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A Review on General Nutritional Compounds and Pharmacological Properties of the Lentinula edodes Mushroom

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Lentinula edodes is a macrofungus with great potential for therapeutic applications and serves as a model for investigating functional fungi properties and isolating pure compounds for pharmaceu-tical use. Mushrooms have a great nutritional value and present medicinal molecules including polysaccharides, terpenoids, sterols and lipids, that participate actively in several human disor-ders and modulate mechanisms involved in the in the immune system regulation. This review will focus on general nutritional compounds and pharmacological properties of L. edodes.
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Food and Nutrition Sciences, 2014, 5, 1095-1105
Published Online June 2014 in SciRes. http://www.scirp.org/journal/fns
http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/fns.2014.512119
How to cite this paper: Finimundy, T.C., Dillon, A.J.P., Henriques, J.A.P. and Ely, M.R. (2014) A Review on General Nutrition-
al Compounds and Pharmacological Properties of the Lentinula edodes Mushroom. Food and Nutrition Sciences, 5, 1095-
1105. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/fns.2014.512119
A Review on General Nutritional Compounds
and Pharmacological Properties of the
Lentinula edodes Mushroom
Tiane Cristine Finimundy1, Aldo José Pinheiro Dillon2, João Antônio Pêgas Henriques1,
Mariana Roesch Ely1
1Laboratory of Genomics, Proteomics and DNA Repair, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Caxias do Sul,
Caxias do Sul, Brazil
2Laboratory of Enzyme and Biomass, Institute of Biotechnology, University of Caxias do Sul, Caxias do Sul, Brazil
Email: mrely@ucs.br
Received 1 March 2014; revised 20 April 2014; accepted 30 April 2014
Copyright © 2014 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY).
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Abstract
Lentinula edodes is a macrofungus with great potential for therapeutic applications and serves as a
model for investigating functional fungi properties and isolating pure compounds for pharmaceu-
tical use. Mushrooms have a great nutritional value and present medicinal molecules including
polysaccharides, terpenoids, sterols and lipids, that participate actively in several human disor-
ders and modulate mechanisms involved in the in the immune system regulation. This review will
focus on general nutritional compounds and pharmacological properties of L. edodes.
Keywords
Lentinula edodes, β-Glucans, Therapeutic Applications, Review
1. Introduction
Over the past 25 years, new natural drugs have been approved for the treatment of human diseases. Natural
products play a very important role in the process of discovery and development of drugs, including the treat-
ment of chronic diseases such as cancer [1]. For hundreds of years, medicinal mushrooms are used as decoctions
and essences, and are applied as alternative medicine in Korea, China, Japan and eastern Russia [2]. A wide va-
riety of compounds that occur naturally have proven active to protect against the development of tumors [3] and
inflammatory processes [4]. The most investigated compounds are polysaccharides which are present in the
whole structural composition mushrooms, among many effects are the antitumor and activation of the host
T. C. Finimundy et al.
1096
immune response [5]. A number of polysaccharides have been isolated from basidiomycete [6] and are
represented as homo- and heteropolymers, especially β-configuration glucans. One of the active compounds re-
sponsible for the immune effects is in the form of complex polysaccharides known as β-glucans, which are ubi-
quitously found in bacterial cell walls or yeast [7] [8]. The genus Lentinula sp. grows in gregarious on fallen
wood of a wide variety of deciduous trees, in a warm, moist climate. Most of these are raised for artificial
cultivation of shiitake mushroom and occurs naturally throughout Southeast Asia [9]. Lentinula edodes species
is the most famous (Figure 1), and has been used as a model to investigate the functional properties and isolate
pure compounds for pharmaceutical use.
L. edodes has shown to present medicinal compounds, including polysaccharides, terpenoids, sterols and li-
pids, which are effective in treating various tumors and infections, among other activities which are still being
studied [10].
In vitro and in vivo investigations have demonstrated the medicinal effect of glucans as modulators of humor-
al and cellular mediators of interleukin (IL), activators of macrophages, T-helper and natural killer (NK), pro-
tecting the body against bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Modulation of the anti-inflammatory response has
also investigated [5]. In Japan, β-glucan is used as natural immunostimulant for cancer treatment since 1980.
β-Glucans are also effective against allogeneic, syngeneic, and even autochthonous tumors [11].
