Nutraceutical potential of mushroom bioactive metabolites and their food functionality

Abstract

Numerous mushroom bioactive metabolites, including polysaccharides, eritadenine, lignin, chitosan, mevinolin, and astrakurkurone have been studied in life‐threatening conditions and diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular, hypertension, cancer, DNA damage, hypercholesterolemia, and obesity attempting to identify natural therapies. These bioactive metabolites have shown potential as antiviral and immune system strengthener natural agents through diverse cellular and physiological pathways modulation with no toxicity evidence, widely available, and inexpensive. In light of the emerging literature, this paper compiles the most recent information describing the molecular mechanisms that underlie the nutraceutical potentials of these mushroom metabolites suggesting their effectiveness if combined with existing drug therapies while discussing the food functionality of mushrooms. The findings raise hope that these mushroom bioactive metabolites may be utilized as natural therapies considering their therapeutic potential while anticipating further research designing clinical trials and developing new drug therapies while encouraging their consumption as a natural adjuvant in preventing and controlling life‐threatening conditions and diseases. Practical applications Diabetes, cardiovascular, hypertension, cancer, DNA damage, hypercholesterolemia, and obesity are among the world's largest life‐threatening conditions and diseases. Several mushroom bioactive compounds, including polysaccharides, eritadenine, lignin, chitosan, mevinolin, and astrakurkurone have been found potential in tackling these diseases through diverse cellular and physiological pathways modulation with no toxicity evidence, suggesting their use as nutraceutical foods in preventing and controlling these life‐threatening conditions and diseases.

Bioactive polysaccharides promote gut immunity via different ways

“…However, they might work in different ways, such as balancing inflammatory factors, repairing the intestinal mucosal barrier, improving intestinal microecology, etc . 7 For example, Cordyceps sinensis polysaccharide can stimulate the secretion of cytokines such as TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-α), IFN-γ (interferon-γ) and IL-17 (interleukin-17) in CTX-induced mucosal immunosuppressed mice, thus alleviating CTX-induced intestinal mucosal immunosuppression. 8 The glucomannan in aloe vera gel can reduce intestinal epithelial cell damage, inulin is commonly reported to be fermented by intestinal microorganisms into large amounts of SCFAs, and fucoidan can alter gut microbiota and mitigate intestinal mucosal injury induced by cyclophosphamide.…”

Alternative Protein Sources and Novel Foods: Benefits, Food Applications and Safety Issues

“…Thus, considering the beneficial effects, the use of mycoproteins has been reported in a wide variety of food products, including baked goods (such as pasta, breads, and cookies, refs. [ 99 , 100 , 101 , 102 , 103 ]), meat products [ 89 ], and dairy products [ 104 ], as shown in Figure 2 . Beyond the nutritional value, improvements in physicochemical and/or organoleptic characteristics have also been reported.…”

Nutritional Value and Physicochemical Characteristics of Alternative Protein for Meat and Dairy—A Review

“…However, except for these two reports, there have been few direct reports on the foaming properties of fungal proteins. Ishara et al found that the FC and FS values of edible fungi were 6.1–131.5% and 3.3–69.6%, respectively, but due to the lack of protein data, the relationship of the proteins with the foam performance in edible mushrooms was not analyzed [ 146 ]. Similarly, using ultrafiltration membrane separation, Longchamp et al obtained by-products with a good foam ability and foam stability from Quorn cell fermentation broth, but it was hard to confirm the effect of the protein because the constitutes in the by-products were too complex [ 147 ].…”