Lucidenic Acid Research Articles

The Therapeutic Potential of Ganoderma lucidum Karst and Ziziphus jujuba Mill for Postsurgical Adhesion Band Formation

Background: Intra-abdominal adhesions are a commonly occurring postoperative complication following abdominopelvic surgery. Peritoneal adhesion formation can lead to infertility, chronic pelvic pain, and intestinal obstruction. The anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant activities of Ganoderma lucidum Karst (G. lucidum) and Ziziphus jujuba Mill (Z. jujuba) have been reported. Here, we have explored the therapeutic potential of Ganoderma lucidum Karst (G. lucidum) and Z. jujuba against postsurgical adhesion band formation. The NC3Rs ARRIVE guidelines were followed during experimental studies. Methods: G. lucidum powder (800 mg/kg) and Z. jujuba powder (400 mg/kg) were administered using oral gavage to different groups of male albino Wistar rats. After ten days of treatment, macroscopic evidence for peritoneal adhesions and adhesion band score were determined. Furthermore, the anti-inflammatory and antifibrosis effects of G. lucidum and Z. jujuba were assessed using histopathology, ELISA, and real-time polymerase chain reaction methods. Also, alterations in some oxidative stress parameters were evaluated. Results: G. lucidum and Z. jujuba significantly decreased adhesion bands and were associated with a reduction in inflammatory cell infiltration into damaged tissues and the mRNA and protein expression of inflammatory cytokines via modulation of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and TGF-β. Moreover, both agents inhibited fibrotic adhesion band formation by decreasing collagen deposition and reducing profibrotic marker expression, Col1A1, at the peritoneum adhesion tissues. G. lucidum and Z. jujuba improved some antioxidant factors in rats’ adhesion tissues. The result of LC-MS showed that Ganoderma lucidum Karst and Ziziphus jujuba Mill consist of components with antioxidant activity, including ganoderic acid, lucidenic acid, quercetin, linoleic acid, malic acid, and benzoic acid. Conclusion: The results have demonstrated the therapeutic potential of G. lucidum and Z. jujuba in reducing peritoneal adhesion through anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties, indicating their promising value as a new therapeutic approach in preventing postsurgical adhesion.

Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Ganoderma lingzhi and Ganoderma lucidum Fruiting Body Extracts

INTRODUCTION. Ganoderma spp. have been used as a traditional oriental medicine and a bioactive dietary supplement. These fungi are a promising source of effective antioxidants. Currently, there is no regulatory framework to control the quality of this herbal drug and its bioactive components in the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus. Therefore, it is essential to study the chemical composition and pharmacological activity spectrum of G. lingzhi and G. lucidum extracts.AIM. The aim of this study was to determine the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of G. lingzhi and G. lucidum fruiting body extracts.MATERIALS AND METHODS. The study focused on pure cultures of G. lingzhi and G. lucidum obtained from the fungal species collection of the Forest Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. Fungal biomass was grown using two substrates, including alder sawdust (1–3 mm fraction) and oak shavings (5–10 mm fraction). The fungal biomass was extracted using repeated maceration with 70% ethanol. The study tested the free radical-scavenging activity of the extracts in reactions with the stable free radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and the radical cation derived from 2,2’-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS). The chemical composition was analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS). The assays for phenols, steroids, and triterpenes used spectrophotometry.RESULTS. The extract of G. lucidum strain 334 cultivated on the alder substrate demonstrated the highest free radical-scavenging activity (IC50 =3.1±0.2 μg/mL (DPPH), IC50 =3.7±0.2 μg/mL (ABTS)), the highest phenolic content (326.2±16.5 μmol/g), and the highest triterpene content (2.00±0.11 mmol/g) of all the studied extracts. The antioxidant activity of the extracts of G. lingzhi and G. lucidum may be attributed to the content of ganoderic acid D, lucidenic acid D, naringenin, and other phenolic compounds.CONCLUSION. The high yield of extracts with a significant radical-scavenging activity makes artificially cultivated G. lingzhi and G. lucidum mushrooms a promising source of natural antioxidants.

