Beng Fye Lau

Evaluation of Selected Culinary-Medicinal Mushrooms for Antioxidant and ACE Inhibitory Activities

Considering the importance of diet in prevention of oxidative stress-related diseases including hypertension, this study was undertaken to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant and ACE inhibitory activities of selected culinary-medicinal mushrooms extracted by boiling in water for 30 min. Antioxidant capacity was measured using the following assays: DPPH free radical scavenging activity, β-carotene bleaching, inhibition of lipid peroxidation, reducing power ability, and cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC). Antioxidant potential of each mushroom species was calculated based on the average percentages relative to quercetin and summarized as Antioxidant Index (AI). Ganoderma lucidum (30.1%), Schizophyllum commune (27.6%), and Hericium erinaceus (17.7%) showed relatively high AI. Total phenolics in these mushrooms varied between 6.19 to 63.51 mg GAE/g extract. In the ACE inhibitory assay, G. lucidum was shown to be the most potent species (IC50 = 50 μg/mL). Based on our findings, culinary-medicinal mushrooms can be considered as potential source of dietary antioxidant and ACE inhibitory agents.

Chemical composition of the tiger's milk mushroom, Lignosus rhinocerotis (Cooke) Ryvarden, from different developmental stages.

The chemical composition of the tigers milk mushroom (Lignosus rhinocerotis) from different developmental stages, i.e., the fruit body, sclerotium, and mycelium, was investigated for the first time. The fruit body and sclerotium of L. rhinocerotis were rich in carbohydrates and dietary fibers but low in fat. Protein levels in L. rhinocerotis were moderate, and all essential amino acids, except tryptophan, were present. The mycelium contained high levels of potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, riboflavin, and niacin and appreciable amounts of essential fatty acids. The results indicated that the sclerotium of L. rhinocerotis that was used in ethnomedicine was not superior to the fruit body and mycelium with regard to the nutritional content and bioactive constituents. Our findings provide some insights into the selection of appropriate mushroom part(s) of L. rhinocerotis and proper cultivation techniques for the development of new nutraceuticals or dietary supplements.

Recent developments on algal biochar production and characterization

Algal biomass is known as a promising sustainable feedstock for the production of biofuels and other valuable products. However, since last decade, massive amount of interests have turned to converting algal biomass into biochar. Due to their high nutrient content and ion-exchange capacity, algal biochars can be used as soil amendment for agriculture purposes or adsorbents in wastewater treatment for the removal of organic or inorganic pollutants. This review describes the conventional (e.g., slow and microwave-assisted pyrolysis) and newly developed (e.g., hydrothermal carbonization and torrefaction) methods used for the synthesis of algae-based biochars. The characterization of algal biochar and a comparison between algal biochar with biochar produced from other feedstocks are also presented. This review aims to provide updated information on the development of algal biochar in terms of the production methods and the characterization of its physical and chemical properties to justify and to expand their potential applications.

Ethnomedicinal uses,pharmacological activities,and cultivation of Lignosus spp. (tiger's milk mushrooms)in Malaysia A review.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Several members of the genus Lignosus, which are collectively known as cendawan susu rimau (in Malay) or tiger׳s milk mushrooms (TMM), are regarded as important local medicine particularly by the indigenous communities in Malaysia. The mushroom sclerotia are purportedly effective in treating cancer, coughs, asthma, fever, and other ailments. The most commonly encountered Lignosus spp. in Malaysia was authenticated as Lignosus rhinocerotis (Cooke) Ryvarden (synonym: Polyporus rhinocerus), which is also known as hurulingzhi in China and has been used by Chinese physicians to treat liver cancer, gastric ulcers, and chronic hepatitis. In spite of growing interest in the therapeutic potential of TMM, there is no compilation of scientific evidence that supports the ethnomedicinal uses of these mushrooms. Therefore, the present review is intended (i) to provide a comprehensive, up-to-date overview of the ethnomedicinal uses, pharmacological activities, and cultivation of TMM in general and L. rhinocerotis in particular, (ii) to demonstrate how recent scientific findings have validated some of their traditional uses, and (iii) to identify opportunities for future research and areas to prioritize for TMM bioprospecting. MATERIALS AND METHODS A detailed literature search was conducted via library search (books, theses, reports, newspapers, magazines, and conference proceedings) and electronic search (Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar) for articles published in peer-reviewed journals. These sources were scrutinized for information on TMM and specifically for L. rhinocerotis. RESULTS Ethnomycological knowledge about TMM, with an emphasis on cultural associations and use as local medicine, has been comprehensively and systematically compiled for the first time. Some of the reported medicinal properties of TMM have been validated by scientific studies. The anti-tumor, immuno-modulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-microbial, neurite outgrowth stimulation, and other pharmacological activities of L. rhinocerotis sclerotial extracts have been explored. The nature of sclerotial bioactive components, such as proteins, polysaccharides, and/or polysaccharide-protein complexes, has been identified, whereas the low-molecular-weight constituents remain poorly studied. The artificial cultivation of L. rhinocerotis via solid substrate and liquid fermentations successfully yielded fruiting bodies, sclerotium, mycelium, and culture broth that could be exploited as substitutes for the wild resources. The cultivated sclerotium and mycelium were shown to be safe from a toxicological point of view. Other research areas, e.g., chemical studies, genomics, and proteomics, have been employed to gain insights into the medicinal properties of TMM. CONCLUSIONS This review clarified the medicinal properties of TMM as recorded in various ethnomycological records, and it simultaneously highlighted the current efforts to provide scientific evidence by using various in vitro and in vivo models. Thus far, only the anti-tumor and immuno-modulatory effects of L. rhinocerotis sclerotial aqueous extracts have been extensively investigated, and other medicinal properties relevant to their traditional uses, e.g., anti-tussive and anti-pyretic properties, have yet to be validated. Further studies focusing on (i) the isolation and characterization of active components, (ii) the elucidation of their modes of action, and (iii) an evaluation of their safety and efficacy, when compared with the crude aqueous preparations, are warranted to accelerate potential drug discovery from TMM.