The literature has reported the presence of various compounds such as fractionated extract from mycelium L.
edodes (LEM) and the aqueous precipitate extract extracted from the mycelium (LAP). Both LEM and LAP
contains various sugars such as galactose, arabinose, xylose, mannose and fructose, among others [12]. These
extracts have revealed a strong anti-tumor activity in vivo. From the fractionation of LEM, lignin (80%), carbo-
hydrates (10%) and protein (10%) are obtained, together with a complex known as EP3 immuneactive [9] [13].
From the harvest of the mycelium, we also obtained amino acids (serine, threonine, alanine and proline), the
KS-2 peptide, α-mannan, which are capable of inducing the production of interferon and effectively inhibit the
development of cancer [14] [15].
Numerous clinical trials are currently under study in the USA and several European countries. Others Basi-
diomycetes species also present biologically active compounds of β-glucans like Pleuran for Pleurotus sp and
Lentinan for L. edodes [16]. Some of these important effects will be discussed in this review.
2. General Nutrition Componentes of L. edodes
Mushrooms have a great nutritional value since they are quite rich in protein, with an important content of es-
sential amino acids and fiber. The dietary fiber present in L. edodes (Shiitake) consist of soluble and insoluble
structures. In the water-soluble are found the β-glucans and proteins. In the non-soluble fraction, salts are ex-
tracted only with acids or alkalis, and found the polyuronide (acidic polysaccharide), hemicellulose, β-glucan
chains with heterosaccharide, lignin, and chitin. They also provide a nutritionally significant content of vitamins
(B1, B2, B12, C, D, and E) [17]. Are shown in Table 1 the main compounds. The aroma components include
alcohols, ketones, sulfides, alkanes, fatty acids, among others [13] [18]. The main constituents which are volatile
like matsutakeol (1-octen-3-ol) ethyl, n-amyl ketone and the characteristic aroma of shiitake was identified as
1,2,3,5,6-Pentathiepane [19]. Edible mushrooms are a high nutritional quality of food and have been used as an
Figure 1. Morphology of the Lentinula edodes.
T. C. Finimundy et al.
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Table 1. Main compounds found in edible mushrooms.
Fatty acid Free sugars Polysaccharides Trace elements
Soluble Insoluble Vitamins Minerals
Linoleic Trehalose Heteroglycans heteroglycan Pro-vitamin D-2 Fe
Palmitic Glycerol Heterogalactans polyuronide Pantothenic acid Mn
Tetradecenoic Mannitol Heteromannans β-glucan B1 Ca
Oleic Arabinol Xyloglucans Chitin B2 K
Stearic Mannose
B6 Zn
Myristic Arabinose
B12 Cd
alternative to dietary protein supply in countries with high malnutrition rate. The chemical and nutritional cha-
racteristics of mushrooms vary in function after harvest, and processing.
3. Immunomodulation and Anti-Tumour Effects of L. edodes
Edible mushrooms have been reported to generate beneficial effects on health and in the treatment of disease
through its immunomodulatory and antineoplastic properties [20]-[22].
Investigations related to the presence of anti-tumor substances present in mushrooms started in Japan in the
late 1960’s. Evaluations conducted with macrofungi confirmed the effectiveness of the extracts of the fruiting
bodies and mycelia in the inhibition of various cancer cell lines [2] [23]-[25]. The immunomodulatory effects of
the mushrooms are well described in the literature and are related to the increased function of monocytes in the
production of Interleukin-1 [11] [26] and expression of cytokines. Molecules like glucans are relatively resistant
to the stomach acid and are trapped by macrophage receptors present on the intestinal wall as the dectin-1, the
toll-like receptor 2 (a class of proteins that play a role in immune system) and lactosylceramides The β-glucans
with its various structures have different affinities for these receptors to elicit different host responses [16]. In
vivo studies showed that the analysis of cytokine expression after administration of β-glucan isolated from L.
edodes (lentinan) revealed a significant increase in mRNA levels of Interleukin-1α, interleukin-1β, tumor necro-
sis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-δ (IFN-δ).
This result indicates a good response in the homeostasis of various diseases (Figure 2) [27] [28].
To date its anti-tumor activity remains unclear as some authors relate this activity with increasing cell-medi-
ated immune response [29] [30]. However, other authors have shown anti-tumor activity with a direct effect on
the cell, without involving the immune system [31].
In a study to investigate the effect of lentinan on T cells, when administered intraperitoneally, resulted in
complete tumor regression in mice inoculated with cells FBL-3 (erythroleukemia).