Chemical composition analysis of Ganoderma lucidum based on UPLC-Orbitrap-HRMS and virtual screening of FXR activators for treatment of liver fibrosis

The chemical composition of Ganoderma lucidum ethanol extracts was systematically analyzed and identified by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole electrostatic field orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry(UPLC-Orbitrap-HRMS). The fragmentation pattern of the representative chemical compounds was summarized, and the potential anti-liver fibrosis active compounds of G. lucidum acting on the farnesoid X receptor(FXR) target were studied to elucidate its pharmacodynamic substance basis. Preliminarily, 95 chemical constituents of G. lucidum ethanol extracts were identified, including 24 ganoderic acids, 9 ganoderenic acids, 13 lucidenic acids, 3 ganolucidic acids, 1 ganoderma lactone, 40 other triterpenoids, 4 fatty acids, and 1 other constituent. In addition, the fragmentation patterns of the representative compounds were also analyzed. The structural characteristics of ganoderic acids and ganoderenic acids were the C30 skeleton, containing free-COOH and-OH groups, which could easily lose H_2O and CO_2 to form fragment ions. The D-ring was mostly a five-membered ring, which was prone to breakage. Lucidenic acids were the lanosterolane-type of the C27 skeleton, and the side-chain structure became shorter and contained the same free-COOH and-OH compared with ganoderic acids, which had been reduced from 8 to 5 cartons and prone to lose H_2O and CO_2. Then, six reported FXR receptor agonists were selected to form a training set for establishing a pharmacophore model based on FXR ligands. The 95 identified chemical constituents of G. lucidum were matched with the pharmacophore, and the optimal pharmacophore model 02(sensitivity=0.750 00, specificity=0.555 56, ROC=0.750) was selected for the virtual screening of the G. lucidum compound library through the validation of the test set. Finally, 31 potential G. lucidum active constituents were screened and chosen to activate the FXRs. The ADMET results showed that ganoderic acid H and lucidenic acid J had less than 90% plasma protein binding rate and no hepatotoxicity, which could be used as FXR activators for developing clinical drugs for the treatment of liver fibrosis, either alone or in combination.

Neuroprotective prospectives of triterpenoids

Neurological disorders including neurodegenerative disorders continue to pose significant therapeutic challenges. Triterpenoids, a diverse group of natural compounds found abundantly in plants, possess promising neuroprotective properties. This review aims to explore the potential of triterpenoids in mitigating neurodegeneration through various mechanisms, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic activities. The neuroprotective potential of some notable triterpenoids, such as asiatic acid, asiaticoside, madecassoside, bacoside A, bacopaside I, ganoderic acids, and lucidenic acids are discussed in terms of their ability to modulate key pathways implicated in neurological disorders. Additionally, the potential therapeutic applications of triterpenoids in Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, cerebral ischemia, spinal cord injury, and epilepsy are examined. Furthermore, the review also underlines the challenges for the development of triterpenoids as neuroprotective agents, including the need for further preclinical and clinical studies to elucidate their efficacy and safety for translation into clinical practice.

Polysaccharide structure evaluation of Ganoderma lucidum from different regions in China based on an innovative extraction strategy

The polysaccharides and triterpenes are important functional components of Ganoderma lucidum, but traditional preparation process of G. lucidum functional components can only realize the preparation of single functional component, which has poor targeting and low efficiency. In this study, the existence state of the functional components of G. lucidum was revealed. Then, the single step extraction process for functional components was established, and the precise structure evaluation of polysaccharide and triterpenes was conducted based on the process. The results showed that preparation time required for this strategy is only one-sixth of the traditional one, and 50 % of raw materials can be saved. Structural analysis of the functional components revealed that triterpenes were mainly Ganoderic acid and Lucidenic acid, and the polysaccharide structure was mainly 1,3-glucan and 1,3,6-glucan. The establishment of single step extraction strategy and the evaluation of the fine structure of functional components improved the efficiency of preparation and result determination, and provided an important basis for the development and utilization of green and low-carbon G. lucidum and even edible fungi resources and human nutritional dietary improvement strategies.

