Anti-angiogenic and anti-tumour activities of Lignosus rhinocerus (Cooke) Ryvarden water extracts on HCT116 human colorectal carcinoma cells implanted in chick embryos.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The sclerotium of Lignosus rhinocerus (Cooke) Ryvarden is used by the local communities in Southeast Asia and China to treat cancer, asthma, fever, and other ailments based on traditional knowledge. The sclerotial water extracts were previously reported to exhibit cytotoxic, apoptotic, and immunomodulatory activities - providing a scientific basis for its use in treating cancer; however, there is still a lack of evidence on its potential anti-angiogenic activity. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to investigate the toxicity, anti-angiogenic, and anti-tumour activities of the hot-water and cold-water extracts of L. rhinocerus using HCT116 human colorectal carcinoma cells implanted in the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The toxicity of L. rhinocerus extracts towards the chick embryos was determined 24 h post-treatment. The anti-angiogenic activity of the extracts was then investigated at 0.1-10 µg/embryo (6.7-670 µg/mL) at targeted blood vessels. The anti-tumour effect of selected extracts against the HCT116 human colorectal carcinoma cells xenografted onto the chick embryos was also studied. RESULTS: The cold-water extracts of L. rhinocerus displayed strong in ovo toxicity (LC50: 1.2-37.7 µg/mL) while the hot-water extracts are non-toxic up to 670 µg/mL. Among the extracts, the hot-water extracts demonstrated the highest anti-angiogenic activity with 44.0 ± 17.7% reduction of capillary diameter (relative to the saline-treated control). Moreover, treatment of the HCT116 cells xenografted onto the chick embryos with the hot-water extracts resulted in smaller tumour size and lower number of blood vessels compared to the saline-treated control. CONCLUSIONS: The hot-water extracts of L. rhinocerus sclerotium demonstrated anti-angiogenic and anti-tumour activities but most of the cold-water extracts at similar concentrations were devoid of that. Our findings provide further scientific validation of the medicinal use of the sclerotium in treating cancer and thus, expanding our knowledge on the possible mechanism of its anti-cancer effect apart from direct cytotoxicity, induction of apoptosis and immunomodulation that have been studied thus far.

Isolation, structural features, rheological properties and bioactivities of polysaccharides from Lignosus rhinocerotis: A review.

L. rhinocerotis, an edible and medicinal mushroom, has long been utilized as folk medicine and nutritional food in Southeast Asia and southern China. Polysaccharides are the main bioactive substances of L. rhinocerotis sclerotia, and they have attracted extensive attention of researchers both at home and abroad. In the past few decades, various methods have been applied to extract polysaccharides from L. rhinocerotis (LRPs) and the structural features of LRPs are closely related to the used methods of extraction and purification. Many studies have confirmed that LRPs possess various remarkable bioactivities, including immunomodulatory, prebiotic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor activities and intestinal mucosa protective effect. As a natural polysaccharide, LRP has the potential to be a drug and functional material. This paper systematically reviews the recent studies on structural characteristics, modification, rheological properties and bioactivities of LRPs, and provides a theoretical basis for an in-depth study of the structure-activity relationship, and utilization of LRPs as therapeutic agents and functional foods. Additionally, the further research and development of LRPs are also prospected.

Effect of tiger milk mushroom (Lignosus rhinocerus) supplementation on respiratory health, immunity and antioxidant status: an open-label prospective study.

Tiger milk mushroom (TMM; Lignosus rhinocerus) have been used for a long time by indigenous communities in South East Asia regions as traditional medicine for different ailments, including respiratory disorders. The beneficial effects of TMM have been proven through in vivo and in vitro models, but these effects have yet to be validated in a clinical study. In this study, the beneficial effects of TMM supplementation were investigated in 50 voluntary participants. Participants were required to take 300 mg of TMM twice daily for three months. Level of interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin 8 (IL-8), immunoglobulin A (IgA), total antioxidant capacity, malondialdehyde (MDA), 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT), 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), pulmonary function and respiratory symptoms were assessed during baseline and monthly follow-up visits. Results demonstrated that supplementation of TMM significantly (p < 0.05) suppressed the level of IL-1ß, IL-8, MDA, as well as respiratory symptoms. In additional to that, TMM also significantly (p < 0.05) induced the level of IgA, total antioxidant capacity, as well as pulmonary function. Analyses of data indicated that gender and BMI were factors influencing the outcomes of antioxidant status. Collectively, our findings suggested that TMM supplementation effectively improves respiratory health, immunity and antioxidant status.

