Neglected Mushrooms, Food Plants, Nuts: Functional Food Properties and Bioactive Compounds

A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Natural Products".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 November 2021) | Viewed by 19462

Special Issue Editors

Animal Physiology and Neurobiology Section, Zoological Institute, Naamsestraat 59 - box 2465, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Interests: drug discovery from natural products; antimicrobial resistance; host–pathogen interaction; biofilm and anti-biofilm agents; nanomedicine and herbal medicine; anti-microbial peptides, essential oils; aging
KU Leuven
Interests: drug discovery; peptidomics; natural products; receptors; molecular biology
Division of Microbiology & NCDs, ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, Bhubaneswar 751023, India
Interests: nosocomial infection dynamics, surveillance of bacterium and mycobacterium stains, antibiograms and molecular characterization of pathogens from clinical samples in BSL-II and BSL-III laboratories; assessment of antibacterial, antimycobacterial activity and toxicity profiles of bio-assay guided plant and cyanobacterial crude crude-extracts, natural product derivatives and synthesized hybrid products, in vitro and in vivo, as alternative antibacterial agents; molecular modelling/simulation, binding energy calculation, phylogenetic analyses, structure-based drug design, disease biology and pathway analysis using advanced tools of bioinformatics
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The current Special Issue on “Neglected Mushrooms, Food Plants, Nuts: Functional Food Properties and Bioactive Compounds 2021” aims to encourage researchers to bring their attention to the latest discoveries in neglected mushrooms, food plants, and nuts. We encourage readers on the chemical, nutritional, and pharmaceutical value of traditional plants, mushrooms, and food products, which are being found to be applicable in diets, are useful for developing novel health foods, and can be useful in modern natural food therapies. The topics covered will range from their nutritional value and chemical characterization, to their multifunctional applications as foods with beneficial effects on health, though their biological and pharmacological properties (antiaging, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antitumor, antiparasitic activity, etc.). However, manuscripts describing uncharacterized extracts with studies of common activities (e.g., antioxidant properties) will not be considered. Review articles are also welcome, but will only be of interest if there is evidence of traditional uses and/or food value while the plants/mushrooms have not extensively explored for their chemistry and bioactivity. 

Dr. Sujogya Kumar Panda
Prof. Walter Luyten
Dr. Shasank Sekhar Swain
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • bioassay-guided purification
  • bioactivity
  • biofilm
  • MDR
  • toxicity
  • traditional knowledge
  • mushrooms
  • wild plants

