The beneficial effects of Agaricus blazei Murrill on hepatic antioxidant enzymes and the pancreatic tissue recovery in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Agaricus blazei Murrill (ABM), is a medicinal mushroom, has beneficial effects on diabetes mellitus. In this study, ABM extracts (ethanol extract, EE and ethyl acetate extract, EA) were evaluated to explore the beneficial effect on hepatic antioxidant activity and recovery of the pancreatic tissue in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The hepatic antioxidant activities of ABM extracts were analyzed by superoxide dismutase, catalase activity, glutathione, aspartate transaminase, and alanine transaminase. Moreover, the effects of ABM extracts on pancreatic tissue restoration were investigated by histopathological analysis. The results revealed that the EA showed a better protective effect on hepatic antioxidant activity and recovery of the impaired pancreatic tissues, compared to EE. The results suggested that ABM treatment could effectively reduce oxidative stress and contribute to pancreatic tissue recovery. Therefore, ABM could be used as a functional food to control diabetes. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The research may contribute to the development of ABM as functional foods or dietary supplements for diabetes in the future.

Morphological and Molecular Analysis Identifies the Associated Fungus ("Xianghui") of the Medicinal White Jelly Mushroom, Tremella fuciformis, as Annulohypoxylon stygium.

White jelly mushroom, Tremella fuciformis, is a popular edible mushroom with interesting medicinal properties (e.g., immunostimulating, antidiabetic). The formation of T. fuciformis basidiomes is highly dependent on the presence of a specific host fungus, both in nature and for industrial production. This host has traditionally been indicated as "Xianghui" in China, yet which or how many fungal species Xianghui comprises is unclear, with various authorities claiming different species. At present, Annulohypoxilon archeri is generally assumed to be the main Xianghui species, but this has not yet been confirmed experimentally. The implementation of older, premolecular-based research data (i.e., morphological) with present, sequence-based data to solve the identity remains confusing and studies addressing both identification methods in combination are lacking. The unclear identity of Xianghui is a major obstacle for further understanding of the important relationship between the host(s) and T. fuciformis. In this study, we collected a wild specimen of T. fuciformis together with several nearby stroma of Xianghui, cocultivated T. fuciformis with the Xianghui isolates, and observed basidiome formation. Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence analysis showed that all Xianghui spore isolates belonged to the same species and both morphological analysis of sexual stages and ITS ß-tubulin and actin gene sequences of the Xianghui specified it as Annulohypoxylon stygium. The ITS sequences of the newly identified Xianghui further closely matched those of the Xianghui strains used in the mushroom industry, showing that wild and culture spawn Xianghui in China consist of A. stygium. In contrast with previous conclusions, A. stygium, and not A. archeris, seems to be the preferred host of T. fuciformis.

Development of Lingzhi or Reishi medicinal mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum (Higher Basidiomycetes) polysaccharides injection formulation.

Biochemical and pharmacological research has demonstrated that Lingzhi or Reishi medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (GLPS) have significant anticancer, antitumor, and antioxidant activities. To investigate the effect of injecting GLPS into hosts for clinical studies, aqueous polysaccharide extracts from G. lucidum fruit bodies were purified by deproteinization using the Sevage method, anion-exchange chromatography elution (cellulose DEAE-52 chromatography), dialysis, ethanol precipitation, and active carbon and millipore membrane filtration techniques. The purified GLPS were used for injection in mice. Polysaccharide indexes, protein, tannin, heavy metal, arsenic salt, oxalate, potassium ion, resin, pH, ignition residue measurements, evaluation criterion for allergic reactions, and total solids content of the GLPS injection were all performed using the reference methods in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Our results showed that polysaccharide was the key component of injection mixtures. The ignition residue and total solids content in the injection mixture were 1.4% and 2.4%, respectively. The other indices were all within the expected safety ranges. Furthermore, studies from mice functional assays showed that the injection mixture improved the antifatigue capacity of mice without any effect on weight loss/gain. In addition, the injection mixture was safe, which was confirmed by allergy testing in guinea pigs. The development of a GLPS injection offers a novel approach for future medicinal mushroom utilization and holds great commercial promise.