Pigmentation Levels Affect Melanoma Responses to Coriolus versicolor Extract and Play a Crucial Role in Melanoma-Mononuclear Cell Crosstalk.

Melanoma, the malignancy originating from pigment-producing melanocytes, is the most aggressive form of skin cancer and has a poor prognosis once the disease starts to metastasize. The process of melanin synthesis generates an immunosuppressive and mutagenic environment, and can increase melanoma cell resistance to different treatment modalities, including chemo-, radio- or photodynamic therapy. Recently, we have shown that the presence of melanin pigment inhibits the melanoma cell response to bioactive components of Coriolus versicolor (CV) Chinese fungus. Herein, using the same human melanoma cell line in which the level of pigmentation can be controlled by the L-tyrosine concentration in culture medium, we tested the effect of suppression of melanogenesis on the melanoma cell response to CV extract and investigated the cell death pathway induced by fungus extract in sensitized melanoma cells. Our data showed that susceptibility to CV-induced melanoma cell death is significantly increased after cell depigmentation. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to demonstrate that CV extract can induce RIPK1/RIPK3/MLKL-mediated necroptosis in depigmented melanoma cells. Moreover, using the co-culture system, we showed that inhibition of the tyrosinase activity in melanoma cells modulates cytokine expression in co-cultured mononuclear cells, indicating that depigmentation of melanoma cells may activate immune cells and thereby influence a host anticancer response.

A Mycochemical Investigation of the Black Lingzhi Mushroom, Amauroderma rugosum (Agaricomycetes), Reveals Several Lipidic Compounds with Anti-Inflammatory and Antiproliferative Activities.

A mycochemical investigation on the medicinal mushroom Amauroderma rugosum led to the isolation of 30 compounds, including 14 sterols, 6 phenolic constituents, 5 unsaturated fatty acids, and 5 other compounds. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by comparison of their nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic and mass spectrometry data with literature data. Among them, compound 27 was obtained as a new natural compound, and compounds 2-4, 7-13, and 15-30 were isolated from the genus Amauroderma for the first time. Sterols and unsaturated fatty acids showed anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative activities in vitro. Compounds 5 and 6 showed the highest inhibitory effect on nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-induced murine macrophage RAW264.7 cells, with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 27.6 ± 2.1 µM and 15.3 ± 2.0 µM respectively. Compound 17 exhibited the strongest inhibition against HepG2 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, with IC50 values < 25 µM. This study not only enriches the understanding of the diversity of chemical constituents in A. rugosum, but it also provides a basis for further development and utilization of A. rugosum as a source of new potential antitumor or anti-inflammatory chemotherapy agents.