Influence of cultivation substrate on antioxidant activities and triterpenoid profiles of the fruiting body of Ganoderma lucidum.

The fruiting body of Ganoderma lucidum has been believed to possess a wide range of therapeutic effects. There are two main methods for artificial cultivation of G. lucidum to produce the fruiting body, namely wood log cultivation and substitute cultivation. The impact of cultivation substrates on the composition of bioactive compounds remains largely unexplored. This study aims to compare the antioxidant activities and triterpenoid profiles of the fruiting bodies of G. lucidum that cultivated through wood log cultivation (WGL) and substitute cultivation (SGL) methods. The antioxidant activities, including the DPPH radical scavenging, hydroxyl radical scavenging, superoxide radical scavenging, and total antioxidant activities, were assessed in both WGL and SGL samples. Furthermore, the UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS technique was employed to compare their phytochemical profiles, with a specific emphasis on triterpenoid constituents. It was found that WGL samples exhibited significantly higher total triterpenoid content, DPPH radical scavenging activity, and total antioxidant activity. Furthermore, an untargeted metabolomics approach employing UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS tentatively identified a total of 96 triterpenoids. Distinguishingly different triterpenoid profiles between the two types of G. lucidum samples were revealed via the utilization of principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA). Specifically, 17 triterpenoids showed significant differences. Of these triterpenoids, 6 compounds, such as ganosporelactone B, ganoderol A, ganoderic acid A, ganoderic acid alpha, were significantly higher in SGL samples; 11 compounds, such as lucidenic acid A, lucidenic acid D1, lucidenic acid F, lucidenic acid G, lucidenic acid J, ganoderic acid E, and ganoderic acid O, were significantly higher in WGL samples. These findings expand our knowledge regarding the impact of cultivation substrate on the antioxidant activities and triterpenoid profiles of G. lucidum, and offer practical implications for its cultivation.

Transcriptomic and metabolomic profile changes in the liver of Sprague Dawley rat offspring after maternal PFOS exposure during gestation and lactation

Epidemiological and experimental research has indicated an association between perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) exposure and liver disease. However, the potential hepatotoxic effects and mechanisms of low-level prenatal PFOS exposure in offspring remain ambiguous. The objective of this research was to examine the alterations in liver transcriptomic and metabolomic profiles in offspring rats at postnatal day (PND) 30 following gestational and lactational exposure to PFOS (from gestational day 1 to 20 and PND 1 to 21). Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were separated into a control group (3% starch gel solution, oral gavage) and a PFOS exposure group (0.03 mg/kg body weight per day, oral gavage). Histopathological changes in liver sections were observed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Biochemical analysis was conducted to evaluate changes in glucose and lipid metabolism. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses were utilized to identify significant genes and metabolites associated with alterations of liver glucose and lipid metabolism through an integrated multi-omics analysis. No significant differences were found in the measured biochemical parameters. In total, 167 significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to processes such as steroid biosynthesis, PPAR signaling pathway, and fat digestion and absorption were identified in offspring rats in the PFOS exposure group. Ninety-five altered metabolites were exhibited in the PFOS exposure group, such as heptaethylene glycol, lysoPE (0:0/18:0), lucidenic acid K, and p-Cresol sulfate. DEGs associated with steroid biosynthesis, PPAR signaling pathway, fat digestion and absorption were significantly upregulated in the PFOS exposure group (P < 0.05). The analysis of correlations indicated that there was a significant inverse correlation between all identified differential metabolites and the levels of fasting blood glucose, high-density lipoprotein, and triglycerides in the PFOS exposure group (P < 0.05). Our findings demystify that early-life PFOS exposure can lead to alterations in transcriptomic and metabolomic profiles in the offspring’s liver, which provided mechanistic insights into the potential hepatotoxicity and developmental toxicity associated with environmentally relevant levels of PFOS exposure.

Chemical and biochemical characterization of Ipomoea aquatica: genoprotective potential and inhibitory mechanism of its phytochemicals against α-amylase and α-glucosidase.

