Mushroom Ganoderma Research Articles

Effect of Adding Lion’s Mane (Hericium erinaceus) and Reishi Mushroom (Ganoderma Lucidum) to Broiler Diets on the Productive Performance

Research on the effects of supplementing broiler diets with Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus) and Reishi Mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) was conducted in the field from March 22, 2022, to April 18, 2022, by the Department of Animal Production in the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences at the University of Baghdad in Abu Ghraib. There were a total of 210 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks employed in this study (10 birds per replicate), and they were fed a starter diet for the first 10 days, a growth diet for the next 11-24 days, and a final diet for the last 25-42 days. The birds were randomly assigned to one of seven treatments, with three replicates per treatment and ten birds in each replicate. The experimental procedures included:Treatment 1 (T1) is a diet with no extra ingredients. The second diet (T2) includes 1 g/kg of lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus) fodder, the third diet (T3) includes 1.5 g/kg of lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus), and the fourth diet (T4) includes 2 g/kg of lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus), the fifth diet (T5) includes 1 g/kg of reishi mushroom (Ganoderma Treatments T4 (2 g/kg of Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus) and T6 (1.5 gm of Reishi Mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum)) were superior on the control treatment T1 in the sixth week, while in the fifth week, treatment T6 (1.5 g/kg of Reishi Mushroom) showed a significant increase in weekly average body weight over the control treatment T1. The ratio of weight gain to treatment time was found to be significantly higher for treatments T4 and T6 compared to the control treatment T1 (P<0.01). At 6 weeks of age, the feed consumption ratio increased significantly for treatments T5, T6, and T7 compared to the control treatment T1, and a high significant improvement (P<0.01) in the feed conversion ratio was observed, most notably for the birds in treatment T4, to which Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus) was added to their diets at a rate of 2 g / kg. There was a significant (P≤0.05) increase in the relative weight of the liver for birds of treatment T2 (1g/kg Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus) and T6 (1.5g/kg Reishi Mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum)) compared to the control treatment T1. The results of this investigation suggest that varying concentrations of Lion’s mane (Hericium erinaceus) and Reishi Mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) may help boost grill performance.

Effect of Adding Lion’s Mane Mushroom Hericium erinaceus and Reishi Mushrooms Ganoderma lucidum to Broiler Diets on some Physiological, Immunological Characteristics and Oxidation Indicators of Meat

Research on the effect of supplementing broiler diets with Hericium erinaceus and Ganoderma lucidum was conducted from March 22, 2022, to April 18, 2022, in the poultry field at the Department of Animal Production, College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad, Abu Ghraib. Productivity that really packs a punch. The experiment used 210 one-day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks with an average starting weight of 42.38 g (10 birds/replicated). After receiving starter diet for the first 10 days, the chicks switched to growth diet for the next 11-24 days. The birds were randomly assigned to one of seven treatments for the last 25-42 days, with three replicates per treatment and 10 birds in each replication. These were the experimental procedures: (T1) A diet devoid of any modifications or supplements. (T2), the basic ration supplemented with 1g/kg of feed from the lion’s mane mushroom; (T3), the basic ration supplemented with 1.5g/kg of feed from the lion’s mane mushroom; ((T4), the basic ration supplemented with 2 g/kg of the lion’s mane mushroom; (T5), the basic diet supplemented with 1 g/kg of the fungus; (T6), the basic diet Results showed a high significant increase (p0.01) for T1 treatment birds, a highly significant decrease (p≤0.01) for T6 birds, and a highly significant decrease (p0.01) for LDL in the blood of birds receiving any additional treatments. The percentage of free fatty acids (FFA) in the frozen meat of treatment T4, followed by T3, and the percentage decreased in all addition treatments compared to the control treatment T1, and the results of oxidative stress showed a highly significant decrease (p>0.01) in the concentration of MDA and P.V of broiler meat frozen 60 days for the treatments T3, T4, and T7.