Restitution of epithelial cells during intestinal mucosal wound healing: The effect of a polysaccharide from the sclerotium of Lignosus rhinocerotis (Cooke) Ryvarden.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Lignosus rhinocerotis (Cooke) Ryvarden cultivar TM02, also known as tiger's milk mushroom, is regarded as important folk medicine in Malaysia, while is used for the treatment of liver cancer, chronic hepatitis, gastric ulcer in traditional Chinese medicine. However, there is no compilation of scientific evidence that its protection for gastric, and no attempts have been made to understand how polysaccharides in Lignosus rhinocerotis might promote intestinal mucosal wound healing. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of ß-glucan prepared from L. rhinocerotis using an enzymatic method on epithelial restitution during intestinal mucosal damage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Based on FT-IR, MALDI-TOF-MS, HPSEC-MALLS-RID, and AFM, the structure of polysaccharides from L. rhinocerotis was analysed. In addition, polysaccharides were used to test for wound healing activity in IEC-6 cells by measuring cell migration, proliferation, and expression of cell division control protein 42, Rac-1, RhoA, and Par-3. RESULTS: ß-glucan was extracted using enzyme-assisted extraction, and a yield of approximately 8.5 ± 0.8% was obtained from the dried biomass. The ß-glucan extracted by enzyme-assisted extraction (EAE) of polysaccharides was composed entirely of D-glucose with a total carbohydrate content of 95.5 ± 3.2%. The results of HPLC, FTIR, and MALDI-TOF-MS analyses revealed EAEP to be confirmed as ß-glucan. The molecular weight of prepared ß-glucan was found to be 5.315 × 104 g/mol by HPSEC-MALLS-RID. Furthermore, mucosal wound healing studies showed that the treatment of IEC-6 with a ß-glucan concentration of 200 µg/mL promoted cell migration and proliferation, and it enhanced the protein expression of cell division control protein 42, Rac-1, RhoA, and Par-3. CONCLUSIONS: The present study reveals that the prepared ß-glucan accelerates intestinal epithelial cell proliferation and migration via activation of Rho-dependent pathway. Hence, ß-glucan can be employed as a prospective therapeutic agent for the treatment of diseases associated with gastrointestinal mucosal damage, such as peptic ulcers and inflammatory bowel disease.

Enzymatic degradation of ginkgolic acids by laccase immobilized on core/shell Fe3O4/nylon composite nanoparticles using novel coaxial electrospraying process.

Enzyme immobilization can increase enzyme reusability to reduce cost of industrial production. Ginkgo biloba leaf extract is commonly used for medical purposes, but it contains ginkgolic acid, which has negative effects on human health. Here, we report a novel approach to solve the problem by degrading the ginkgolic acid with immobilized-laccase, where core/shell composite nanoparticles prepared by coaxial electrospraying might be first applied to enzyme immobilization. The core/shell Fe3O4/nylon 6,6 composite nanoparticles (FNCNs) were prepared using one-step coaxial electrospraying and can be simply recovered by magnetic force. The glutaraldehyde-treated FNCNs (FNGCNs) were used to immobilize laccase. As a result, thermal stability of the free laccase was significantly improved in the range of 60-90 °C after immobilization. The laccase-immobilized FNGCNs (L-FNGCNs) were applied to degrade the ginkgolic acids, and the rate constants (k) and times (τ50) were ~0.02 min-1 and lower than 39 min, respectively, showing good catalytic performance. Furthermore, the L-FNGCNs exhibited a relative activity higher than 0.5 after being stored for 21 days or reused for 5 cycles, showing good storage stability and reusability. Therefore, the FNGCNs carrier was a promising enzyme immobilization system and its further development and applications were of interest.

Assessment of Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Turkey Tail Medicinal Mushroom Trametes versicolor (Agaricomycetes).

Trametes versicolor is important for its medicinal rather than nutritional value. It has a variety of pharmacological activities. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the bioactive properties of the wild medicinal mushroom T. versicolor (L.) Lloyd. Samples were analyzed for antioxidant potential and the chemical composition of the major bioactive chemical components. Chromatographic procedures were used to analyze phenolic compounds, free amino acids, vitamins, and fatty acids. T. versicolor was analyzed for moisture (87.21 ± 1.08 g/100 g fw), protein (11.07 ± 0.85 g/100 g dw), and fat (1.35 ± 0.09 g/100 g dw) content. Phenolic compounds in T. versicolor were found as p-hydroxy benzoic (113.16 ± 0.22 µg/g dw), protocatechuic (10.07 ± 0.54 µg/g dw), vanillic (5.21 ± 0.10 µg/g dw), and homogentisic acids (1.24 ± 0.15 µg/g dw). In the studied mushroom, essential and nonessential amino acids were determined as leucine (72.41 ± 0.16 mg/100 g dw), isoleucine (60.07 ± 0.10 mg/100 g dw), methionine (53.51 ± 0.09 mg/100 g dw), tyrosine (33.37 ± 0.27 mg/100 g dw), glutamine (15.48 ± 0.19 mg/100 g dw), and asparagine (10.90 ± 0.13 mg/100 g dw). Vitamin content of T. versicolor was found as nicotinic acid (26.52 ± 0.10 mg/100 g dw) and nicotinamide (12.18 ± 0.05 mg/100 g dw). Fatty acids in T. versicolor were linoleic acid (18:2n6c), oleic acid (18:1n9c), palmitic acid (C16:0), stearic acid (C18:0), and linolenic acid (18:3n3). In conclusion, the results of the present study support the potential use of T. versicolor as a promising source of bioactive products for pharmaceutical and also food industries.

