flesh during storage.

The Antiaging Activity of Ergothioneine in UVA-Irradiated Human Dermal Fibroblasts via the Inhibition of the AP-1 Pathway and the Activation of Nrf2-Mediated Antioxidant Genes

UVA irradiation induced ROS-mediated photo damage to the human skin leading to coarseness, wrinkling, pigmentation, and cutaneous malignancies. We investigated the dermatoprotective efficacies of submicromolar concentrations of ergothioneine (EGT, 0.125-0.5 μM), which occurs naturally as a sulfur-containing amino acid, in the mechanisms in human skin fibroblast (HSF) cells. UVA-induced AP-1 (c-Fos and c-Jun) translocation was found to be inhibited by EGT treatments with the parallel inhibition of the collagenolytic matrix metalloproteinase- (MMP-) 1 activation and type I procollagen degradation. Moreover, EGT mitigated UVA-induced ROS generation. An increase in the amount of antioxidant genes (HO-1, NQO-1, and γ-GCLC) from EGT and were associated with upregulated Nrf2 expressions in a dose-dependent or time-dependent manner. We confirmed this from Nrf2 translocation and increased nuclear ARE promoter activity that underlie EGT dermatoprotective activities. Also, glutathione (GSH) levels (from γ-GCLC) were significantly increased. Moreover, we showed that mediated by ERK, JNK, and PKC, signaling cascades mediate Nrf2 translocation. We confirmed this phenomenon by the suppressed nuclear Nrf2 activation in cells that were treated with respective inhibitors (PD98059, SP600125, and GF109203X). However, antioxidant protein expressions were impaired in Nrf2 knockdown cells to confirm that ARE/Nrf2 pathways and the inhibition of AP-1 had significant roles in EGT-mediated protective effects. We can conclude that ergothioneine ameliorated UVA-induced skin aging and is a useful food supplement for skin care products.

A Study on the Antioxidant Properties and Stability of Ergothioneine from Culinary-Medicinal Mushrooms.

The naturally occurring amino acid ergothioneine (EGT) has excellent free radical scavenging ability, which was not different to ascorbic acid. The IC50 values for EGT scavenging hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radicals, and superoxide anions were 11.65 ± 0.31, 70.31 ± 1.59, and 160.44 ± 0.32 μg/mL, respectively. The EGT concentration in different species of mushrooms was significantly different (p < 0.05), but it was not significantly related to the ability of the mushrooms to scavenge reactive oxygen species (p > 0.05). After isolating EGT from mushrooms, we demonstrated that the antioxidant ability of EGT accounts for about 25% of the total antioxidant ability of the extract. We studied the stability of EGT and found that it has excellent light, thermal, and acid-base stability. However, the presence of Cu2+ decreased the concentration of EGT. Unlike EGT, the thermal stability of the EGT extracted from Pleurotus citrinopileatus (PEGT) was not as good as EGT, while long-term high-temperature heating caused a decrease in the concentration of PEGT. The results of our study provide a basis for further investigating EGT from mushrooms for research and development.

Different concentrations of cysteamine, ergothioneine, and serine modulate quality and fertilizing ability of cryopreserved chicken sperm

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of freezing diluents supplemented in three potential amines/amino acids, namely, antioxidant cysteamine (2-aminoethanethiol [AET]), ergothioneine (ERG), and serine (SER), in optimization of chicken sperm cryopreservation. The semen of 36 Pradu Hang Dum males, selected based on their motility vigor score, was frozen by a simple freezing method using nitrogen vapors and dimethylformamide (DMF). In a first experiment, a wide range of AET, ERG, and SER doses were tested. Semen quality was evaluated after incubation at 5°C or after cryopreservation in straws in the Blumberger Hahnen Sperma Verdünner (BHSV) diluent + DMF (6% v/v) with or without AET, ERG, or SER. The best targeted doses of AET, ERG, or SER were then selected for experiment 2 that was focused on cryopreserved semen. Frozen-thawed sperm quality was evaluated by different in vitro tests and by evaluation of fertility. Objective motility parameters were evaluated by computer-assisted sperm analysis. Membrane integrity, acrosome integrity, and mitochondria function were evaluated using appropriate dyes and flow cytometry. Lipid peroxide production was assessed by the thiobarbituric acid test (malondialdehyde production). Fertility obtained with frozen-thawed semen supplemented or not in AET, ERG, or SER was evaluated after artificial insemination of laying hens. ERG and AET decreased sperm lipid peroxidation and decreased fertility, even at low doses. The presence of 4 mmol of SER significantly decreased lipid peroxidation, increased the frozen-thawed sperm quality, and increased fertility after sperm cryopreservation (90% vs. control 84%, P < 0.05). In a third experiment, the use of 1 mmol of sucrose (the best result of our previous study) added to 4 mmol of SER-supplemented extender was tested. This addition allowed to the highest levels of fertility (93%). In conclusion, the addition of 4 mmol of SER in semen cryopreservation diluents decreases peroxidation and improves the efficiency of the process.

Specialist and Generalist Fungal Parasites Induce Distinct Biochemical Changes in the Mandible Muscles of Their Host.