Pharmacological activity of the Ethanolic extract of Lingzhi to the Immune system

The immune system is a defense system of the human body that has a function to protect humans from foreign. One of the indicators of an increased immune system is an increase in the number and type of the leukocyte cell (lymphocytes and monocyte) and lymph weight. In Indonesia, many natural ingredients can be used as an alternative medicine to maintain the immune system, including the Lingzhi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum). The purpose of this study was to determine the pharmacological activity of Lingzi mushroom extract on the number and type of leukocytes (lymphocytes and monocyte) as well as spleen weight in white male swiss webster mice. The method of this research is an experimental laboratory with a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) using a post-test control group design. The sample population taken was 25 mice divided into five groups including negative, positive, test 1 (5.6mg/20g BW of mice), test 2 (11.2mg/20g BW of mice), test 3 (16.8 mg/20 g BW of mice). Each group consists of 5mice. The data collection was obtained from the result of the cell count, leukocyte cell count, and lymph weight in mice which was carried out after the treatment with lingzhi mushroom extract for 6 days. The results showed that a test 2 (11.2mg/20g BW in mice) was effective to increase the number of a leukocyte, test 3 (16.8mg/20gr BW of mice) was effective to increase leukocyte, lymphocytes and lymph weight. However, test 1, 2, and 3 reduced amount of neutrophil segment. Lingzhi mushroom extract test 3 showed better than other groups due to increase of leukocyte, monocyte, lymphocyte and lymph.

Ganoderma microsporum immunomodulatory protein as an extracellular epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) degrader for suppressing EGFR-positive lung cancer cells

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) abnormalities relevant to tumor progression. A newly developed strategy for cancer therapy is induction of EGFR degradation. GMI, an immunomodulatory protein from the medicinal mushroom Ganoderma microsporum, exhibits anticancer activity. However, its role in the intracellular trafficking and degradation of EGFR remains unclear. In this study, we discovered that GMI inhibits the phosphorylation of multiple tyrosine kinases. Specifically, GMI was discovered to suppress lung cancer cells harboring both wild-type and mutant EGFR by inhibiting EGFR dimerization and eliminating EGFR-mediated signaling. Functional studies revealed that GMI binds to the extracellular segment of EGFR. GMI interacts with EGFR to induce phosphorylation of EGFR at tyrosine1045, which triggers clathrin-dependent endocytosis and degradation of EGFR. Furthermore, in the mouse models, GMI was discovered to suppress tumor growth. Knockdown of EGFR in lung cancer cells abolishes GMI's anticancer activity in vivo and in vitro. Our results reveal the interaction mechanisms through which GMI induces EGFR degradation and abolishes EGFR-mediated intracellular pathway. Our study indicates that GMI is an EGFR degrader for inhibiting EGFR-expressing tumor growth.

GC–MS, molecular identification, proximate and mineral content composition of two wild mushrooms (Ganoderma lucidum, Pleurotus ostreatus) from Gilgit Baltistan Northern area of Pakistan

For a very long time, diverse civilizations all over the world have recognised that mushrooms, which are the fruiting bodies of fungi, have medicinal characteristics and used to treat different kinds of human diseases. As a result of intensive research, the bioactive components of mushrooms used in Asian traditional medicine have been determined. The present investigation was designed to assess the GC–MS and molecular characterization along with proximate and mineral content properties of Ganoderma lucidum and Pleurotus ostreatus wild mushrooms. For the molecular identification of ITS metagenomics is used. For the compound identification GC–MS is used. Standard procedures are used to determine the proximate and mineral composition. A maximum dry matter contents present in P. ostreatus (96.21±0.068 %) and G. lucidum has (95.13±0.72 %). High content of moisture present in G. lucidum (4.87 ± 0.057 %) as compared to P. ostreatus. A vital amount of crude fibre in present in G. lucidum. G. lucidum has high amount of crude protein (21.87± 0.044 %), while P. ostreatus has 13.66 ± 0.80. An appreciable amount of nutritionally vital carbohydrate is present in P. ostreatus (65.15±0.946) followed by G. lucidum (34.12 ± 0.451). Higher amount of energy value (315.37±2.173 %) present in P. ostreatus as compared to G. lucidum 195.07±1.631 %, furthermore, high nitrogen free extract (61.1 ± 0.946 %), and a high free fatty (2.44±0.064 %) are present in P. ostreatus. Iron (Fe), and Copper (Cu) were abundant in G. lucidum while Zn and Mn is in lower amount. The P. ostreatus contain maximum amount of Fe followed by Zn, Mn and Cu. The FT-IR spectra of G. lucidum shows alcohol, vinyl/phenyl ester, and alkane methylene and aldehyde groups. Conjugated ketone, aliphatic ether and phenols groups present in P. ostreatus. Seventy bioactive compounds were identified in G. lucidum and P. ostreatus through GC–MS. Theses compounds contain the biological activities like; antimicrobial, antioxidant, cytotoxicity, antitumor, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-androgenic. Blast sequence analysis of at NCBI shows 99 % similarities and successfully confirmed with Ganoderma lucidum (OQ117088) and Pleurotus ostreatus (OQ119156).