Study of Antibacterial Activity of Amazonian Agaricomycetes Mushrooms from Brazil.

This study aimed to examine the antibacterial activity of extracts of Amazonian Agaricomycetes macrofungi. The sample comprised 168 specimen collected at the Zoobotanical Park of the Federal University of Acre (Brazil), of which 32 (19%) were isolated. Extracts of the 32 isolates and 28 Agaricomycetes basidiomata were prepared and tested for activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteria, using the disc diffusion method. Of the 32 metabolite extracts of the isolated Basidiomycetes, 11 (34.4%) exhibited antibacterial activity especially against Gram-negative E. coli and K. pneumoniae bacteria, while of the 28 basidiomata extracts, 6 (21.4%) exhibited antibacterial activity mainly against the Gram-positive S. aureus bacteria. This study is the first to report the antibacterial activity of the Agaricomycetes species Coriolopsis caperata, Cyclomyces iodinus, Cymatoderma sp., Favolus tenuiculus, and Tyromyces cf. polyporoides, and contributes as the first investigation about the antibacterial potential of Basidiomycetes grown in Southwest Amazonia.

Anticancer Activity of Solvent Extracts of Hexogonia glabra against Cervical Cancer Cell Lines.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to harness some solvent extracts of one wild mushroom Hexagonia glabra and test their anti-cancer activity against cervical human cell lines, namelyHeLa, SiHa, and CaSki. METHODS: It includes cell morphological study by microscope, nuclear morphology by DAPI staining under fluorescence microscopy, apoptosis assay by fluorescence technique, anti-proliferation by MTT assay and expression of apoptotic and anti-apoptotic genes by Western blotting and cell cycle analysis was done. RESULTS: The selected cervical cancer cells were treated separately with 150 µg/mL of three extracts, namely of ethanolic (EE), ethyl acetate (EAE), and water extract (WE) and exhibited features like round, shrink and dead. All extracts caused apoptosis in cell lines and EE had the highest effect in this regard. The percentages of apoptotic cells in HeLa, SiHa and CaSki, at the same concentration of EE were 79.23, 75.42, and 76.36% respectively. Cytotoxicity assay showed that all three extracts (50 - 250 µg/mL) were potent for inhibition of cell growth of three cell lines and again EE had the highest effect. The percentages of cell growth inhibition in HeLa, SiHa, and CaSki cells treated with EE at 24 h at 50 µg/mL were 45.79±4.11, 41.66±4.03, and 36.72±2.67, while they were 74.23±7.45, 62.31±5.97, and 54.23±5.04 at 150 µg/mL concentration. At 250 µg/mL concentration, the percentages of cell growth inhibition were 94.25 ±8.11, 90.02 ±8.67, and 85.43±6.21, respectively. The expression of apoptotic gene (Caspase 3, 9) and tumor guard gene (p53), as their proteins in Western blotting increased . However, anti-apoptotic BcL2 gene of all cell lines was decreased following treatment with extracts. In addition, the cell cycle analysis (CaSki cell) showed that treatment (EE) arrested at G2/M check point cell cycle. CONCLUSION: All extracts of this mushroom were active in arresting growth of three cell lines and EE had the highest effect, indicating that this mushroom can be a valuable source of anticancer agents.

GC-MS Analysis and Cytotoxicity Detection of Volatile Oil from the Fragrant Bracket Mushroom, Trametes suaveolens (Agaricomycetes).

