Beech Mushroom (Hypsizygus marmoreus, Agaricomycetes) Cultivation and Outstanding Health-Promoting Properties: A Review.

Currently, in many Asian and European countries, a group of mushrooms has been distinguished, which, due to their medicinal and/or dietary properties, are referred to as medicinal mushrooms. Hypsizygus marmoreus is a species valued for its proven nutritional and healing properties. In the scientific literature available so far, mainly from Asian countries, it is possible to find research on the therapeutic effect of H. marmoreus. Biologically active substances, their presence, and in particular, their level in this species have not been the subject of extensive research. The aim of the present review is to describe and summarize the dietary and therapeutic potential of this increasingly popular species among consumers in European countries. Because H. marmoreus is a species with known dietary and health-promoting properties, this species of wood fungi could be commonly obtained from cultivation in European countries.

Fortified Mycelium of Fomitopsis officinalis (Agaricomycetes) as a Source of Biologically Active Substances Effective in the Prevention of Civilization Diseases.

Fomitopsis officinalis is a popular species of therapeutic arboreal mushroom with a documented history of use in traditional European and Asian medicine. It was chosen as a research material not only due to its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and immunostimulatory properties but also because it is endangered in Poland. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of supplementing inorganic zinc and magnesium salts to the culture medium in which F. officinalis was multiplied in vitro in 10-L bioreactors equipped with an aeration and CO2 removal system. The influence of the addition of zinc and magnesium salts to the culture medium on the quantity of bioelements and organic compounds (indole, phenolic compounds, and L-phenylalanine), as well as their bioavailability to the human body (extraction to artificial digestive juices), was determined. The lowest amount of magnesium and zinc was found in the fruiting bodies of F. officinalis (132.1 and 15.3 mg/100 g dry weight [DW], respectively), whereas the highest amount was found in the mycelium obtained on the medium enriched with sulfate salts (1261 and 182.8 mg/100 g DW, respectively). Enrichment of the medium increased the content of the studied bioelements and organic compounds in the F. officinalis mycelium. The results showed that the applied method allowed obtaining fortified mycelium of the tested species as a natural therapeutic material that can supplement the deficiency of bioelements, phenolic compounds, L-phenylalanine, and indole compounds.

Risk Associated with the Use of Selected Ingredients in Food Supplements.

This review focuses on four new product categories of food supplements: pre-workout, fat burner/thermogenic, brain/cognitive booster, and hormone/testosterone booster. Many food supplements have been shown to be contaminated with unauthorized substances. In some cases, the ingredients in the new categories of dietary supplements were medicinal products or new synthetic compounds added without performing clinical trials. Some of the new ingredients in dietary supplements are plant materials that are registered in the pharmacopoeia as herbal medicines. In other cases, dietary supplements may contain plant materials that have no history of human use and are often used as materials to 'camouflage' stimulants. In the European Union, new ingredients of dietary supplements, according to European Food Safety Authority or unauthorized novel food. Furthermore, selected ingredients in dietary supplements may be prohibited in sports and are recognized as doping agents by World Anti-Doping Agency.

Preliminary study on Se-enriched Lentinula edodes mycelium as a proposal of new feed additive in selenium deficiency.

The presence of selenium in European soil is low and this causes its deficiency in livestock and, in consequence, in humans. This study aimed to obtain Lentinula (L.) edodes mycelium with the maximum content of selenium. This species was used for experiment based on its documented medicinal properties. Calves were fed with selenium-enriched L. edodes mycelium, and serum selenium concentration, average daily weight gains and selected immune parameters were estimated. The selenium-enriched mushroom was found to be safe based on cytotoxicity tests (MTT and LDH tests) and for this reason it was used for further experiments. The mean quantity of selenium in the serum of calves fed with selenium-enriched L. edodes mycelium was significantly higher than that of control calves. Additionally, the calves fed with selenium-enriched L. edodes mycelium had higher body weight gains than those of control calves. White blood cell counts and subpopulations of lymphocytes in the experimental and control calves were within the reference range. The administration of L. edodes enriched with selenium had a beneficial effect on state of health of the calves.

Bioaccessibility of phenolic compounds, lutein, and bioelements of preparations containing Chlorella vulgaris in artificial digestive juices.

Chlorella vulgaris Beijerinck is a spherical, green alga belonging to the genus Chlorella and family Chlorellaceae. It has high nutritional value and shows multiple biological effects. Dietary supplements that contain extracts of C. vulgaris are sold in the form of tablets, capsules, powders, and aqueous solutions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to determine the content of bioelements (zinc, iron, and magnesium), phenolic compounds, and lutein before and after incubation with artificial digestive juices from preparations containing C. vulgaris. In this study, we used commercial preparations in the form of powder and tablets. The samples were incubated in artificial gastric juice and then in artificial intestinal juice for 30 and 90 min. The contents of bioelements were determined by using the flame atomic absorption spectrometric method. Lutein and phenolic compounds were analyzed by high-pressure liquid chromatography. We also aimed to evaluate the quality of chlorella-containing formulations by using the methods described in the European Pharmacopoeia 8th edition. According to the results, the preparations containing C. vulgaris demonstrated the presence of phenolic compounds and lutein. Therefore, daily supplementation of preparations containing C. vulgaris substantiates its usefulness for humans. The qualitative composition of the examined organic substances and bioelements was found to be in accordance with the manufacturer's declarations on the packaging containing C. vulgaris compared with the control samples; however, the contents of bioelements were found to be negligible after incubation with artificial digestive juices. This shows that the examined preparations containing C. vulgaris are not good sources of bioelements such as zinc, iron, or magnesium.