Ipomea aquatica, also known as water spinach, is an aquatic non-conventional leafy vegetable and is considered a healthy and seasonal delicacy in ethnic food culture. The study revealed the presence of rich chemical and biochemical composition in I. aquatica and antioxidant activities. Moreover, the plant extracts demonstrated significant DNA damage prevention activity against UV/H2O2-induced oxidative damage. High-resolution mass spectrometric analysis by UPLC-qTOF-MS/MS resulted in the identification of over 65 different compounds and 36 important secondary metabolites. Most of the compounds identified represented polyphenolic compounds, viz. polyphenol glycosides and phenolic acids, followed by alkaloids and terpenoids. A UPLC-DAD method was developed and quantified for 10 different polyphenolic compounds. Out of all the metabolites examined, a significant number of compounds were reported to have various bioactive properties, including antibacterial, antiviral, antitumor, hepatoprotection, and anti-depressant effects. The plant extracts were found to contain various compounds, including euphornin, lucidenic acid, and myricitin glycosides, which possess significant medicinal value. Metabolite analysis utilizing GC-MS revealed the presence of various fatty acids, amino acids, sugars, and organic acids. The analysis revealed the presence of essential unsaturated fatty acids such as α-linolenic acid as well as beneficial substances such as squalene., The evaluation of glycemic control activity was carried out by comprehending the inhibitory potential of α-amylase and α-glucosidase, outlining the kinetics of the inhibition process. The inhibitory activities were compared to those of acarbose and revealed stronger inhibition of α-glucosidase as compared to α-amylase. Furthermore, the mechanism of inhibition was determined using in silico analysis, which involved molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulation of the identified IA phytochemicals complexed with the hydrolase enzymes. The study generates convincing evidence that dietary intake of I. aquatica provides a positive influence on glycemic control along with various health-protective and health-promoting benefits.

In-depth analysis of the acetylcholinesterase inhibitors of Ganoderma amboinense based receptor-ligand affinity coupled with complex chromatography

Given the abundance and intricate nature of the chemical components found in natural food ingredients, functional food research has long grappled with two significant technical challenges: rapid and precise screening of active substances and targeted preparation. This study outlines a novel methodology to enhance the efficiency of preparing natural products, presenting new extraction processes, biological activity screening, and the preparation of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors from Ganoderma amboinense. acetylcholinesterase inhibitors were rapidly screened using ultrafiltration coupled with liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. The inhibitory effect of active compounds on acetylcholinesterase was investigated via enzymatic reaction kinetics, with the mechanism also explored. Additionally, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were used to verify the anti-alzheimer's disease activity of active compounds. Following this, the biological activity of ligands identified were separated and purified using complex chromatography (consecutive-CCC and semi-preparative HPLC). We used n-hexane: ethyl acetate: methanol: water (4.0:6.0:4.0:6.0, v/v/v/v), which optimized by a universal quasichemical functional group activity coefficient-based mathematical model and semi-preparative HPLC, 25–60% A (0–50 min), 60–100% A (50–60 min). Twelve active ingredients viz. ganoderic acids I, C2, G, B, K, A, D, F, J, ganoderenic acid A, deacetyl ganoderic acid F, and lucidenic acid F with the binding affinity for AChE were identified and isolated from natural foods. We enhance the efficiency and purity of active compounds preparation by incorporating enzyme inhibition assays and computerized virtual screening with compound chromatography. With this approach, we seamlessly incorporate fast discovery, screening, and focused preparation of active ingredients, as well as delving into the mechanisms of action of active monomers and proteases, and the molecular-level interactions between active ingredients and proteases. This approach effectively mitigates the occurrence of false positives attributable to a single technique, thereby providing valuable data to underpin future advances in enzyme inhibitor screening and isolation.