Trametes suaveolens is a medicinal mushroom known as Baizhi in traditional Chinese medicine. Our previous research has found that it has some pharmacological activity in vivo. The aim of the study was to investigate the chemical compounds and cytotoxic effects of volatile oil from T. suaveolens. In this study, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence analysis was used to determine wild T. suaveolens collected. To fully analyze the composition of volatile oil extracted from T. suaveolens, hydrodistillation (HD) and solid phase microextraction (SPME) were adopted simultaneously. In both cases, the analysis was carried out using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and the cytotoxic effects of T. suaveolens volatile oil on human NCI-H460 lung non-small cell carcinoma cells and MCF-7 breast adenocarcinoma cells were investigated. The results indicated that all these wild samples were identified as T. suaveolens. Thirty-one components in HD and 62 components in SPME were identified, respectively. Furthermore, the volatile compounds obtained from T. suaveolens by HD indicated that esters compounds were a major class (68.47%), followed by acids (25.06%), aldehydes (4.20%), and alcohols (1.48%). SPME found that the largest content were aldehydes (45.47%), followed by alcohols (31.42%), ketones (6.89%), and esters (6.72%). In the cytotoxic assays, the volatile oil was found to have toxic effect on NCI-H460 and MCF-7 tumor cells but not BEAS-2B and MCF-10A normal cells, and the IC50 values of NCI-H460 and MCF-7 tumor cells were 24.1 and 19.2 µg/ml, respectively. The present study shows that the composition of essential oil from T. suaveolens has potential value for the prevention and treatment of lung cancer.

Effect of Carbon Source on Properties and Bioactivities of Exopolysaccharide Produced by Trametes ochracea (Agaricomycetes).

The effects of carbon source on properties and bioactivities of exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by Trametes ochracea were investigated in this study. The results indicated that EPS production varied with five different carbon sources. After a fermentation period of 8 days, sucrose was the most suitable carbon source for biomass and EPS production. The predominant carbohydrate compositions in EPSs identified were glucose and mannose. The EPS fermented by sucrose has the highest glucose content. Then, FT-IR spectral analysis revealed prominent characteristic groups in EPSs. Each particular EPS possessed the specific bands at 808-809 cm-1 and 914-922 cm-1, indicating both α- and ß-configurations of the sugar units. Furthermore, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) indicated the EPS with sucrose and glucose as carbon source showed different degradation behavior compared with the other three EPSs. The variation also affects antioxidant and antihyperlipemia activities investigated using hydroxyl and DPPH radical scavenging assay, and in hyperlipemia mice. Sucrose was the best carbon source from the viewpoint of OH and DPPH radical scavenging activities, and antihyperlipemia activity, probably due to the relatively high glucose content in EPS.

Trametes robiniophila Murr in the treatment of breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women across the world. Trametes robiniophila Murr (Huaier), a traditional herbal medicine, has been used in China to protect human health for about 1600 years. Recent years, Huaier had been proven to be effective for multiple types of malignancies. This systematic review focused on breast cancer treatment, summarizing the curative function of Huaier aqueous extract and polysaccharides in preclinical researches. Huaier could markedly inhibit breast cancer progression with low toxicity, enhance immune response and increase the sensitivity to radiation and chemotherapy. The therapeutic effect of Huaier granule in clinical studies was also included. This review amalgamated the current studies and highlighted the promising role of Huaier and its polysaccharides as complementary alternative medicine in breast cancer treatment.

