Chemical Compounds, Bioactivities, and Potential Applications of the Mushroom Species of Genus Suillus (Agaricomycetes): A Review.

The genus Suillus, also known as "Song mo," falls under the order Boletales and consists of various higher fungi. It establishes mycorrhizae primarily with pine trees and has a good taste and medicinal values. Herein, we reviewed the chemical compounds present in the genus Suillus, including polysaccharides, steroids, phenols, polyprenyl phenol derivatives, fatty acids, organic acids, and amino acids, and their reported bioactivities and potential applications. This review aims to promote the utilization of the resources belonging to the genus Suillus and serves as a theoretical basis for their future studies and clinical applications.

Extraction Optimization and Antioxidant Activities of Ethanol Extract of the Brown Roll-Rim Mushroom Paxillus involutus (Agaricomycetes).

Box Behnken design (BBD) was used to optimize the extraction of Paxillus involutus (EPI) in ethanol. The optimum extraction conditions were as follows: temperature 45°C; solid:liquid ratio 1:35; time 5 h. Under these conditions, the yield of EPI was 13.57%. The antioxidant activity of EPI was evaluated in vitro, and DPPH free radical scavenging, ABTS free radical scavenging, and hydroxyl free radical scavenging effects were found to be equal to or close to that of the positive control vitamin C (VC). The antioxidant activity of EPI was next evaluated in vivo using aging mice; it was found to have appreciable effect on scavenging malonic dialdehyde (MDA) and could increase the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) in mice. Overall, EPI showed antioxidant effects in aging mice, thereby delaying aging, and has potential for application as a natural antioxidant and in medical applications.

Chemical Constituents from Mushroom Suillus luteus (Agaricomycetes) and Their Bioactivities.

Wild edible mushrooms are a huge source to discover bioactive natural products. In this work, one new polyprenylphenol derivative, termed 2-geranylgeranyl-1,4-benzenediol 1-O-acetate (1), together with eight known compounds (2-9) were isolated from wild edible mushroom Suillus luteus. The structure of new compound was elucidated by high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance data. The structures of known compounds were elucidated by comparison of their nuclear magnetic resonance data with literature data. Compounds 1-7 exhibited significant 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging activity with IC50 values ranging from 1.55 ± 0.29 to 19.89 ± 2.28 µM. In addition, compounds 1-7 also showed tyrosinase inhibitory activity with IC50 values ranging from 21.97 ± 3.74 to 66.26 ± 6.85 µM.

Armillaria mellea fermentation liquor ameliorates p-chlorophenylalanine-induced insomnia associated with the modulation of serotonergic system and gut microbiota in rats.

In China, Armillaria mellea (Vahl) P. Kumm. has been used as a folk medicine to treat insomnia for several hundred years. However, the underlying mechanisms involved are currently unknown. In this study, the anti-insomnia efficacy of A. mellea fermentation liquor (AFL) was evaluated in p-chlorophenylalanine-induced insomnia rats by measuring the serotonergic systems and gut microbiota. Our results demonstrate that all doses of AFL significantly reduced locomotor activity and alleviated decreasing weights in insomnia rats. Further, AFL exhibited better sedative effects by reducing sleep latency and increasing sleep duration in pentobarbital-treated rats. AFL treatment also elevated serum glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase levels, while reducing serum interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-1ß levels. Furthermore, AFL alleviated insomnia by enhancing 5-hydroxytryptamine content and the expression 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptor in the hippocampus. Meanwhile, AFL treatment normalized the composition of gut microbiota in insomnia-model rats, while increasing relative abundance of Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Saccharimonadaceae restores the gut microbial ecosystem altered in insomnia rats. The experiments show that A. mellea alleviated insomnia by modulating serotonergic system and gut microbiota. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Insomnia has become a serious health issue of global concern. As a well-known traditional Chinese medicine, Armillaria mellea has been clinically employed in the treatment of insomnia for centuries in Asia with significant efficacy. In the present study, we firstly reported A. mellea fermentation liquor potentially relieved insomnia rats by alteration of gut microbiota and serotonergic systems and could guide future clinical studies. As a popular edible and medicinal mushroom, A. mellea also can be potentially used in the development and production of novel food products in the future.

New aniline derivatives from the volva of Phallus rubrovolvatus and their anti-inflammatory activity.

Phallus rubrovolvatus is an important commercially cultivated mushroom species in China. However, the volva of P. rubrovolvatus usually discarded as a by-product due to the unpleasant flavor and difficulty in processing. In this study, we investigated the chemical constituents and bioactivities of the volva of P. rubrovolvatus. As a result, fifteen rare aniline derivatives, including twelve new compounds (1-11, 14) and three new natural products (12, 13, 15) were isolated from the volva. Their structures were determined using 1D and 2D NMR data and HR-ESI-MS data, while the relative and absolute configurations were confirmed by NOESY correlations and comparison between experimental and calculated ECD spectra. In addition, compounds 1-15 were tested for anti-inflammatory activity against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NO production in RAW264.7 macrophages. Compounds 4, 9 and 10 exhibited anti-inflammatory activity with IC50 values ranging from 12.5 to 15.6 µM.

Biodiesel preparation from Jatropha curcas oil catalyzed by hydrotalcite loaded with K2CO3.

This paper discusses the synthesis of biodiesel catalyzed by solid base of K(2)CO(3)/HT using Jatropha curcas oil as feedstock. Mg-Al hydrotalcite was prepared using co-precipitation methods, in which the molar ratio of Mg to Al was 3:1. After calcined at 600 degrees C for 3 h, the Mg-Al hydrotalcite and K(2)CO(3) were ground and mixed according to certain mass ratios, in which some water was added. The mixture was dried at 65 degrees C, and after that it was calcined at 600 degrees C for 3 h. Then, this Mg-Al hydrotalcite loaded with potassium carbonate was obtained and used as catalyst in the experiments. Analyses of XRD and SEM characterizations for catalyst showed the metal oxides formed in the process of calcination brought about excellent catalysis effect. In order to achieve the optimal technical reaction condition, five impact factors were also investigated in the experiments, which were mass ratio, molar ratio, reaction temperature, catalyst amount and reaction time. Under the best condition, the biodiesel yield could reach up to 96%.