1) Universidade Pedagógica, Rua João Carlos Raposo Beirão 135, Maputo, Moçambique
2) Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Coimbra, Pólo das Ciências da Saúde, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal
3) Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
4) Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina – Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Arquiteto Lobão Vital, Apartado 2511, 4202-401 Porto, Portugal
5) ACIVET, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Lisbon University, 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal
*Corresponding author: profcattitofernandes@gmail.com
The current short article reviews the role of mushroom biomass, rich in β-glucans, enzymes, germanium and secondary metabolites, the interaction with the human gut microbiota and the prevention or treatment of various metabolic syndrome-linked diseases. The focus is on mushroom β-glucans compared to other soluble and fermentable dietary fibres, their unique effects on nutrition, human microbiota, health and disease, specifying the significantly differing physicochemical properties depending on the source and type of mushroom or dietary supplement. An overview of definitions and types of fibre, a brief examination of the health benefits associated with β-glucans from mushroom biomass, its possible mechanisms of action, and its potential dietary supplement applications are provided. Despite promising evidence of mushroom biomass on health much research still remains to be done.
Keyword food supplement
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This article provides an overview of the essential differences between the biomass and extract form of mushroom products. The article addresses the betagucan content of both forms as well as the three forms of enzyme activity found in biomass form; contributing to their role as “biological response modifiers”.
(1) Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Higyene and Tropical Medicine, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
(2) University of Coimbra, Portugal.
(3) Ministry of Education and Human Development, Maputo, Mozambique.
(4) University of Catania, Italy
† Equal contributors
1 Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
2 Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
Results indicate that nutritional modulation of critical proteins involved in brain stress tolerance can be achieved via supplementation with a well characterized strain of Hericium erinaceus biomass. These findings are relevant to those theories connecting faulty protein quality control mechanisms with age-associated neurodegenerative diseases
The aim of this study was to investigate the safety of the CV biomass form, as it is commonly used as a food supplement. The CV biomass powder was dissolved in distilled water and administered daily (2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 g/kg live weight) in single doses by gavage to both female and male Charles River albino rats.
Results indicate that nutritional modulation of critical proteins involved in brain stress tolerance can be achieved via supplementation with a well characterized strain of C. versicolor biomass. These findings are relevant to those theories connecting faulty protein quality control mechanisms with age-associated neurodegenerative diseases
Some mushrooms have been known to exhibit several medicinal properties for thousands of years in Japanese and other Asian cultures. The Reishi mushroom, also known as Ganoderma lucidum, is well characterized (in Traditional Chinese Medicine) for the prevention and treatment of several disease states such as cancer, allergies and asthma. In the west, Reishi is commonly sold in the extract form. This study shows the difference in the concentration of both enzymes and beta-glucans between one Reishi extract sample and one Reishi biomass sample.