Ethanol extract of Pycnoporus sanguineus relieves the dextran sulfate sodium-induced experimental colitis by suppressing helper T cell-mediated inflammation via apoptosis induction.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic relapsing inflammation involving the gut system, and disequilibrium of T helper (Th) cell paradigm has been recognized as critical pathogenesis. Pycnoporus sanguineus (L.) Murrill is a species of the white-rot basidiomycetes listed as food- and cosmetic-grade microorganisms. In this study, anti-inflammatory activity of the ethanol extract from P. sanguineus (PSE) was investigated in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced experimental colitis model. PSE recovered the DSS-caused weight loss, reversed the colon shortening, and ameliorated the histopathological lesion in colon, resulting in lower disease activity index (DAI). Levels of serumal lipopolysaccharide (LPS), colonic myeloperoxidase (MPO) in the colitis-suffering mice were declined by PSE treatment. PSE also improved the mucosal integrity by enhancing the expression of tight junction and adherens junction proteins in the colon, including ZO-1, occludin, claudin-1, and E-cadherin. Besides, PSE reduced helper T cells (Th) in the colon, together with an evident decrease of several Th cell-related cytokines. Moreover, it was found that in vitro, PSE suppressed T cells and the Th subset upon Concanavalin A (ConA)-stimulation by inducing apoptosis. In summary, PSE displayed a remission on the colitis-related inflammation, which would possibly rely on the epithelial barrier restoration by suppressing Th cells via apoptosis induction, highlighting a promising potential in the treatment for IBD.

Turkey Tail Medicinal Mushroom, Trametes versicolor (Agaricomycetes), Crude Exopolysaccharides with Antioxidative Activity.

Crude Trametes versicolor exopolysaccharides (cEPS) were used for antioxidative activity testing. Obtained results revealed high ability of cEPS for DPPH free radical scavenging and high chelating ability at the highest tested concentration (20 mg/mL), while the reducing power was significantly lower. However, based on the EC50 values, antioxidative activities of the cEPS decreased in the following order: reducing power > DPPH scavenging ability > chelating ability. Due to the high carbohydrate and ß-glucan content it is assumed that they are the main carriers of cEPS antioxidative activities. D-glucose was the main monosaccharide (87.18 ± 0.27%) while the dominant amino acids were L-lysine (L-glutamic and L-aspartic acid), which are amino acids with taste similar to the monosodium glutamate. In addition, content of sweet tasting amino acids compared with the group of bitter tasting amino acid was 2.1 times higher, indicating favorable composition of cEPS protein fraction for food industry applying.

The Immunomodulating Properties of Tiger Milk Medicinal Mushroom, Lignosus rhinocerus TM02® Cultivar (Agaricomycetes) and Its Associated Carbohydrate Composition.

Natural compounds found in Lignosus rhinocerus like polysaccharides and polysaccharide-protein complexes have the capabilities to modulate the immune system. It possesses antitumor and anti-inflammatory properties and is commonly used in Southeast Asia and Southern China to alleviate illness. To investigate its immunomodulating properties, composition of polysaccharides and the expression of cytokines/chemokines from L. rhinocerus (TM02®) cultivar treated RAW 264.7 were explored. It was revealed, CWE contains linear polysaccharides with 1,4-linkages and rhinoprolycan fraction (HMW & MMW) possesses 1,4-Glcp and 1,6-Glcp backbone and branched chain (1,3,6-Glcp, 1,4,6-Glcp, 1,3,6-Glcp, 1,2,4,6-Glcp). Cytokines profile showed upregulation from CWE (IL-5: 12.078 ± 1.225), HMW (IL-6: 7.297 ± 0.338; TIMP-1: 3.358 ± 0.200), MMW (IL-5: 15.412 ± 5.823; TIMP-1: 1.747 ± 0.053), and LMW (MIP-2: 3.495 ± 0.416; TIMP-1: 7.573 ± 0.088) and possible involvement of NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathway. Further in vivo studies are needed to fully understand the immunomodulatory effects of TM02®.

The Immunomodulatory Activity of Polysaccharides from the Medicinal Mushroom Amauroderma rude (Agaricomycetes) Is Mediated via the iNOS and PLA2-AA Pathways.