The Potential of Mycelium and Culture Broth of Lignosus rhinocerotis as Substitutes for the Naturally Occurring Sclerotium with Regard to Antioxidant Capacity, Cytotoxic Effect, and Low-Molecular-Weight Chemical Constituents

Previous studies on the nutritional and nutraceutical properties of Lignosus rhinocerotis focused mainly on the sclerotium; however, the supply of wild sclerotium is limited. In this investigation, the antioxidant capacity and cytotoxic effect of L. rhinocerotis cultured under different conditions of liquid fermentation (shaken and static) were compared to the sclerotium produced by solid-substrate fermentation. Aqueous methanol extracts of the mycelium (LR-MH, LR-MT) and culture broth (LR-BH, LR-BT) demonstrated either higher or comparable antioxidant capacities to the sclerotium extract (LR-SC) based on their radical scavenging abilities, reducing properties, metal chelating activities, and inhibitory effects on lipid peroxidation. All extracts exerted low cytotoxicity (IC50>200 µg/ml, 72 h) against selected mammalian cell lines. Several low-molecular-weight compounds, including sugars, fatty acids, methyl esters, sterols, amides, amino acids, phenolics, and triterpenoids, were identified using GC-MS and UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS. The presence of proteins (<40 kDa) in the extracts was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and SELDI-TOF-MS. Principal component analysis revealed that the chemical profiles of the mycelial extracts under shaken and static conditions were distinct from those of the sclerotium. Results from bioactivity evaluation and chemical profiling showed that L. rhinocerotis from liquid fermentation merits consideration as an alternative source of functional ingredients and potential substitute for the sclerotium.

Comparative SELDI-TOF-MS profiling of low-molecular-mass proteins from Lignosus rhinocerus (Cooke) Ryvarden grown under stirred and static conditions of liquid fermentation.

Mushrooms are considered as important source of biologically active compounds which include low-molecular-mass protein/peptides (LMMP). In this study, we attempted to profile the LMMP from Lignosus rhinocerus, a wild medicinal mushroom, grown by static cultures (SC) and in stirred tank reactor (STR). Crude water extract (CWE) and protein fractions were profiled using H50 ProteinChip® arrays and SELDI-TOF-MS. Three protein peaks of 5.8, 6.9 and 9.1 kDa were found to be common to spectra of L. rhinocerus CWE from both culture conditions. Partial protein purification has resulted in detection of more peaks in the spectra of protein fractions. For protein fractions of L. rhinocerus cultured in STR, most peaks were observed in the range of 3-8 kDa whereas some peaks with molecular mass up to 14.3 kDa were noted in spectra of protein fractions from SC. Our results have demonstrated the optimization of profiling method using SELDI-TOF-MS for fungal LMMP.

Sclerotium-forming mushrooms as an emerging source of medicinals:Current Perspectives.

Abstract Mushroom sclerotia, consisting of compact masses of hardened mycelia, are important for fungal survival during adverse conditions. In many parts of the world, mushroom sclerotia are regarded as an important source of food and medicine, especially to the indigenous communities. The medicinal properties of mushroom sclerotia, such as antitumor, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and other activities, have been studied, providing insights into the nature of the active components and underlying mechanisms of action. The difficulties associated with the time-consuming method of solid-substrate cultivation of sclerotium-forming mushrooms has prompted extensive investigation into the possibility of using mycelia derived from liquid fermentation as a potential substitute for the sclerotia. In many cases, the biological activities of mycelia have seemed to be comparable to those of the sclerotia, although their chemical composition might vary depending on culture conditions. In short, growing scientific evidence suggests that mycelia merit further consideration as a substitute for the sclerotia.

Potential of Mycelia and Culture Broth of the Tiger’s Milk Mushroom as Source of Nutraceuticals and Substitute for the Naturally OccuringSclerotia

The tiger’s milk mushroom, Lignosus rhinocerus (Cooke) Ryvarden, has long history of use as natural remedies for ailments by the local and indigenous communities in Malaysia. From the ethnobotanical perspective, only the sclerotia were claimed to have medicinal values; however, the supply of sclerotia from the wild is limited. Solid-substrate cultivation of the sclerotia of L. rhinocerus takes a long time and the yield is inconsistent. Alternatively, the mycelia can be produced in a shorter time through liquid fermentation. In the present study, bioactivities of extracts of the sclerotia as well as mycelia and culture broth of L. rhinocerus were assessed. Extracts of mycelia and culture broth of L. rhinocerus exhibited significantly higher antioxidant capacities as measured by the radical scavenging, reducing capacity and metal chelating assays. On the other hand, extracts of the sclerotia displayed stronger growth inhibitory effect against various cancer cell lines. The nature of potential bioactive components responsible for the in vitro antioxidant and cytotoxic activities was unravelled based on the results of chromatographic analysis of extracts. The occurrence of bioactive components in L. rhinocerus varied according to cultivation techniques and mushroom developmental stages. The mycelia and culture broth of L. rhinocerus might emerge as alternative source of nutraceuticals depending on the desired bioactive components.