Some parasites have evolved the ability to adaptively manipulate host behavior. One notable example is the fungus Ophiocordyceps unilateralis sensu lato, which has evolved the ability to alter the behavior of ants in ways that enable fungal transmission and lifecycle completion. Because host mandibles are affected by the fungi, we focused on understanding changes in the metabolites of muscles during behavioral modification. We used High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass/Mass (HPLC-MS/MS) to detect the metabolite difference between controls and O. unilateralis-infected ants. There was a significant difference between the global metabolome of O. unilateralis-infected ants and healthy ants, while there was no significant difference between the Beauveria bassiana treatment ants group compared to the healthy ants. A total of 31 and 16 of metabolites were putatively identified from comparisons of healthy ants with O. unilateralis-infected ants and comparisons of B. bassiana with O. unilateralis-infected samples, respectively. This result indicates that the concentrations of sugars, purines, ergothioneine, and hypoxanthine were significantly increased in O. unilateralis-infected ants in comparison to healthy ants and B. bassiana-infected ants. This study provides a comprehensive metabolic approach for understanding the interactions, at the level of host muscles, between healthy ants and fungal parasites.

Effects of Ergothioneine-Rich Mushroom Extract on the Oxidative Stability of Astaxanthin in Liposomes.

Ergothioneine-rich crude extracts of Pleurotus cornucopiae were used as a source of antioxidative components to control the effects of lipid oxidation in astaxanthin-containing liposomes. This study aimed to elucidate the interactions of liposomal astaxanthin and lipids with ergothioneine-rich mushroom extract (ME) under radical oxidation-induced conditions to provide a better understanding of the agricultural and postharvest applications of this strategy. Azo compounds (2,2'-azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride and 2,2'-azobis(2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile) were used as hydrophilic and lipophilic radical initiators, respectively. Results of this study demonstrate that the presence of ME significantly delayed the oxidative degradation of astaxanthin and controlled the progress of lipid oxidation in a liposomal system. The lipid hydroperoxide formation was significantly suppressed, while polyunsaturated fatty acids were protected from degradation. In addition, Crude ME also demonstrated more potent DPPH radical scavenging activities and EC50 than the equimolar concentrations of ergothioneine alone, which suggested the presence of additional compounds with antioxidative properties.

Influence of Cold Storage and Processing of Edible Mushroom on Ergothioneine Concentration

Influence of Cold Storage and Processing of Edible Mushroom on Ergothioneine Concentration

Bioavailability and antioxidant effect of ergothioneine in human blood

Edible mushrooms, such as the white button mushrooms contain several biological compounds including ergothioneine (ET). The main function of ET seems to be to protect cells from oxidative stress. Although humans cannot synthesize ET, the human body does have its own ergothioneine transporter (ETT), which allows cells, for instance red blood cells (RBCs), to take up and store ET. The existence of this transporter suggests that ET might have a physiological importance in humans. The aims of this study were to examine the availability of ET in RBCs and the protective effect of ET on oxidative stress in RBCs. The uptake of ET in RBCs was studied in vitro by treating RBCs with known concentrations of ET (0-100 µM). The amount of ET in the RBCs was determined using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The protective effect of ET was studied by measuring the haemolysis in oxidative stress induced RBCs, which were pre-treated with ET in concentrations ranging from 0-100 µM. In addition, a pilot study was performed where 10,6 mg ET was administered to subjects (n = 6) through a mushroom soup. Before and three hours after consumption, blood samples were collected. The blood samples were analyzed to determine the concentration ET in the RBCs using HPLC and the protective effect of ET was studied the same way as for in vitro. Main findings were that ET was taken up in RBCs after treatment with all ET concentrations, but only after 30 minutes and two hours. Furthermore, RBCs pre-treated with ET had less haemolysis than nontreated RBCs; pre-treatment with 100 µM ET was observed to significantly (p&lt;0,016) decrease haemolysis in comparison with the non-treated RBCs. Consumption of the mushroom soup did not result in increased ET levels in the RBCs, although three out of five subjects had less haemolysis compared to consumption of the placebo soup. However, the beneficial effects after consumption of the mushroom soup cannot be assigned to ET for sure; other unobserved compounds could be involved

Food-derived hydrophilic antioxidant ergothioneine is distributed to the brain and exerts antidepressant effect in mice.

BackgroundClinically used antidepressants suffer from various side effects. Therefore, we searched for a safe antidepressant with minimal side effects among food ingredients that are distributed to the brain. Here, we focused on ERGO (ergothioneine), which is a hydrophilic antioxidant and contained at high levels in edible golden oyster mushrooms. ERGO is a typical substrate of carnitine/organic cation transporter OCTN1/SLC22A4, which is expressed in the brain and neuronal stem cells, although little is known about its permeation through the BBB (blood–brain barrier) or its neurological activity.MethodsTo clarify the exposure of ERGO to brain and the possible antidepressant‐like effect after oral ingestion, ERGO or GOME (golden oyster mushroom extract) which contains 1.2% (w/w) ERGO was mixed with feed and provided to mice for 2 weeks, and then ERGO concentration and antidepressant‐like effect were evaluated by LC‐MS/MS and FST (forced swimming test) or TST (tail suspension test), respectively.ResultsDiet containing ERGO or GOME greatly increased the ERGO concentrations in plasma and brain, and significantly decreased the immobility time in both FST and TST. The required amount of GOME (~37 mg/day) to show the antidepressant‐like effect corresponds to at most 8 g/day in humans. In mice receiving GOME‐containing diet, doublecortin‐positive cells showed a significant increase from the basal level, suggesting promotion of neuronal differentiation.ConclusionThus, orally ingested ERGO is transported across the BBB into the brain, where it may promote neuronal differentiation and alleviate symptoms of depression at plausibly achieved level of daily ingestion.