The immunological effect was further confirmed when the inhibition of tumor growth stopped by administra-
tion of monoclonal antibodies against CD4 and CD8 prior to administration of β-glucan [32] [33]. These effects
could be helpful in a number of disease states, but the significance of some of these findings in terms of poten-
tial medicinal value still has to be established [34]-[36]. A recent clinical study showed that chemo-immuno-
therapy using lentinan prolongs the survival of patients with advanced gastric cancer, as compared to chemothe-
rapy alone [37]. In a study conducted by Lee et al. [38] crude water-soluble polysaccharides obtained from L.
edodes by hot water extraction and ethanol precipitation activated macrophages and showed the increased of ni-
tric oxide (NO), cytokines and phagocytosis expression.
An innovative strategy was suggested by Chen [39], using β-glucans to deliver nanoparticles containing che-
motherapeutic agents to the site of the colon cancer and, thus, improving the therapeutic efficacy.
The anti-tumour effects of shiitake feed in murine models has interact with the effects of lentinan, which has
been reported to prevent both chemical and viral carcinogenesis [40] [41].
Hazama et al. [42] demonstrated the efficacy of oral administration of lentinan in the treatment of advanced
colorectal cancer (Figure 3). Shimizu et al. [43] also revealed good results in advanced pancreatic cancer, both
with increased parameters of survival. Multicenter studies also looked at the effectiveness of the administration
of lentinan in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, resulting in increased survival time of these patients [44]
[45].
T. C. Finimundy et al.
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Figure 2. Immune system activation and cytokine production.
Figure 3. Neutralization of immunosup-
pressive factors.
Yamaguchi et al. [46] suggests the concomitant use of L. edodes mycelia (LEM) extracts to chemotherapy,
resulting in a synergistic action to improve the quality of patients life. Another compound derived from the ex-
tract of L. edodes, the Active Hexose Correlated Compound (AHCC), also proved effective as adjunctive thera-
py in patients with cancer [47]-[49]. According to Ritz [49], oral supplementation with AHCC demonstrates a
potential clinically relevant agent that enhances the immune system.
Studies have shown that some active substances present in L. edodes exert a protective effect against mutage-
nesis and carcinogenesis [50]. Aqueous extracts of L. edodes demonstrated direct inhibition of the proliferation
of breast cancer cells in vitro and show to have immunostimulating properties in terms of mitogenic activity and
co-mitogenic (Figure 4) [51]. In addition, antimutagenic and antigenotoxic effects evaluated by micronucleus
and the comet test showed that extracts of shiitake have a antigenotoxic and antimutagenic activity in vivo [52]
[53].
However, further studies to define the relationship between exposure to the mutagen, the required amount of
Shiitake mushroom intake and the frequency of mutations, are still needed [52]. Basically, their antitumor abili-
ties are influenced by the molecular mass, branching configuration, conformation, and chemical modification of
the polysaccharides [36].
4. Antioxidant Effects of L. edodes
Our body has antioxidant defense systems that are often insufficient to completely prevent the damage caused
by oxidative stress [54]. Thus, natural products such as mushrooms containing bioactive compounds can be used
to help reduce such damage in the body [55]. As nutraceuticals, they activate endogenous protective system,
generation important antioxidant role for the homeostasis of the organism [18] [35] [54]. Several studies have
demonstrated the antioxidant properties of L. edodes for different; the extract on conditions. Study has performed
Tumor specific Ag
Macrophages
Granulocytes
β -glucan fragments
bind CR3
Tumor Cell
β-glucan
Dectin-1
Citokines ativation (IL-1, IL-2...IFN)
LT β-glucan
Tumor Cell
T cell receptor
NK
T. C. Finimundy et al.
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tests with aqueous extract of the fruiting body [24], fractions of different molecular weight of polysaccharides
[56], crude extract of polysaccharide (LEP) [57] [58] and exudates obtained from the mycelium (DE) [59]. All
reports have shown antioxidant activity with high phenolic content (Table 2).
5. Antiviral Activities of L. edodes
Recent studies have determined the antiviral activity of extracts from LEP on the replication of poliovirus type 1
(PV-1) and bovine herpes virus type 1 (BoHV-1) and the results were anti-virus activity in promoting [60].