The transcription factor GCN4 contributes to maintaining intracellular amino acid contents under nitrogen-limiting conditions in the mushroom Ganoderma lucidum

BackgroundEdible mushrooms are delicious in flavour and rich in high-quality protein and amino acids required by humans. A transcription factor, general control nonderepressible 4 (GCN4), can regulate the expression of genes involved in amino acid metabolism in yeast and mammals. A previous study revealed that GCN4 plays a pivotal role in nitrogen utilization and growth in Ganoderma lucidum. However, its regulation is nearly unknown in mushrooms.ResultsIn this study, we found that the amino acid contents reached 120.51 mg per gram of mycelia in the WT strain under 60 mM asparagine (Asn) conditions, but decreased by 62.96% under 3 mM Asn conditions. Second, silencing of gcn4 resulted in a 54.2% decrease in amino acid contents under 60 mM Asn, especially for the essential and monosodium glutamate-like flavour amino acids. However, these effects were more pronounced under 3 mM Asn. Third, silencing of gcn4 markedly inhibited the expression of amino acid biosynthesis and transport genes. In addition, GCN4 enhanced the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) and glycolytic pathway and inhibited the activity of target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1), thus being beneficial for maintaining amino acid homeostasis.ConclusionThis study confirmed that GCN4 contributes to maintaining the amino acid contents in mushrooms under low concentrations of nitrogen. In conclusion, our study provides a research basis for GCN4 to regulate amino acid synthesis and improve the nutrient contents of edible mushrooms.

Effect of adding different levels of reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum ) to broiler diets and its effect on productive performance

This study was conducted in the poultry fields of the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences / University of Baghdad from 10/15/2021 to 11/25/2021.To know the effect of adding different levels of Ganoderma lucidum to broiler diets on productive performance. 200 unsexed (Ross 308) chicks of one day age with a starting weight of (40) g were used. The chicks were randomly distributed into four treatments and 50 birds. One treatment included five replicates (10 birds/replicate), and the experimental treatments was as follows: T1, T2, T3, T4, and the percentages of adding reishi mushroom were 0, 0.5, 1, and 1.5 g/kg of feed, respectively, and the birds were fed on three starter diets, growth and final diets, The results of this study showed a significant increase (p&lt;0.05) in the body weight rates, feed conversion factor, weight gain rate, and decreased belly fat for treatments T2, T3, and T4 to which reishi mushrooms were added in the diet of 0.5, 1, and 1.5 g/kg of feed, respectively. With control treatment (T1) without addition. It was noted that there was a significant increase (P&lt;0.05) in the average of feed consumed for treatments T1, T2 and T3 compared to treatment T4. There was a significant increase in the relative weight of the Breast cut for treatments T1, T2, and T4 compared to treatment T3. Keywords: average body weight, weight gain, feed consumed, food conversion ratio, reishi mushrooms, major cuts.

The medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum prevents lung tumorigenesis induced by tobacco smoke carcinogens.

Ganoderma lucidum (GL), commonly known as "Lingzhi", is a well-known medicinal mushroom with antioxidant and anti-cancer activity. This study examined the effects of a commercial GL product (GLSF) containing the spore and fruiting body in a 30:8 ratio on tobacco smoke carcinogen-induced lung toxicity and carcinogenesis. The potential chemopreventive effect of GLSF was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. The non-tumorous human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B cells) were treated with GLSF extract (0.025 and 0.05mg/mL), which significantly blocked malignant transformation induced by benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide (BPDE) in a dose-dependent manner. To confirm its anti-carcinogenic activity in vivo, the mice were pre-treated with GLSF (2.0g/kg of body weight) or curcumin (100mg/kg of body weight) by oral gavage daily for 7days and then exposed to a single dose of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) (125mg/kg of body weight). The GLSF-treated mice showed a significant reduction in B[a]P-induced lung toxicity, as indicated by decreased lactate dehydrogenase activity, malondialdehyde levels, inflammatory cell infiltration, and improved lung histopathology. We next determined the chemopreventive activity of GLSF in mice which were exposed to two weekly doses of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK, 100mg/kg, on the 1st and 8thdays) and fed with control or a modified diet containing GLSF (2.0g/kg) or metformin (250mg/kg) for 33weeks. The GLSF and metformin treatments blocked NNK-induced lung tumor development by decreasing the lung weight, tumor area, and tumor burden compared to the mice exposed to NNK only. GLSF treatment also attenuated the expression of inflammatory, angiogenic, and apoptotic markers in lung tumors. Therefore, GLSF may be used for ameliorating tobacco smoke carcinogens-induced lung toxicity and carcinogenesis.