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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9 pages, 976 KiB  
Communication
First Chemical Investigation of Korean Wild Mushroom, Amanita hemibapha subsp. javanica and the Identification of Anti-Helicobacter pylori Compounds
by Seulah Lee, Akida Alishir, Tae Wan Kim, Dong-Min Kang, Rhim Ryoo, Changhyun Pang, Mi-Jeong Ahn and Ki Hyun Kim
Pharmaceuticals 2022, 15(2), 152; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ph15020152 - 27 Jan 2022
Viewed by 2569
Abstract
Amanita hemibapha subsp. javanica (Amanitaceae) is an edible Korean wild mushroom. A. hemibapha subsp. javanica is often confused with A. subjunquillea, known as the East Asian death cap, which is potentially fatal when ingested. This study aimed to conduct the first chemical [...] Read more.
Amanita hemibapha subsp. javanica (Amanitaceae) is an edible Korean wild mushroom. A. hemibapha subsp. javanica is often confused with A. subjunquillea, known as the East Asian death cap, which is potentially fatal when ingested. This study aimed to conduct the first chemical investigation of A. hemibapha subsp. javanica, which resulted in the isolation of seven fatty acid derivatives (17) and three steroids (810) from the MeOH extract of its fruiting bodies, and their structures were determined by comparing their NMR spectroscopic data with those previously reported, along with the data from LC/MS. Compound 1 was reported previously without the identification of its absolute configuration; its structure, including the absolute configuration was confirmed for the first time, in this study, by using 1H NMR and its fragmentation patterns in MS/MS data, and LC/MS analysis. A recently developed method using competing enantioselective acylation (CEA) coupled with LC/MS analysis was applied for determining the absolute configuration of compound 1, which revealed the 11S-configuration. In the anti-Helicobacter pylori activity test, compound 3 showed antibacterial activity against H. pylori strain 51 with 38.0% inhibition, comparable to that of quercetin (34.4% inhibition) as a positive control. Specifically, compound 4 displayed the most potent antibacterial activity against H. pylori strain 51 with 80.5% inhibition at the final concentration of 100 μm with a MIC50 value of 72 μm. These findings suggested that the active compound 4 is a natural antibiotic that may be used in the development of novel antibiotics against H. pylori. In addition, the first chemical investigation of A. hemibapha subsp. javanica revealed that this mushroom can serve as a promising natural source for the bioactive natural products. Full article
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15 pages, 7464 KiB  
Article
Optimization of Solvent-Free Microwave-Assisted Hydrodiffusion and Gravity Extraction of Morus nigra L. Fruits Maximizing Polyphenols, Sugar Content, and Biological Activities Using Central Composite Design
by Ahmed M. Mustafa, Eugenia Mazzara, Doaa Abouelenein, Simone Angeloni, Sonia Nunez, Gianni Sagratini, Víctor López, Marco Cespi, Sauro Vittori, Giovanni Caprioli and Filippo Maggi
Pharmaceuticals 2022, 15(1), 99; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ph15010099 - 14 Jan 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2914
Abstract
Black mulberry, Morus nigra L. (family: Moraceae), is a healthy food and medicinal plant. Microwave hydrodiffusion and gravity (MHG) is one of the most innovative applications of solvent-free microwave extraction. The aim of this study was to optimize for the first time the [...] Read more.
Black mulberry, Morus nigra L. (family: Moraceae), is a healthy food and medicinal plant. Microwave hydrodiffusion and gravity (MHG) is one of the most innovative applications of solvent-free microwave extraction. The aim of this study was to optimize for the first time the MHG solvent-free extraction of polyphenols and sugars from M. nigra fruits. Optimization was carried out using a central composite design (CCD) with selected responses such as extraction yield, total polyphenol (TPC), flavonoid (TFC), anthocyanin (TAC), and sugar (TSC) contents, in addition to DPPH radical scavenging, and α-glucosidase (AGHi), lipase (Li), and xanthine oxidase (XOi) inhibition as tools to evaluate the best parameters for efficient and rapid extraction of black mulberry. The optimized extract was characterized in terms of the aforementioned parameters to validate the models, and was further analyzed for 36 individual polyphenols using HPLC-MS/MS. The optimized MHG extract was finally compared with traditional extracts, and demonstrated much better performance in terms of TPC, TAC, and Li, while the traditional extracts showed better XOi and AGHi. In conclusion, MHG is a valuable green technique for the production of non-degraded black mulberry polyphenol-rich extract and we suggest its larger use in the pharmaceutical and food industries. Full article
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12 pages, 1520 KiB  
Article
Protective Effect of Carotenoid Extract from Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato on Gastric Ulcer in Mice by Inhibition of NO, IL-6 and PGE2 Production
by Ji-Yeong Bae, Woo-Sung Park, Hye-Jin Kim, Ho-Soo Kim, Kwon-Kyoo Kang, Sang-Soo Kwak and Mi-Jeong Ahn
Pharmaceuticals 2021, 14(12), 1320; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ph14121320 - 17 Dec 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2542
Abstract
Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam., Convolvulaceae is widely distributed in Asian areas from tropical to warm-temperature regions. Their tubers are known for their antioxidant, anti-bacterial, anti-diabetic, wound healing, anti-inflammatory, and anti-ulcer activities. The preventive and therapeutic effects of orange-fleshed sweet potato on gastric ulcers [...] Read more.
Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam., Convolvulaceae is widely distributed in Asian areas from tropical to warm-temperature regions. Their tubers are known for their antioxidant, anti-bacterial, anti-diabetic, wound healing, anti-inflammatory, and anti-ulcer activities. The preventive and therapeutic effects of orange-fleshed sweet potato on gastric ulcers have not been investigated. In this study, the carotenoid extract (CE) of orange-fleshed sweet potato was found to protect against gastric ulcers induced by HCl/ethanol in mice. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of the carotenoid pigment extract were also evaluated as possible evidence of their protective effects. Administration of CE reduced gastric ulcers. Oral administration of CE (100 mg/kg) protected against gastric ulcers by 78.1%, similar to the positive control, sucralfate (77.5%). CE showed potent reducing power and decreased nitric oxide production in a mouse macrophage cell line, RAW 264.7, in a concentration-dependent manner. The production of the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 and prostaglandin E2 was also reduced by CE in a dose-dependent manner. The high carotenoid content of orange-fleshed sweet potato could play a role in its protective effect against gastric ulcers. This result suggests the possibility of developing functional products using this nutrient-fortified material. Full article
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20 pages, 3521 KiB  
Article
Alleviation of Androgenetic Alopecia with Aqueous Paeonia lactiflora and Poria cocos Extract Intake through Suppressing the Steroid Hormone and Inflammatory Pathway
by Ting Zhang, Shihua Cao, Heng Yuan and Sunmin Park
Pharmaceuticals 2021, 14(11), 1128; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ph14111128 - 05 Nov 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3921
Abstract
Paeonia lactiflora Pallas (PL) and Poria cocos Wolf (PC) have been traditionally used to treat inflammatory diseases reported in Dongui Bogam and Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, traditional medical books in Korean and China, respectively. We determined the efficacies and the molecular mechanisms [...] Read more.
Paeonia lactiflora Pallas (PL) and Poria cocos Wolf (PC) have been traditionally used to treat inflammatory diseases reported in Dongui Bogam and Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, traditional medical books in Korean and China, respectively. We determined the efficacies and the molecular mechanisms of PL, PC, and PL + PC aqueous extracts on androgenetic alopecia (AGA) induced by testosterone propionate in C57BL/6 mice. The molecular mechanisms of PL and PC in AGA treatment were examined using experimental assays and network pharmacology. The AGA model was generated by topically applying 0.5% testosterone propionate in 70% ethanol solution to the backs of mice daily for 28 days while the normal-control (Normal-Con; no AGA induction) mice applied 70% ethanol. The 0.1% PL (AGA-PL), 0.1% PC (AGA-PC), 0.05% PL + 0.05% PC (AGA-MIX), and 0.1% cellulose (AGA-Con; control) were supplemented in a high-fat diet for 28 days in AGA-induced mice. Positive-control (AGA-Positive) were administered 2% finasteride daily on the backs of the AGA mice. Hair growth rates decreased in the order of AGA-PL, AGA-MIX, AGA-PC, AGA-Positive, and AGA-Con after 21 days of treatment (ED21). On ED28, skins were completely covered with hair in the AGA-PL and AGA-MIX groups. Serum testosterone concentrations were lower in the AGA-PL group than in the AGA-Con group and similar to concentrations in the Normal-Con group, whereas serum 17β-estradiol concentrations showed the opposite pattern with increasing aromatase mRNA expression (p < 0.05). In the dorsal skin, DKK1 and NR3C2 mRNA expressions were significantly lower, but TGF-β2, β-Catenin, and PPARG expressions were higher in the AGA-PL and AGA-PC groups than in the AGA-Con group (p < 0.05), whereas TNF-α and IL-6 mRNA expressions were lower in the AGA-PL, AGA-MIX, and Normal-Con groups than in the AGA-Con group (p < 0.05). The phosphorylation of Akt and GSK-3β in the dorsal skin was lower in AGA-Con than normal-Con, and PL and MIX ingestion suppressed their decrease similar to the Normal-Con. In conclusion, PL or PL + PC intake had beneficial effects on hair growth similar to Normal-Con. The promotion was related to lower serum testosterone concentrations and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, and inhibition of the steroid hormone pathway, consistent with network pharmacology analysis findings. Full article
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Review