The isolated compound lentinan suppressed the activity of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. In combination with
antiretroviral 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT) lentinan suppressed the in vitro expression of surface antigens
of HIV more efficiently compared to AZT monotherapy. It was also shown that it can increase the in vitro anti-
retroviral effect on HIV replication [61].
Tochikura et al. [62] tested many substances using non-sulfated polysaccharides (EP-LEM) and achieved in-
hibition for HIV-1, HIV-2 and HTLV-1. In another study, various fractions of LEM caused inhibition of infec-
tivity and cytopathic effect of HIV [63] [64]. The mechanism of action is unclear, but it suggests that it may be
related to activation of macrophages and stimulation of IL-1 [9]. A list of different extracts and its anti-viral ac-
tivity is shown in Table 3.
Tumor Cell
TNF-R
MHC-1
β-glucan
TNF-R
activated
Apoptosis
Caspase-8
NF-κB
Figure 4. Direct action for induction of apoptosis and increased
expression of MHC-1.
Table 2. Positive response against tumor cell line using different extracts of L. edodes.
Extract Cell line Reference
Low temperature aqueous total extract Hep-2, HeLa in vitro [24]
Isolated Lentinan FBL-3 erythroleukemia cells [81]
Methanol aqueous total extract In vitro cell line MCF-7 [51]
Mycelia-oral ingestion Mouse (Colon-26) [82]
Mycelia-oral ingestion Mouse (B16 melanoma) [83]
Isolated α-(1,4) glucans A549 in vitro [28]
Ethyl acetate fraction MDA-MB-453, MCF-7, MCF-10F, RPMI-8226, IM-9 in vitro [84]
T. C. Finimundy et al.
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Table 3. L. edodes mycelia extracts and anti-viral activity.
Extract Microorganism References
Isolated lentinan derivate sulphated West Nile virus [10]
Hot water total extract
Ethanolic total extract
Poliovirus type 1 (PV-1) [60]
Isolated polysaccharide Bovine Herpes virus type 1 (BoHV-1) [63]
Isolated lentinan
Isolated laccase HIV-1 [64] [85]
Polysaccharide sulphated
Polysaccharide nonsulfated HIV-2 [61] [62]
Glycyrrhizin sulphated Lentinan sulphated HTLV-1 [62]
6. Antimicrobial Activities of L. edodes
It has been reported that extracts of shiitake possess antibacterial activity enhancing host immunity against in-
fections [34] [50] [64] [65]. Hatvani [63] used solvents like chloroform and ethyl acetate in dried mushroom and
demonstrated bactericidal activity. Lenthionine, a cyclic organosulfur compound partially responsible for the
taste of shiitake showed inhibitory effects against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli.
Several studies have shown the ability of the extract of L. edodes to inhibit oral pathogens, mainly causing cavi-
ties and gingivitis [66]-[70].
According to Spratt et al. [71], the fraction of low molecular weight (LMM) isolated from the aqueous extract
of L. edodes also has potential activity against oral pathogens in vitro. A list of different extracts and its antimi-
crobial activity is shown in Table 4.
7. Other Biological Activities of L. edodes
The hypoglycemic effect of an exo-polymer produced from a submerged culture of the L. edodes mycelium was
investigated in rats with induced diabetes, and obtained a reduction in plasma glucose level compared to the
control group. The reduction of cholesterol and triglyceride was also observed [72]. In a study by Akamatsu et
al. [73], fractions obtained from aqueous extraction of L. edodes was examined for its hepatoprotective effect in
injured rats. The reduced levels of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase in the blood were
observed. These hepatoprotective effects are explained by the presence of polyphenols contained in fractions [72]
[74] [75]. Polyphenols contained in both fractions are considered to be potential candidates for expressing the
hepatoprotective effects [35] [76].
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of cholesterol levels in the blood throughout the world and is an
important risk factor for the high mortality, therefore hypocholesteremic effects are of great importance. The
ability of shiitake in lowering sanguine cholesterol was first reported in the 1960s [12]. To date, some studies
demonstrate the ability of L. edodes in both decrease very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) as well as high den-
sity lipoproteins (HDL), preventing the increase of blood pressure [45] [77].
The consensus is that regular consumption of fruits and vegetables reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease
(CVD). This is due to the antioxidant activity and immunomodulation exerted by these class of food [78]. Evi-
dence also shows that mushrooms may protect against chronic disease like CVD. Oxidative stress and inflam-
mation are closely linked to atherogenesis [68]. The mechanism of action is due to a significant reduction in
binding of quiescent monocytes and also stimulated by cytokines [78] [79].