Ganoderma lucidum Mycelia Mass and Bioactive Compounds Production through Grape Pomace and Cheese Whey Valorization.

Numerous compounds obtained from the medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum have evidenced renowned bioactive characteristics. Controlled fermentation to generate fungal mycelia confers several advantages, specifically when the valorization of agro-industrial streams as fermentation feedstocks is included. Submerged fermentation of a newly isolated Greek strain of G. lucidum was performed using conventional synthetic media and, also, grape pomace extract (GPE) and cheese whey permeate (CWP) under static and shaking conditions. Under shaking conditions, maximum biomass with GPE and supplementation with organic nitrogen reached 17.8 g/L. The addition of an elicitor in CWP resulted in a significant improvement in biomass production that exceeded synthetic media. Overall, agitation demonstrated a positive impact on biomass productivity and, therefore, on process optimization. Crude intracellular and extracellular polysaccharides were extracted and evaluated regarding antioxidant activity and polysaccharide and protein content. FTIR analysis confirmed the preliminary chemical characterization of the crude extracts. This study introduces the design of a bioprocessing scenario to utilize food industry by-products as onset feedstocks for fungal bioconversions to obtain potential bioactive molecules within the concept of bioeconomy.

Natural Products in Renal-Associated Drug Discovery.

The global increase in the incidence of kidney failure constitutes a major public health problem. Kidney disease is classified into acute and chronic: acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with an abrupt decline in kidney function and chronic kidney disease (CKD) with chronic renal failure for more than three months. Although both kidney syndromes are multifactorial, inflammation and oxidative stress play major roles in the diversity of processes leading to these kidney malfunctions. Here, we reviewed various publications on medicinal plants with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties with the potential to treat and manage kidney-associated diseases in rodent models. Additionally, we conducted a meta-analysis to identify gene signatures and associated biological processes perturbed in human and mouse cells treated with antioxidants such as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the active ingredient in green tea, and the mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (GL) and in kidney disease rodent models. We identified EGCG- and GL-regulated gene signatures linked to metabolism; inflammation (NRG1, E2F1, NFKB1 and JUN); ion signalling; transport; renal processes (SLC12A1 and LOX) and VEGF, ERBB and BDNF signalling. Medicinal plant extracts are proving to be effective for the prevention, management and treatment of kidney-associated diseases; however, more detailed characterisations of their targets are needed to enable more trust in their application in the management of kidney-associated diseases.

Drying behavior, color change and rehydration of lingzhi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) under convection-assisted microwave drying

Lingzhi mushrooms (Ganoderma lucidum) are a highly valued agricultural product that is used for medicinal purposes due to its range of important nutrient contents. However, the mushroom is perishable, as it is sensitive to moisture. To increase its shelf life and maintain the quality, a hybrid drying technique of convection-assisted microwave drying was investigated in this study. In the experiment, 3-mm thick slices of lingzhi mushrooms were dried at a hot air velocity of 1 m/s, hot air temperatures (Tdry) of 50, 60, and 70 °C, and microwave powers (Mp) of 200, 400, and 600 W. The mass of lingzhi mushrooms was recorded every 5 min until there was no further change in mass. The experimental results presented drying behaviors in terms of dry basis moisture content (Mdb) and drying rate (DR). Additionally, the overall color differences (ΔE) and the percentage of rehydration (Rd) were assessed. The results demonstrated that the increase in Tdry and Mp resulted in the DR and ΔE increasing, while the drying time and Rd decreased. The highest DR of 8.6 gwater/min and the shortest drying time of 25 min were observed at a Tdry of 70 °C and Mp of 600 W. The L*, a*, and b* values of the dried lingzhi mushrooms showed significant statistical differences (p < 0.05) compared to the fresh samples. The ΔE was significantly affected by both Tdry and Mp, while the Rd was more influenced by Tdry than Mp, with a significance level of p < 0.05. The lowest ΔE and highest Rd values were achieved at Tdry = 50 °C and Mp = 200 W. Furthermore, the developed empirical model accurately predicted the moisture ratio (R2 > 0.9982 and RMSE < 0.0210).