Mechanism of Wuling Capsules against hepatic fibrosis based on network pharmacology and animal experiments

The present study aimed to explore the underlying mechanism of Wuling Capsules in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis(HF) through network pharmacology, molecular docking, and animal experiments. Firstly, the chemical components and targets of Wuling Capsules against HF were searched from Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform(TCMSP), Traditional Chinese Medicines Integrated Database(TCMID), GeneCards, and literature retrieval. The protein-protein interaction(PPI) network analysis was carried out on the common targets by STRING database and Cytoscape 3.9.1 software, and the core targets were screened, followed by Gene Ontology(GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses. Enrichment analysis was conducted on the core targets and the &quot;drug-core component-target-pathway-disease&quot; network was further constructed. Subsequently, molecular docking between core components and core targets was conducted using AutoDock Vina software to predict the underlying mechanism of action against HF. Finally, an HF model induced by CCl_4 was constructed in rats, and the general signs and liver tissue morphology were observed. HE and Masson staining were used to analyze the liver tissue sections. The effects of Wuling Capsules on the levels of inflammatory factors, hydroxyproline(HYP) levels, and core targets were analyzed by ELISA, RT-PCR, etc. A total of 445 chemical components of Wuling Capsules were screened, corresponding to 3 882 potential targets, intersecting with 1 240 targets of HF, and 47 core targets such as TNF, IL6, INS, and PIK3CA were screened. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the core targets mainly affected the process of cell stimulation response and metabolic regulation, involving cancer, PI3K-Akt, MAPK, and other signaling pathways. Molecular docking showed that the core components of Wuling Capsules, such as lucidenic acid K, ganoderic acid B, lucidenic acid N, saikosaponin Q2, and neocryptotanshinone, had high affinities with the core targets, such as TNF, IL6 and PIK3CA. Animal experiments showed that Wuling Capsules could reduce fat vacuole, inflammatory infiltration, and collagen deposition in rat liver, decrease the levels of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, and HYP, and downregulated the expressions of PI3K and Akt mRNA. This study suggests that the anti-HF effect of Wuling Capsules may be achieved by regulating the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, reducing the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 inflammatory factors, and inhibiting the excessive deposition of collagen.

A Review on the Sources, Structures, and Pharmacological Activities of Lucidenic Acids.

Ganoderma lucidum has long been used as a multi-purpose plant and functional food. The pharmacological properties of G. lucidum are primarily attributed to its polysaccharides and triterpenoids. Ganoderic and lucidenic acids are the two major triterpenoids groups in G. lucidum. Despite the discovery of 22 types of lucidenic acids, research on lucidenic acids is significantly less extensive compared to that on ganoderic acid. To the best of our knowledge, for the first time, in this review, we aimed to summarize the sources, contents, chemical structures, and pharmacological effects, including anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-viral, neuroprotective, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-hypercholesterolemic, and anti-diabetic properties, of lucidenic acids. Studies on lucidenic acids are still preliminary and have several limitations. Therefore, more in-depth studies with optimal designs are essential for the development of lucidenic acids as medicines, functional foods, and nutraceuticals.

Metabolomic profiles of the liquid state fermentation in co-culture of Eurotium amstelodami and Bacillus licheniformis.

As an important source of new drug molecules, secondary metabolites (SMs) produced by microorganisms possess important biological activities, such as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and hypoglycemic effects. However, the true potential of microbial synthesis of SMs has not been fully elucidated as the SM gene clusters remain silent under laboratory culture conditions. Herein, we evaluated the inhibitory effect of Staphylococcus aureus by co-culture of Eurotium amstelodami and three Bacillus species, including Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. In addition, a non-target approach based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-TOF-MS) was used to detect differences in extracellular and intracellular metabolites. Notably, the co-culture of E. amstelodami and Bacillus spices significantly improved the inhibitory effect against S. aureus, with the combination of E. amstelodami and B. licheniformis showing best performance. Metabolomics data further revealed that the abundant SMs, such as Nummularine B, Lucidenic acid E2, Elatoside G, Aspergillic acid, 4-Hydroxycyclohexylcarboxylic acid, Copaene, and Pipecolic acid were significantly enhanced in co-culture. Intracellularly, the differential metabolites were involved in the metabolism of amino acids, nucleic acids, and glycerophospholipid. Overall, this work demonstrates that the co-culture strategy is beneficial for inducing biosynthesis of active metabolites in E. amstelodami and B. licheniformis.