The main active component isolated from L. edodes associated to this function is the eritadenine. It reduces
the lipid components of serum lipoproteins both in animals and in humans [80]. According to Isoda et al. [44],
the oral administration of this compound proved to be effective and demonstrate low toxicity, although only
10% is absorbed in the gastrointestinal. As intravenous administration, it proved completely ineffective, and
quickly eliminated from circulation and excreted by the kidneys.
8. Conclusion
The L. edodes is a macrofungus, that presents a variety of nutrition compounds, with great potential for thera-
peutic application. The activity and use of this macrofungus are unquestionable in some of the most important
T. C. Finimundy et al.
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Table 4. L. edodes extracts against antimicrobial activity.
Extract Microorganism References
Low molecular weight Actinomyces naeslundii [69] [86]
Dry aqueous extract total Bacillus cereus [65]
Dry aqueous extract total Bacillus subtilis [65] [87]
Dry aqueous extract total Enterococcus faecalis [65]
Isolated liquid medium Listeria monocytogenes [87]
Dry aqueous extract total Staphylococcus aureus [65]
Dry aqueous extract total MRSA [65]
Low molecular weight Fusobacterium nucleatum [86] [69]
Isolated liquid medium Klebsiella pneumoniae [87]
Isolated liquid medium Proteus mirabilis [87]
Ethanol extract total and dry aqueous Pseudomonas aeruginosa [65]
Low molecular weight Yersinia enterecolitica [86]
areas of applied biotechnology. Medicinal value of mushroom intake has become a matter of great significance,
particularly in preventing or treating serious chronic conditions such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. From
a pharmacological point of view, safety is the primary issue and research in this direction is desired. To date, L.
edodes has shown to present a great potential for the production of useful bioactive metabolites that serve as a
rich resource for drugs. Further research however is needed to establish content and bioactivity of the many
compounds found in edible mushrooms.
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by a grant from Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
(CAPES) and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (FAPERGS).
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... Anticancer properties: L. edodes is recognized for its antitumor activity, primarily attributed to its polysaccharides, especially β-glucans. These compounds enhance the immune response and have been shown to inhibit tumor growth in various studies (Finimundy et al. 2014;Roszczyk et al. 2022). The polysaccharides can activate immune cells, which play a crucial role in combating cancer cells (Finimundy et al. 2014). ...
... These compounds enhance the immune response and have been shown to inhibit tumor growth in various studies (Finimundy et al. 2014;Roszczyk et al. 2022). The polysaccharides can activate immune cells, which play a crucial role in combating cancer cells (Finimundy et al. 2014). L. edodes polysaccharides directly killed tumour cells and induced tumour cell death to prevent the growth of the tumour. ...
... Antioxidant activity: The mushroom contains significant levels of antioxidants that help mitigate oxidative stress in the body. Studies have demonstrated that extracts from L. edodes exhibit high antioxidant activity, which is essential for protecting cellular integrity and preventing degenerative diseases (Finimundy et al. 2014;Ejaz et al. 2024). The presence of phenolic compounds contributes to this antioxidant capacity. ...
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Mushrooms have been considered as possessing enormous nutritional and medicinal values. Lentinula edodes (Berk.) Pegler, popularly known as Shiitake, is the second-most consumed mushroom in the world. It is a specialty mushroom, is a basidiomycetous, non-pathogenic fungus grown all over the world and is native to East Asia. Shiitake mushrooms are becoming increasingly popular among local consumers due to its enticing aroma, unique culinary characteristics and tough texture. Shiitake has been grown on a variety of substrates in both natural and artificial environments making it a promising cultivable choice among mushroom growers. The Japanese specialty mushroom offers an array of nutritional qualities including medicinal benefits viz., anti-cancerous, antitumor and anticholesterolemic. Shiitake can be consumed in dry forms and fresh versions as per the likeliness of the consumers. Shiitake in temperate climate naturally develops on decaying or dead hard wood. However, for commercial purpose, it is grown on logs (synthetic logs), sawdust blocks (synthetic bag blocks), or sawdust pellets. This review shed light on the nutritional, medicinal properties, cultivation techniques and future prospective of the L. edodes, the shiitake mushroom.
... The polysaccharides found in mushrooms, called ß-D-glucan, have strong immune modulating properties [34]. They also inhibit oxidative damage and inhibit the activation of proinflammatory cytokines by decreasing NF-kB activity [35]. ...