Medicinal Mushroom, Ganoderma Lucidum, Improves Painful Symptoms in Patients with Restless Legs Syndrome

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a prevalent sensorimotor sleep disorder that worsens quality of life. All the currently available drug treatments for RLS have limitations. Extracts of the mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (GL) have shown several beneficial biological effects in neurodegenerative diseases. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of a 2-month course of GL extract on the intensity of painful RLS symptoms.

Comparing of antioxidant ability, α-glucosidase inhibition and cytotoxicity of three fruiting body shapes of Ganoderma lingzhi

In the process of artificial culture, Ganoderma mushrooms will appear with several different shapes of fruiting bodies, even though they share the same species. The differences in shape can influence and create differences in bioactivity and active ingredients. This study looked at the biological activities of ethanol crude extracts from three shape kinds of fruiting bodies of Ganoderma lingzhi mushroom and herb tablets made from kidney-shaped fruiting body including antioxidant, α-glucosidase inhibition and cytotoxic activity in some cell lines. Besides, the content of ganoderic acid A was also evaluated among the tested samples. The results showed that different shapes of G. lingzhi could possess differences in bioactivities. The shapes with elongated fruiting body stem including antler- and intermediate form, have better antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibitory capacity than the common kidney shape. Furthermore, the antler and intermediate forms' cytotoxic activity against cell lines including fibroblast, NCI H469 and Hep G2, were higher than the kidney-shaped mushroom extracts. Similarly, the results of ganoderic acid A content from the extracts of antler- and intermediate form samples were also higher than that of the other form. Meanwhile, the herb tablets had the same pattern to the kidney-shaped extract in several activities. The ganoderic acid A content of the tablet sample was lower than that of three samples extracted from different mushroom shapes. Interestingly, the tablets showed the best-reducing power among the investigated samples.

Lanostane triterpenoids with anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory activities from medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lingzhi

Eight previously undescribed lanostane triterpenoids and nine known ones were identified from the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma lingzhi S.H. Wu, Y. Cao & Y.C. Dai. Their structures were determined based on spectroscopic data and quantum chemical calculations. Structurally, ganoderane GL-1, featuring a hydrogenated tetramethyls-phenanthraquinone, represents the first example in lanostane nor-triterpenoid group. Biologically, ganoderanes GL-2 and GL-3, distinguished by the presence of a rare “1,11-epoxy” moiety, exhibited significant inhibition against nitric oxide production induced by lipopolysaccharide in RAW264.7 macrophage cells, while ganoderanes GL-4 and GL-8 exhibited bifunctional activities of anti-proliferation and anti-inflammation.

Effects of Reishi Mushroom (Ganoderma Lucidum) Powder Inclusion into Quail Diets on Animal Performance, Carcass Traits, Intestinal Microflora and Serum Parameters

This study was carried out to determine the effects of reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) powder inclusion into quail diets on live weight, live weight change, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio, carcass traits, intestinal microflora and serum biochemical parameters of the animals. Dietary reishi mushroom (RM) addition did not influence live weight changes of the treatment groups (P&gt; 0.05). Weekly and overall feed consumptions of the treatment groups were not influenced by RM supplementations (P&gt; 0.05). There were not any significant differences in feed conversion ratios of the treatment groups (P&gt;0.05). Dietary RM inclusion did not affect the overall carcass parameters (P&gt; 0.05). The differences in intestinal bacteria populations of the treatment groups were not found to be significant (P&gt; 0.05). Also, there were not any significant differences in blood serum total cholesterol, glucose, total protein and triglyceride levels of the treatment groups (P&gt; 0.05). It was concluded that dietary RM inclusion into animal diets had a little effect on performance and carcass traits of Japanese quail. But there were slight improvements in some parameters due to antioxidant and antimicrobial effects of reishi mushroom. Further research is recommended to be conducted with greater ratios of dietary RM and with different poultry species.

