The potential of edible mushrooms as an unexploited treasure trove, although rarely included in known food guidelines, is highlighted. Their role in shielding people against the side effects of an unhealthy stylish diet is reviewed. Mushrooms complement the human diet with various bioactive molecules not identified or deficient in foodstuffs of plant and animal sources, being considered a functional food for the prevention of several human diseases. Mushrooms have been widely used as medicinal products for more than 2,000 years, but globally the potential field of use of wild mushrooms has been untapped. There is a broad range of edible mushrooms which remain poorly identified or even unreported which is a valuable pool as sources of bioactive compounds for biopharma utilization and new dietary supplements. Some unique elements of mushrooms and their role in preventative healthcare are emphasized, through their positive impact on the immune system. The potential of mushrooms as antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-neoplastic, and other health concerns is discussed. Mushrooms incorporate top sources of non-digestible oligosaccharides, and ergothioneine, which humans are unable to synthesize, the later a unique antioxidant, cytoprotective, and anti-inflammatory element, with therapeutic potential, approved by world food agencies. The prebiotic activity of mushrooms beneficially affects gut homeostasis performance and the balance of gut microbiota is enhanced. Several recent studies on neurological impact and contribution to the growth of nerve and brain cells are mentioned. Indeed, mushrooms as functional foods' nutraceuticals are presently regarded as next-generation foods, supporting health and wellness, and are promising prophylactic or therapeutic agents.

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Mushrooms as future generation healthy foods

Simple Summary With the increase in the geriatric population worldwide, the promotion of healthy aging arose as a key issue and, hence, the scientific community dedicates huge effort to counteract age-related impairments. Brain aging is a crucial risk factor for several neurodegenerative disorders and dementia. One of the most affected cognitive functions is recognition memory. Inflammation and oxidative stress play a key role in pathogenesis of cognitive impairments, and a link exists between frailty, oxidative stress, and inflammaging. Medicinal mushrooms represent a source to develop new therapeutic strategy, and among them Hericium erinaceus (He) displays several actions ranging from boosting immune system to fighting senescence, due to its active ingredients/metabolites. Among these, Ergothioneine (ERGO) is known as the longevity vitamin. Currently, when monitoring physiological aging in mice, we demonstrated the selective, preventive and neuroprotective effect of an ERGO-rich He primordium extract in hippocampus, preventing recognition memory decline during aging, decreasing key markers of inflammation and oxidative stress, and increasing the expression of glutamate receptors, which are crucially involved in glutamatergic neurotransmission. Abstract Brain aging is a crucial risk factor for several neurodegenerative disorders and dementia. The most affected cognitive function is memory, worsening early during aging. Inflammation and oxidative stress are known to have a role in pathogenesis of cognitive impairments, and a link exists between aging/frailty and immunosenescence/inflammaging. Based on anti-aging properties, medicinal mushrooms represent a source to develop medicines and functional foods. In particular, Hericium erinaceus (He) displays several actions ranging from boosting the immune system to fighting senescence, due to its active ingredients/metabolites. Among these, Ergothioneine (ERGO) is known as the longevity vitamin. Currently, we demonstrated the efficacy of an ERGO-rich He primordium extract (He2) in preventing cognitive decline in a murine model of aging. We focused on recognition memory deterioration during aging, monitored through spontaneous behavioral tests assessing both memory components and frailty index. A parallel significant decrease in key markers of inflammation and oxidative stress, i.e., IL6, TGFβ1, GFAP, Nrf2, SOD1, COX2, NOS2, was revealed in the hippocampus by immunohistochemistry, accompanied by an enhancement of NMDAR1and mGluR2, crucially involved in glutamatergic neurotransmission. In summary, we disclosed a selective, preventive and neuroprotective effect of He2 on aged hippocampus, both on recognition memory as well on inflammation/oxidative stress/glutamate receptors expression.

/pdf/cognitive-healthy-aging-in-mice-boosting-memory-by-an-1fcvnijq.pdf

Cognitive Healthy Aging in Mice: Boosting Memory by an Ergothioneine-Rich Hericium erinaceus Primordium Extract

Desert truffles have been used as traditional treatments for numerous inflammatory disorders. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying their anti-inflammatory effects in RAW 264.7 macrophages have yet to be fully elucidated. The present study investigated the anti-inflammatory activities of two main desert truffles, Terfezia boudieri and T. claveryi, and the underlying mechanisms associated with their anti-inflammatory activities in RAW 264.7 macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide/interferon-gamma (LPS/IFN-γ). Our results demonstrated that treatment with T. boudieri and T. claveryi extracts effectively suppressed the inflammatory response in LPS/IFN-γ-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Specifically, T. boudieri extract was found to reduce the production of nitric oxide and inhibit the expression of various pro-inflammatory markers, including inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) at both the mRNA and protein levels. Similarly, T. claveryi extract exhibited comparable inhibitory effects, except for the expression of IL-6 and COX-2 at the protein level, where no significant effect was observed. Moreover, both studied extracts significantly downregulated the microRNA expression levels of miR-21, miR-146a, and miR-155, suggesting that T. boudieri and T. claveryi suppress the inflammatory response in LPS/IFN-γ-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells through an epigenetic mechanism. Furthermore, our study reveals a new mechanism for the anti-inflammatory properties of desert truffle extracts. We show for the first time that Terfezia extracts do not rely on the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 pathway, previously linked to anti-inflammatory responses. This expands our understanding of natural product anti-inflammatory mechanisms and could have important implications for developing new therapies. To account for differences in truffle effects, extracts prepared were subjected to secondary metabolites profiling using UPLC-MS. UPLC-MS led to the annotation of 87 secondary metabolites belonging to various classes, including amino acids, carbohydrates, alkaloids, amides, fatty acids, sterols, and phenolic compounds. Therefore, these results indicate that T. boudieri and T. claveryi exhibit anti-inflammatory activities through suppressing multiple inflammatory mediators and cytokines and may be potential anti-inflammatory agents. 