Potential benefits of metformin and pioglitazone combination therapy via gut microbiota and metabolites in high-fat diet-fed mice.

Metformin and pioglitazone monotherapy have been proven to alter gut microbiota in diabetes and obesity. The present study aimed to investigated whether the combined administration of pioglitazone and metformin achieved superior protective effects on high-fat diet (HFD)-fed obese mice and elucidated its molecular mechanism via the gut microbiota and its metabolites. C57BL/6 males were randomly divided into five groups: the control group, fed a normal control diet; the HFD group, fed an HFD; the metformin monotherapy group, fed an HFD and treated with metformin; the pioglitazone monotherapy group, fed an HFD and treated with pioglitazone; and the combination therapy group, fed an HFD and treated with metformin and pioglitazone combination therapy. The cecal contents were collected for 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing and untargeted metabolomics analysis. The results showed that the combination therapy of metformin and pioglitazone significantly improved insulin sensitivity and glucolipid metabolism in HFD-fed mice. Combination therapy markedly altered gut microbiota by increasing beneficial bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium, Christensenellaceae_R-7_group, Faecalibacterium and Roseburia, and decreasing harmful bacteria, such as Oscillibacter and Eubacterium_xylanophilum_group. Fecal metabolites were significantly changed in the combination therapy group, including a reduction in amino acid metabolism and augmentation of lipid metabolism, such as citrulline, sarcosine, D-glutamine, lipoxin A4, prostaglandin E2, stearidonic acid and lucidenic acid A. These results revealed that combined metformin and pioglitazone therapy had synergistic effects or at least have an additive effect on modifying gut microbiota and metabolites, closely associated with improved glucolipid metabolic parameters in HFD-fed mice, which provides novel evidence and promising targets for metformin and pioglitazone combination therapy in type 2 diabetes.

Lucidenic acid A inhibits the binding of hACE2 receptor with spike protein to prevent SARS-CoV-2 invasion.

High infection caused by mutations of SARS-CoV-2 calls for new prevention strategy. Ganoderma lucidum known as a superior immunoenhancer exhibits various antiviral effects, whether it can resist SARS-CoV-2 remains unclear. Herein, virtual screening combined with in vitro hACE2 inhibition assays were used to investigate its anti SARS-CoV-2 effect. Potential 54 active components, 80 core targets and 20 crucial pathways were identified by the component-target-pathway network. The binding characters of these components to hACE2 and its complexes with spike protein including omicron variant was analyzed by molecular docking. Lucidenic acid A was selected as the top molecule with high affinity to all receptors by forming hydrogen bonds. Molecular dynamics simulation showed it had good binding stability with the receptor proteins. Finally, in vitro FRET test demonstrated it inhibited the hACE2 activity with IC50 2 μmol/mL. Therefore, lucidenic acid A can prevent the virus invasion by blocking hACE2 binding with SARS-CoV-2.

Antioxidant and Anticancer Potential of Bioactive Compounds from Rhinacanthus nasutus Cell Suspension Culture

The potential benefits of natural plant extracts have received attention in recent years, encouraging the development of natural products that effectively treat various diseases. This is the first report on establishing callus and cell suspension cultures of Rhinacanthus nasutus (L.) Kurz. A yellow friable callus was successfully induced from in vitro leaf explants on Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 1 mg/L 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 1 mg/L 1-naphthalene acetic acid. A selected friable callus line was used to establish the cell suspension culture with the same medium. The antioxidant assays showed that the leaf- and ethanolic-suspension-cultured cell (SCC) extracts exhibited high antioxidant potential. In addition, the in vitro cytotoxicity revealed by the MTT assay demonstrated potent antiproliferative effects against the oral cancer cell lines ORL-48 and ORL-136 in a dose-dependent manner. Several groups of compounds, including terpenoids, phenolics, flavonoids, quinones, and stilbenes, were identified by UHPLC–QToF–MS, with the same compounds detected in leaf and SCC extracts, including austroinulin, lucidenic acid, esculetin, embelin, and quercetin 3-(2″-p-hydroxybenzoyl-4″-p-coumarylrhamnoside). The present study suggests the value of further investigations for phytochemical production using R. nasutus cell suspension culture.