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25 pages, 2139 KiB  
Review
Anticancer Activities of Mushrooms: A Neglected Source for Drug Discovery
by Sujogya Kumar Panda, Gunanidhi Sahoo, Shasank S. Swain and Walter Luyten
Pharmaceuticals 2022, 15(2), 176; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ph15020176 - 31 Jan 2022
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 6479
Abstract
Approximately 270 species of mushrooms have been reported as potentially useful for human health. However, few mushrooms have been studied for bioactive compounds that can be helpful in treating various diseases. Like other natural regimens, the mushroom treatment appears safe, as could be [...] Read more.
Approximately 270 species of mushrooms have been reported as potentially useful for human health. However, few mushrooms have been studied for bioactive compounds that can be helpful in treating various diseases. Like other natural regimens, the mushroom treatment appears safe, as could be expected from their long culinary and medicinal use. This review aims to provide a critical discussion on clinical trial evidence for mushrooms to treat patients with diverse types of cancer. In addition, the review also highlights the identified bioactive compounds and corresponding mechanisms of action among the explored mushrooms. Furthermore, it also discusses mushrooms with anticancer properties, demonstrated either in vitro and/or in vivo models, which have never been tested in clinical studies. Several mushrooms have been tested in phase I or II clinical trials, mostly for treating breast cancer (18.6%), followed by colorectal (14%) and prostate cancer (11.6%). The majority of clinical studies were carried out with just 3 species: Lentinula edodes (22.2%), Coriolus versicolor, and Ganoderma lucidum (both 13.9%); followed by two other species: Agaricus bisporus and Grifola frondosa (both 11.1%). Most in vitro cell studies use breast cancer cell lines (43.9%), followed by lung (14%) and colorectal cancer cell lines (13.1%), while most in vivo animal studies are performed in mice tumor models (58.7%). Although 32 species of mushrooms at least show some promise for the treatment of cancer, only 11 species have been tested clinically thus far. Moreover, most clinical studies have investigated fewer numbers of patients, and have been limited to phase III or IV. Therefore, despite the promising preclinical and clinical data publication, more solid scientific efforts are required to clarify the therapeutic value of mushrooms in oncology. Full article
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