Our earlier work indicated that the polysaccharides of Amauroderma rude (AR) appear to have an effect on immunoregulation. However, the pathways are not clear. In this paper, we discuss the immunomodulatory mechanisms of A. rude to provide a scientific basis for its possible use as a food. Amauroderma rude increased the expression of iNOS and P38 in the Raw246.7 cell line. When the AR concentration reached 150 µg/mL, the expressions of iNOS and P38 increased 23.0% and 191.7%, respectively. When the AR concentrations were 50 µg/mL, the concentrations of cytokines IL-2, TNF-α, and IFN-γ were 33.65 pg/mL, 12.53 pg/mL and 42.56 pg/mL. When AR reached 200 µg/mL, the lgA and lgM levels were 0.73 µg/mL and 1.5 µg/mL. When AR reached 400 µg/mL, the lgG level reached 1.65 µg/mL by ELISA assay. When 4.8 mg AR were orally administered, IL-2, TNF-α, IFN-γ, PGE2, and LTB4 increased dramatically, to 0.17 pg/mL, 0.16 pg/mL, 0.15 pg/mL, 30.71 pg/mL, and 18.68 pg/mL, respectively. The concentrations of lgA, lgM, and lgG, AA, and PLA2 also increased significantly to 2.62 pg/mL, 2.14 pg/mL, 2.06 pg/mL, 5.23 µg/mL and 3.68 ng/mL, respectively. With 4.8 mg AR p.o., iNOS protein expression increased 16.8% and P38 increased 234.0%. These results indicate that A. rude polysaccharides stimulate cytokine production and activate the iNOS, PLA2-AA, and MAPK pathways during the immunomodulatory process.

Profiles of Little-Known Medicinal Polypores: Haploporus odorus (Agaricomycetes).

The purpose of this study was to compile a comprehensive characterization of little-known polypores, which have recently been found to possess anticancer activity and thus can also be used in cancer target therapy. Haploporus odorus is a polypore of Holarctic distribution and has been found by harvesters working in taiga floodlands and broadleaf forests of the Northern Hemisphere. A substance known as haploporic acid A was determined in methylene chloride extract from the dried basidiomata of H. odorus. This substance can be used in cancer therapy; more details of its health benefits could be used in mycotherapy.

Changes of Phytochemical Components (Urushiols, Polyphenols, Gallotannins) and Antioxidant Capacity during Fomitella fraxinea⁻Mediated Fermentation of Toxicodendron vernicifluum Bark.

The stem bark of Toxicodendron vernicifluum (TVSB) has been widely used as a traditional herbal medicine and food ingredients in Korea. However, its application has been restricted due to its potential to cause allergies. Moreover, there is limited data available on the qualitative and quantitative changes in the composition of its phytochemicals during fermentation. Although the Formitella fraxinea-mediated fermentation method has been reported as an effective detoxification tool, changes to its bioactive components and the antioxidant activity that takes place during its fermentation process have not yet been fully elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the dynamic changes of urushiols, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant properties during the fermentation of TVSB by mushroom F. fraxinea. The contents of urushiols, total polyphenols, and individual flavonoids (fisetin, fustin, sulfuretin, and butein) and 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-ß-D-glucose (PGG) significantly decreased during the first 10 days of fermentation, with only a slight decrease thereafter until 22 days. Free radical scavenging activities using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6- sulfonic acid) (ABTS), and ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP) as an antioxidant function also decreased significantly during the first six to nine days of fermentation followed by a gentle decrease up until 22 days. These findings can be helpful in optimizing the F. fraxinea⁻mediated fermentation process of TVSB and developing functional foods with reduced allergy using fermented TVSB.

Cerrenins A-C, cerapicane and isohirsutane sesquiterpenoids from the endophytic fungus Cerrena sp.

One new cerapicane cerrenin A (1), and two new isohirsutane sesquiterpenoids cerrenins B and C (2 and 3), were isolated from the broth extract of Cerrena sp. A593. Cerrenin A featured a rare cage-like bicyclo[3.2.1]octane skeleton, and cerrenin B represented the rearranged triquinane-type sesquiterpenoid. Their structures were extensively elucidated by NMR spectroscopic analysis with the absolute configuration determined by X-ray crystallography and ECD calculations. The anti-cancer activity for all the compounds were evaluated, and their plausible biosynthetic relationships involving fascinating carbon skeleton rearrangements were also suggested.