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Mushrooms, part of the "Fungi" family is well-known for their medical benefits and accessibility globally. Diabetes has become more commonplace worldwide in recent times, which has made the search for alternate treatment approaches necessary. Because of their possible anti-diabetic Review Article Reddy et al.; Uttar Pradesh J. Zool., vol. 45, no. 15, pp. 387-393, 2024; Article no.UPJOZ.3788 388 effects, edible mushrooms-a natural source of bioactive compounds-have drawn interest. This research assesses the possible anti-diabetic benefits of edible mushrooms, concentrating on their bioactive constituents and mechanisms that modulate insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism, and emphasises their potential significance in diabetes prevention. The review concludes that EM can predict insulin resistance through active chemicals like polysaccharides and vitamin D, as well as preventative activities like β-glucosidase and β-amylase. The therapeutic benefits of many mushroom types have not been thoroughly researched, and the mechanism remains unclear. More study on edible medicinal mushrooms is needed to fully utilise their therapeutic promise in preventing noncommunicable diseases.
... Mushrooms are a good source of essential nutrients and have been used for medicinal purposes for over 2000 years, particularly in China (Chang and Zhao 2002;Ullah et al. 2022;. Mushrooms produce various bioactive metabolites essential for drug discovery and developing treatments for chronic diseases such as cancer (Newman and Cragg 2007;Finimundy et al. 2014;Ullah and Öztürk 2024). Research has confirmed that naturally occurring compounds in mushrooms can inhibit tumour development (Zhang et al. 2011) and inflammatory processes (Yu et al. 2009). ...
... Other studies have shown that Mx proteins are key effector molecules of type I and type III IFN-induced natural antiviral resistance in the cell itself, they act shortly after viral entry into the cell and before replication of the viral genome to inhibit the early stages of the viral replication cycle, and they have a wide range of antiviral activity (MacMicking, 2004;Haller and Kochs, 2007). LNT can regulate the functions of macrophages and NK cells (Finimundy et al., 2014;Roszczyk et al., 2022). Moreover, LNT can stimulate the Fig. 11. ...
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Marek's disease virus (MDV) is an extremely widespread avian immunosuppressive virus. In recent years, many reports have shown that there are still cases of MDV infection and immunosuppression after immunization with the vaccine. Consequently, there is a need to develop alternative complementary approaches for strengthening the efficacy of MDV prevention and control measures. Lentinan (LNT) is a macromolecular compound with immune-enhancing activity extracted from shiitake mushrooms. To explore the value and effectiveness of administering LNT through drinking water in the prevention and control of MDV, this study first observed the effects of high and low doses of LNT on weight gain, organ development, viral replication, and antibody titer of an avian influenza virus subtype H9 (AIV-H9) inactivated vaccine in specific pathogen-free (SPF) chicks infected with the wild strain of MDV. The results showed that both high and low doses of LNT significantly alleviated the weight gain retardation and liver and spleen enlargement caused by MDV infection, and significantly inhibited the replication of MDV in SPF chicks (P < 0.05), compared with the MDV-positive control group, both high and low doses of LNT significantly increased the antibody titer of AIV-H9 after immunization with inactivated AIV-H9 vaccine (P < 0.0001). On this basis, we also observed the effects of a chicken Marek's disease meq gene deletion live vaccine (SC9-1 strain), administered alone or in combination with LNT, on MDV infections of varying virulence in Hy-Line Brown chicks. The results showed that combined administration of LNT and the SC9-1 vaccine resulted in a significant alleviation of weight gain retardation and liver and spleen enlargement due to MDV infection (P < 0.05), as well as a significant inhibition of MDV replication and release in Hy-Line Brown chicks compared to the vaccine alone (P < 0.0001). These findings suggest that LNT not only alleviates the adverse effects of MDV infection in chickens but also enhances the efficacy of MDV vaccination, offering a potential auxiliary measure for controlling MDV infection.
... Thus, the inhibitory effect of NO on viral replication may be one of the main mechanisms by which macrophages combat herpesvirus infection (Vilcek and Oliveira, 1994). Lentinan has immunopotentiating effects on different lymphocyte subpopulations In cellular immunity, LNT can regulate the functions of macrophages, neutrophils, T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes, and NK cells (Finimundy et al., 2014;Roszczyk et al., 2022). Moreover, LNT can stimulate the proliferation of Broiler Splenocyte and promote the production of IL-2 and NO (Chen et al., 2003). ...