Isolation, Purification and Characterization of the Active Compounds from Ganoderma spp. and Evaluation of its Activities in Inhibiting the Growth of the Pathogenic fungi Fusarium oxysporum and Alternaria tenuissima

The main objectives of the present study include purification of the active Compounds from the medecinal mushroom, Ganoderma spp. for inhibiting the growth of the pathogenic fungi Fusarium oxysporum and Alternaria tenuissima. The antifungal activity of the protein content separated by gel filtration chromatography for four strains of Ganoderma mushroom; G. resinaceum strain Has.AA-8(ON834527.1), G. applanatum strain Has.AA-6 (ON834523.1), G. resinaceum strain 1049 (MN448375) and G. lucidum strain Has.AA-7 (ON834541.1)was studied. The results showed presence of 6,8,8 and 9 inhibitory protein peaks against the phytopathogenic fungi, Fusarium oxysporum and Alternaria tenuissima related to these mushroom strains, respectively. Among these protein fractions, three inhibitory enzymes namely, chitinase, β-glucanase and protease were identified. The results showed the highest chitinase activity and the inhibitory effect were recorded in the fractions 14 and 16 of the protein contents of G. lucidum Has.AA-7 and G. resinaceum 1049, in which, chitinase activity reached 3.11 and 3.06 units / ml, respectively, while the inhibition zones were 1.4 cm for both pathogenic fungi and 0.9 and 1 cm for F. oxysporum and A. tenuissima, respectively, while the highest β-glucanase activities were 1.62 unit/ml in the protein contents of G. lucidum Has.AA-7 which record the inhibition zone of 1.3 cm for both pathogenic fungi, compared to the β-glucanase of G. applanatum Has.AA-6 and G. resinaceum 1049 which recorded the highest inhibition zone (1.4 cm) for F. oxysporum. The results also showed the highest protease activities were 28.04 and 27.75 unit/ml from the fractions 32 and 46 of the protein content of G. resinaceum 1049 and G. resinaceum Has.AA-8, with the highest inhibition zones (1.7 and 1.4 cm) for F. oxysporum and (1.2 and 1.1 cm) for A. tenuissima, respectively. Its clearly from this results, Ganoderma spp. produces a wide range of protein substances that inhibit phytopathogenic fungi, F. oxysporum and A. tenuissima.

The Development of Novel Ganoderic-Acid-Encapsulated Nanodispersions Using the Combination of Ultrasonic Cavitation and Solvent Evaporation through Response Surface Optimization

Ganoderic Acid (GA), a major bioactive compound isolated from the East Asian medicinal mushroom Ganoderma tsugae, is traditionally believed to have significant medicinal properties. GA is poorly soluble in water, which poses several challenges in terms of its formulation. In this study, Ganoderma tsugae extracts obtained through ethanol extraction were encapsulated in nanodispersions via ultrasonic cavitation and solvent evaporation to increase their bioavailability. The preparation route was thoroughly analyzed using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to determine the interactions between the variables. Based on the results, the Hydrophilic–Lipophilic Balance (HLB) and the evaporation temperature significantly influenced the resulting particle size. In the optimized nanodispersions, GA was incorporated into a hydrophobic core with a particle size no greater than 200 nm and a very narrow particle distribution (namely, a polydispersity index of 0.289). Due to the high negative zeta potential (−45.9 mV), a very slow particle growth rate of 0.239% over short-term storage (14 days) was achieved. In addition, the zeta average remained virtually unchanged for 14 days at room temperature in solutions at different pH levels. In summary, this paper provides the first-ever demonstration that ultrasound cavitation in conjunction with solvent evaporation can be used to generate GA nanodispersions.

Chemical Characterization and Evaluation of Antimicrobial Properties of the Wild Medicinal Mushroom Ganoderma lucidum Growing in Northern Moroccan Forests.