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-35612-8.pdf

Terfezia boudieri and Terfezia claveryi inhibit the LPS/IFN-γ-mediated inflammation in RAW 264.7 macrophages through an Nrf2-independent mechanism

This article reviews various aspects of COVID-19, including its current status, its side-effects, emergency protective measures and strategies from lifestyle to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for fighting against the SARS-CoV-2, and its major variants (Delta and Omicron), with the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, which include "Carassius auratus lifestyle" for high effective isolation, social and high-tech medical strategies, traditional Chinese herbs "Bark-Flower-Fruit-Grass-Leaf-Nucleolus(seed)-Root (BFFGLNR)", and the combination of Chinese and western medicine. As a choice, little is known whether the Chinese acupuncture is an effective method for confirming and suspecting COVID-19 patients, which include imported and asymptomatic cases. Definitely, acupuncture has been proven effective treatment for the recovery of COVID-19 cases. However, further animal experiments and clinical trials are required to confirm its effects and disclose underlying mechanisms. In conclusion, these emergency protective measures and strategies for COVID-19 will help to effectively combat the SARS-CoV-2 and its variants during the pandemic and post-COVID-19 era. 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccmp.2023.100089

Emergency Protective Measures and Strategies of COVID-19: From Lifestyle to Traditional Chinese Medicine

Escalating progression in human diseases and problems has led to an intensive search for new drug sources and effective metabolites. In this scenario, the therapeutic potential of macrofungi is worth mentioning at the frontier of developing new nutraceuticals. Mushrooms have been treasured and appreciated as traditional medicine by human civilization for ages. They represent a potent source of bioactive metabolites, including polysaccharides, phenolics, terpenoids, peptides, minerals, and vitamins. The health augmenting properties of these biocomponents are extended to their structural variability, imparting biological and functional attributes. Medicinal mushrooms and their competent secondary metabolites effectively treat human disorders such as anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antidiabetic, antioxidant, immune-stimulatory, hepatoprotective, antimicrobial, nephroprotective, hypocholesterolemic, hypoglycemic, etc. Therefore, this chapter documents and summarizes the knowledge on biomolecules of mushrooms in human health and highlights their healing traits against major lifestyle-related diseases. It also discloses the capacity of these bioactive metabolites in developing innovative functional food products with pharmaceutical potential. 

Potential of Medicinal Mushrooms in Human Health and Welfare: An Overview

Mushrooms include a wide variety of bioactive compounds that have been linked to therapeutic and nutritional benefits, making them a potential source of new medications and functional foods. The goal of this study is to offer a complete overview of the mushroom's modulatory effects on inflammatory signaling pathways, which leads to the inhibition of inflammation in various types of immune cells and animal models. This study reviewed the inhibitory effects of mushrooms on the inflammation process through the modulation of the pro-inflammatory mediators and associated signaling pathways. A literature search in PubMed and Google Scholar was conducted for the relevant original research and review articles on the anti-inflammatory effects of mushrooms. Related articles published in English were selected, studied and discussed. As revealed by the selected articles, bioactive molecules which include peptides, polysaccharides, terpenes, sterols, fatty acids, and phenols have been extracted from the powder, concentrate, and different solvent extracts of edible mushrooms. These bioactive molecules have shown significant efficacy in inhibiting the major pro-inflammatory biomarkers and associated pathways in in vivo and in vitro settings. This review demonstrated that mushrooms significantly inhibit the production of pro-inflammatory mediators and can be developed for clinical use as anti-inflammatory agents. Further research is required to establish the comparative efficacy between mushrooms and NSAID especially in the in vivo inhibitory activity against the production of cyclooxygenase and pro-inflammatory cytokines. 

Modulatory Effects of Mushrooms on the Inflammatory Signaling Pathways and Pro-inflammatory Mediators

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 is characterized by acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) facilitated by cytokine storm and other risk factors that increase susceptibility and complications leading to death. Emerging as a major global public health challenge, the disease has claimed more than 6 million lives and caused catastrophic global economic disruptions. However, there are concerns about the safety as well as the efficacy of drugs and vaccines presently used to control the pandemic, therefore necessitating intense global search for safe natural products that can effectively and safely combat it. This work reviews studies on lingzhi or reishi medicinal mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum and its properties that may potentially combat SARS-CoV-2 infection and the co-morbidities. Available evidence suggests that medicinal properties of the Ganoderma mushroom can combat the complications of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the co-morbidities that can aggravate the severity of the disease. Preclinical and clinical evaluation to establish dose, efficacy, and potential toxicity and possible use in the management of COVID-19 is recommended.

The Lingzhi or Reishi Medicinal Mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (Agaricomycetes) Can Combat Cytokine Storm and Other COVID-19 Related Pathologies: A Review.

Timipanipiri ThankGod Wood

Papers

Modulatory Effects of Mushrooms on the Inflammatory Signaling Pathways and Pro-inflammatory Mediators

The Lingzhi or Reishi Medicinal Mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (Agaricomycetes) Can Combat Cytokine Storm and Other COVID-19 Related Pathologies: A Review.