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Marek's disease virus (MDV) is a significant tumorigenic virus that causes severe immunosuppression in chickens. Lentinan (LNT) is an immunomodulator containing β-glucans and is widely used in areas such as antiviral, anticancer, and immune regulation. To investigate the immunomodulatory effects of LNT on specific pathogen-free (SPF) chicks and its potential to inhibit MDV infection, we conducted an MDV challenge experiment and observed the immune-enhancing effect of LNT on SPF chicks. The results showed that LNT promoted the growth and development of SPF chicks and induced the upregulation of cytokines such as Mx protein, interferon-γ (INF-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-2 (IL-2). The specific gravity of CD4⁺ T-lymphocytes and CD8⁺ T-lymphocytes and their ratios were also significantly upregulated. Prophylactic use of LNT inhibited MDV replication in lymphocytes, liver, and spleen. It also alleviated MDV-induced weight loss and hepatosplenomegaly in SPF chicks. The present study confirms that LNT can enhance the levels of innate and cellular immunity in SPF chicks and contributes to the inhibition of MDV replication in vivo and mitigation of immune organ damage in chicks due to MDV infection. This provides an adjunctive measure for better control of MDV infection.
... In certain cultures, this mushroom has been applied topically to accelerate wound healing and alleviate skin conditions. The gelatinous nature of D. spathularia makes it a suitable candidate for topical applications (Tiane et al., 2014;Kumar et al., 2018). ...
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“Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms of India, Vol I” is a series of edited books, published by APRF Publishers under Ambika Prasad Research Foundation, India. The aim of publication is to document the traditional uses of wild mushrooms, which play an important role in tribal culture as well as in forest ecosystem. They provide food, medicinal and livelihood to the local communities. The series brings together the different researchers throughout the country for research and development. In this book series, seven chapters are published by twelve researchers from different states of India. Here the authors have documented wild edible mushrooms of Odisha, Rugda mushroom, food values of Termitomyces microcarpus, Dacryopinax spathularia, and Russula rosea. This book also documented economically important mushrooms of India and Caterpillar fungus. This above documentation will be helpful in designing and experimental work and value addition.
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Supplementation of the growing substrate has been reported to enhance the production of cultivated mushrooms; however, supplementation using nano-sized additives is not yet investigated on Shiitake (Lentinula edodes). The study investigated the potential of a nano-supplement (Lithovit-Amino25) containing an admixture of 25% L-amino acids on shiitake cultivated on sawdust from locally available oak, maple, and apple trees (oak sawdust: OS, maple sawdust: MS, and apple sawdust: AS). Initially, sawdusts were enriched equally with wheat bran (WB) and at the first soaking, LithovitÒ-Amino25 was applied at 5 g/L. Treatments were: T1: OS-WB (control), T2: OS-WB+ nano-amino, T3: MS-WB, T4: MS-WB+ nano-amino, T5: AS-WB, and T6: AS-WB+ nano-amino. Among non-supplemented substrates, complete mycelia run, fruiting, and harvest dates were faster in T1 than in T3 and T5. Complete mycelial development was delayed by 7, 5, 9, and 6 d in T3, T4, T5, and T6 compared to T1. The harvest date was delayed by 7.7-8.3 d on maple sawdust and by 10.5-12.7 d on apple sawdust compared to oak sawdust. However, nano-supplementation hastened fruiting and harvest dates (by 9.3 d) in T4 compared to T3. The biological yield of the second harvest was higher on supplemented than on non-supplemented maple and apple sawdusts. Only T1 and T2 showed consistency in production over two consecutive harvests. Nano-supplementation improved the total biological yield in T2, T4, and T6 by 9.8, 21.0, and 22.5%, respectively. Nevertheless, all treatments, except T4, had lower biological efficiencies compared with T1. In T4, results of stepwise regression showed a strong positive correlation (R 2 = 0.96) between the total biological yield and mushroom weight at the second harvest. Supplementation caused a slight or significant improvement in pileus diameter and mushroom firmness and a significant improvement in mushroom's crude protein (by 2.9-8.2% compared to T1) and fiber contents (by 1-2.3% compared to T1). In conclusion, supplemented maple sawdust would alternate oak sawdust for shiitake production, though other timings of supplementation might be further investigated to optimize production on this substrate.
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