Ganoderma lucidum is an extensively famous medicinal mushroom distributed worldwide. Despite being widely grown in Moroccan forests, there are no studies on its nutritional, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical values. Herein, the objective of this study was to investigate the chemical characterization and antimicrobial properties of G. lucidum methanolic extract. Total phenolic, flavonoid, tannin, ascorbic acid and carotenoid contents were determined by spectrophotometry. The results revealed that the most prevalent bioactive compounds were phenolics and flavonoids, with total values of 154.60 mg GAE/g of dry methanolic extract (dme) and 60.55 mg CE/mg of dme, respectively. A GC-MS analysis identified 80 biologically active molecules, which were mainly divided into the following major groups: sugars (49.49%), organic acids (8.89%), fatty acids (7.75%), amino acids (7.44%), steroids (7.32%), polyphenols (5.92%), and others (13.16%). Additionally, 22 individual phenolic compounds were identified and quantified using HPLC-MS, with emphasis on kaempferol (1714 µg/g of dry weight (dw)), apigenin (1955 µg/g dw) and quercetin (947.2 µg/g dw). The methanolic extract of G. lucidum indicated strong antioxidant capacity by means of the following: DPPH radical-scavenging activity (53.7 µg/mL), β-carotene/linoleate assay (43.75 µg/mL), and reducing power assay (76.62 µg/mL). Furthermore, the extract exhibited potent antimicrobial properties against seven human pathogenic microorganisms, including two bacteria and five fungal strains, at concentrations ranging from 1 to 16 mg/mL. The most sensitive pathogen was Epidermophyton floccosum (MIC = MFC = 1 mg/mL), while Aspergillus fumigatus was the most resistant one (MIC = 16 mg/mL and MFC ≥ 16 mg/mL). Overall, our findings demonstrated valuable nutritional and bioactive compound attributes, and potent antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, of G. lucidum growing in Moroccan forests. Moreover, these findings suggest that the Moroccan mushroom can be extremely useful for the food and medicinal industries to positively affect socioeconomic status.

Toxicogenic effects of the mushroom Ganoderma lucidum on human liver and kidney tumor cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes.

Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis) P. Karst., a bioactive mushroom with medicinal properties, is known to exert immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, hypocholesterolemic, hypoglycemic, and hepatoprotective effects. In this study, the effects of the G. lucidum fruiting body dry extract (GLE) on human liver (HepG2/C3A) and kidney (786-O) tumor cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes were evaluated. MTT-based cytotoxicity, trypan blue-based cell viability, comet, and cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome assays were performed, and the production of reactive oxygen species was evaluated in vitro. GLE was toxic to the tumor cells, decreasing their viability by increasing their production of reactive oxygen species and inducing damage to their DNA. By contrast, only high concentrations of GLE were toxic to lymphocytes and decreased their viability, whereas low concentrations increased lymphocyte viability. Moreover, primary DNA damage was induced by GLE only at the highest concentration tested. G. lucidum shows potential antitumor effects against cancerous kidney and liver cells, exhibiting cytotoxic and genotoxic activity at low concentrations, whereas the same effects in lymphocytes are mediated only at high concentrations. This mushroom has the potential to be biotechnologically developed into a therapeutic agent for diseases, such as cancer.

Biosynthesis and bioapplications of nanomaterials from mushroom products.

The production of nanoparticles (NPs) from chemical and physical synthesis has ended due to the involvement of toxic byproducts and harsh analytical conditions. Innovation and research in nanoparticle synthesis are derived from biomaterials that have gained attention due to their novel features, such as ease of synthesis, low-cost, eco-friendly approach, and high water solubility. Nanoparticles obtained through macrofungi involve several mushroom species, i.e., Pleurotus spp., Ganoderma spp., Lentinus spp., and Agaricus bisporus. It is well-known that macrofungi possess high nutritional, antimicrobial, anti-cancerous, and immune-modulatory properties. Nanoparticle synthesis via medicinal and edible mushrooms is a striking research field, as macrofungi act as an eco-friendly biofilm that secretes essential enzymes to reduce metal ions. The mushroom-isolated nanoparticles exhibit longer shelf life, higher stability, and increased biological activities. The synthesis mechanisms are still unknown; evidence suggests that fungal flavones and reductases have a significant role. Several macrofungi have been utilized for metal synthesis (such as Ag, Au, Pt, Fe) and non-metal nanoparticles (Cd, Se, etc.). These nanoparticles have found significant applications in advancing industrial and bio-medical ventures. A complete understanding of the synthesis mechanism will help optimize the synthesis protocols and control the shape and size of nanoparticles. This review highlights various aspects of NP production via mushrooms, including its synthesis from mycelium and the fruiting body of macrofungi. Also, we discuss the applications of different technologies in NP high-scale production via mushrooms.