Analysis of Related Metabolites Affecting Taste Values in Rice under Different Nitrogen Fertilizer Amounts and Planting Densities.

The aim of this study was to explore the differences in metabolites related to rice quality formation under different nitrogen (N) fertilizers and planting densities. In this study, Yangnongxiang 28 was used as the experimental material with the following conditions: high nitrogen and low density (HNLD; high nitrogen: 360 kg·hm−2, low density: the row spacing of rice plants was 16 cm × 30 cm), medium nitrogen and medium density (MNMD; medium nitrogen: 270 kg·hm−2, medium density: the row spacing of rice plants was 13 cm × 30 cm), and low nitrogen and high density (LNHD; low nitrogen: 270 kg·hm−2, high density: the row spacing of rice plants was 10 cm × 30 cm). The rice quality indexes, including the processing quality, amylose content, and taste value, were compared under different treatments, and we analyzed their relationship with the metabolites. The results show that the milled rice rate of HNLD was 13.85% and was 1.89% higher than that of LNHD and MNMD, respectively. The head milled rice rate of HNLD was 32.45% and 6.39% higher than that of LNHD and MNMD, respectively. The milled rice rate and head milled rice rate of HNLD and MNMD were significantly higher than those of LNHD. This study identified 22 differential metabolites (DMs) in HNLD and LNHD, 38 DMs in HNLD and MNMD, and 23 DMs in LNHD and MNMD. Most of the identified differential metabolites were lipid metabolites, which were mainly enriched in the lipid metabolic pathways and amino acid metabolic pathways. The correlation analysis showed that the lipid metabolite physapubescin was significantly negatively correlated with the taste value. The lipid metabolites 2-undecen-1-ol, lucidenic acid F, and 8-deoxy-11,13-dihydroxygrosheimin were significantly positively correlated with the taste value. Lipids may be important substances that lead to differences in taste under different nitrogen fertilizer and density treatments.

HPLC fingerprint profiles of lucidenic acids from Ganoderma lucidum (lingzhi)

AbstractGanoderic acids (GAs) and lucidenic acids (LAs) are the two specific triterpene compositions of Ganoderma lucidum. The HPLC fingerprint profile of GAs has been well‐established, but the reports for LAs were rare. In this study, six new lucidenic acids: H2 (1), H3 (2), I2 (3), I3 (4), K (5), L (6) and nine known compounds: lucidenic acids A (7), B (8), C (9), D2 (10), E2 (11), F (12), N (13), P (14), Q (15), were isolated from a strain of G. lucidum fruiting body (YK‐02). A specific fingerprint of the lucidenic acid type (LA‐type) HPLC spectrum comprised of these triterpenes was revealed for the first time. The HPLC spectra of four strains of G. lucidum were investigated and showed identical profiles with the typical ganoderic acid type (GA‐type, strains YK‐01 and BCRC36065) and lucidenic acid type spectra (strains YK‐02 and BCRC36090). The fingerprint profiles can be used in both species and strain identification of G. lucidum. Quantitation of lucidenic acid A by using HPLC was also validated.

Comparative Metabolomic Profiling of Compatible and Incompatible Interactions Between Potato and Phytophthora infestans.

Late blight is one of the main biological stresses limiting the potato yield; however, the biochemical mechanisms underlying the infection process of Phytophthora infestans remain unrevealed. In this study, the late blight-resistant potato cultivar Ziyun No.1 (R) and the susceptible cultivar Favorita (S) were inoculated with P. infestans. Untargeted metabolomics was used to study the changes of metabolites in the compatible and incompatible interactions of the two cultivars and the pathogen at 0, 48, and 96 h postinoculation (hpi). A total of 819 metabolites were identified, and the metabolic differences mainly emerged after 48 hpi. There were 198 and 115 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) in the compatible and incompatible interactions. These included 147 and 100 upregulated metabolites during the compatible and incompatible interactions, respectively. Among them, 73 metabolites were identified as the P. infestans-responsive DEMs. Furthermore, the comparisons between the two cultivars identified 57 resistance-related metabolites. Resistant potato cultivar had higher levels of salicylic acid and several upstream phenylpropanoid biosynthesis metabolites, triterpenoids, and hydroxycinnamic acids and their derivatives, such as sakuranetin, ferulic acid, ganoderic acid Mi, lucidenic acid D2, and caffeoylmalic acid. These metabolites play crucial roles in cell wall thickening and have antibacterial and antifungal activities. This study reports the time-course metabolomic responses of potatoes to P. infestans. The findings reveal the responses involved in the compatible and incompatible interactions of potatoes and P. infestans.

Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi) an edible mushroom; a comprehensive and critical review of its nutritional, cosmeceutical, mycochemical, pharmacological, clinical, and toxicological properties.

Reishi owes an exceptional value in nutritional, cosmeceutical, and medical treatments; however, none of the studies has provided its future-driven critical assessment. This study documents an up-to-date review (2015-2020, wherever applicable) and provide valuable insights (preclinical and clinical evidence-based) with comprehensive and critical assessments. Various databases 'Google scholar', 'Web of Science', 'ScienceDirect', 'PubMed', 'Springer Link', books, theses, and library resources were used. The taxonomic chaos of G. lucidum and its related species was discussed in detail with solution-oriented emphasis. Reishi contains polysaccharides (α/β-D-glucans), alkaloids, triterpenoids (ganoderic acids, ganoderenic acids, ganoderol, ganoderiol, lucidenic acids), sterols/ergosterol, proteins (LZ-8, LZ-9), nucleosides (adenosine, inosine, uridine), and nucleotides (guanine, adenine). Some active drugs are explored at an optimum level to make them potential drug candidates. The pharmacological potential was observed in diabetes, inflammation, epilepsy, neurodegeneration, cancer, anxiety, sedation, cardiac diseases, depression, hepatic diseases, and immune disorders; however, most of the studies are preclinical with a number of drawbacks. In particular, quality clinical data are intensely needed to support pharmacological activities for human use. The presence of numerous micro-, macro, and trace elements imparts an essential nutritional and cosmeceutical value to Reishi, and various marketed products are available already, but the clinical studies regarding safety and efficacy, interactions with foods/drinks, chronic use, teratogenicity, mutagenicity, and genotoxicity are missing for Reishi. Reishi possesses many valuable pharmacological activities, and the number of patents and clinical trials is increasing for Reishi. Yet, a gap in research exists for Reishi, which is discussed in detail in the forthcoming sections.

The identification of active compounds in Ganoderma lucidum var. antler extract inhibiting dengue virus serine protease and its computational studies

The number of global dengue incidences is alarmingly high in recent years. The global distribution of four dengue serotypes has also added economic burden in the dengue-endemic countries. To discover the potent dengue virus inhibitors in the antler form of Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi or Reishi), the water extraction of normal G. lucidum and its antler form were conducted and the chemical compounds were identified by LC-MS. Six distinct chemical compounds identified in high abundance were hesperetin, thymidine, lucidenic acid, 11-aminoundecanoic acid, 5-carboxyvanillic acid and ganocin B. The water extracts of G. lucidum in its antler form inhibited the DENV2 NS2B-NS3 protease activity at 84.6 ± 0.7%, higher than the normal G. lucidum. Then, molecular docking was performed on the homology model built from an in-house sequence. Docking simulation results showed that hesperetin and ganocin B were the best leads to bind at the catalytic triad of DENV2 NS2B-NS3pro via hydrogen bonding, van der Waals and pi-pi interactions. Extensive overlapping of HOMO-LUMO orbitals at the ringed regions of hesperetin helped to facilitate the entry of ligand to the catalytic triad cleft. LC-MS, molecular docking and density functional theory analyses confirmed that hesperetin was the strongest inhibitor against NS2B-NS3 protease. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma