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Hericium erinaceus, an edible fungus belonging to the family Odontaceae, is predominantly found in Western Europe, North America, and East Asia. In China, it primarily thrives in the mountainous and forested regions in the northeast, north, and southwest. Historically, Hericium erinaceus has served as a medicinal and nutritional entity. Its mycelia and fruiting bodies are the products of its vegetative growth stage and reproductive growth stage, respectively. The principal active components are different Hericium erinaceus polysaccharides (HEPs), which are a group of polysaccharides primarily composed of galactose, glucose, and a small amount of mannose and fucose. An extremely small number of HEPs contain fructose, glucuronic acid, xylose, arabinose, and other components. The common extraction method employed is water extraction followed by alcohol precipitation. HEPs exhibit a diverse array of biological activities, including immune enhancement, anti-tumor effects, anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidant capabilities, and antiviral functions. This paper provides a comprehensive review of recent advancements in the extraction, separation, purification, structural analysis, biological activity, and toxicity assessments of HEPs. Additionally, it discusses the opportunities and challenges associated with scientific research and practical applications in this field.

The optimization of extraction parameters, including the process time, temperature, and liquid-to-solid ratio, was conducted in order to obtain the polysaccharide-rich fraction from the lyophilized Agaricus bisporus fruiting body. The efficiency of extraction for polysaccharides and antioxidant activity was determined by analyzing the extracts for total carbohydrate content, the reducing sugars content, and the antioxidant activity employing DPPH, ABTS, and hydroxyl radical scavenging assays. The results showed that all parameters, except for the extraction time, impacted differently on the extraction efficiency of polysaccharides and antioxidant activity. The highest total carbohydrate content was observed at the longest process time, highest temperature, and a liquid-to-solid ratio of 118 mL/g. To minimize the reducing sugar level, a lower temperature is required, while the highest antioxidant activity requires a moderate temperature and the lowest liquid-to-solid ratio. The optimization of antioxidant activity by means of the DPPH and H2O2 method failed, which shows that the specific mechanism of polysaccharides as antioxidants needs further investigation. The aqueous extraction method demonstrated to be an efficient and simple approach to recover the potentially bioactive polysaccharide fractions from Agaricus bisporus that are also active as antioxidants.

Jin’er (Naematelia aurantialba), commonly known as golden ear, is a traditional edible fungus that has long been recognized for its medicinal and culinary properties in China. Recently, it has been registered as a new cosmetic ingredient, drawing significant attention across various fields, including medicine, food, and cosmetics, due to its array of nutritional and medicinal benefits. N. aurantialba is rich in bioactive compounds, such as polysaccharides, dietary fiber, polyphenols, and active peptides. Among these, N. aurantialba polysaccharides (NAPs) are the primary active components, exhibiting a range of biological properties, including antioxidant, hypoglycemic, immunomodulatory, intestinal flora modulatory, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammatory effects. This comprehensive review summarizes the latest advancements in the extraction, purification, structural characteristics, functional activity, and related functional mechanisms of NAPs, as well as their industrial applications. Additionally, it discusses the current limitations in NAPs research and explores its potential future research directions. This review aims to provide up-to-date information and valuable references for researchers and industry professionals interested in the potential application of NAPs in the fields of food, medicine, healthcare, and cosmetics.

Fungal polysaccharides have demonstrated significant biological potential, including immune stimulation, antioxidant activity, anticancer properties, and anti-inflammatory effects. These properties hold considerable promise for innovative applications across various fields. This study provides a brief review of current findings, based on literature published over the past 15 years on fungal polysaccharides. This includes the production process and various extraction methods, highlighting their distinct advantages and limitations. Additionally, we summarize techniques for purification and characterization, elucidating their biological properties and practical applications in medicine, pharmacology, the food industry, agriculture, and environment. Global patent trends related to fungal polysaccharides are also reviewed. Finally, we discuss challenges and future perspectives related fungal polysaccharides. This article offers valuable insights and enhances the understanding of fungal polysaccharides for researchers, paving the way for further research and applications.

Polysaccharide is one of the principal bioactive components found in medicinal mushrooms and has been proven to enhance host immunity. However, the possible mechanism of immunomodulatory activity of Cordyceps militaris polysaccharide is not fully understood. Hot water extraction and alcohol precipitation, DEAE-Sephadex A-25 chromatography, and Sephadex G-100 chromatography were used to isolate polysaccharide from C. militaris. A high-molecular-weight polysaccharide isolated from C. militaris was designated as HCMP, which had an Mw of 6.18 × 105 Da and was composed of arabinose, galactose, glucose, mannose, and xylose in a mole ratio of 2.00:8.01:72.54:15.98:1.02. The polysaccharide content of HCMP was 91.2% ± 0.16. The test in vitro showed that HCMP activated mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells by enhancing phagocytosis and NO production, and by regulating mRNA expressions of inflammation-related molecules in RAW 264.7 cells. Western blotting revealed that HCMP induced the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Moreover, using inhibitors of MAPKs decreased the mRNA levels of inflammation-related molecules induced by HCMP. These data evidenced that the immunomodulatory effect of HCMP on RAW 264.7 macrophages was mediated via the MAPK signaling pathway. These findings suggested that HCMP could be developed as a potent immunomodulatory agent for use in functional foods and dietary supplements.

Pleurotus citrinopileatus, a valuable edible fungus characterized by its distinctive light yellow coloration and saprophytic growth on elm wood, has garnered increasing scientific interest due to its diverse bioactive constituents. Among these, polysaccharides derived from P. citrinopileatus (PCPs) have received the most extensive research attention. This review summarizes recent advances in the chemical structure and biological activities of PCPs. Structurally, PCPs are primarily composed of repeating units such as →3)-α-D-Glcp-(1→ and →6)-α-D-Galp-(1→. Functionally, PCPs exhibit a range of bioactivities, including immunomodulatory, hypoglycemic, and antitumor effects. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms associated with these biological activities are also explored. This review aims to provide a comprehensive reference for future studies and facilitate the development and application of PCPs as potential functional food ingredients or therapeutic agents.

Glycoconjugate vaccines provide effective prophylaxis against bacterial infections. To date, however, no commercial vaccine has been available in which the key carbohydrate antigens are produced synthetically. We describe the large-scale synthesis, pharmaceutical development, and clinical evaluation of a conjugate vaccine composed of a synthetic capsular polysaccharide antigen of Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). The vaccine was evaluated in clinical trials in Cuba and showed long-term protective antibody titers that compared favorably to licensed products prepared with the Hib polysaccharide extracted from bacteria. This demonstrates that access to synthetic complex carbohydrate-based vaccines is feasible and provides a basis for further development of similar approaches for other human pathogens.

Phellinus is a precious perennial medicinal fungus. Its polysaccharides are important bioactive components, and their chemical composition is complex. The polysaccharides are mainly extracted from the fruiting body and mycelium. The yield of the polysaccharides is dependent on the extraction method. They have many pharmacological activities, such as antitumor, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, hypoglycemic, anti-inflammatory, etc. They are also reported to show minor toxic and side effects. Many studies have reported the anticancer activity of Phellinus polysaccharides. This review paper provides a comprehensive examination of the current methodologies for the extraction and purification of Phellinus polysaccharides. Additionally, it delves into the structural characteristics, pharmacological activities, and mechanisms of action of these polysaccharides. The primary aim of this review is to offer a valuable resource for researchers, facilitating further studies on Phellinus polysaccharides and their potential applications.

Sanghuang as a medicinal fungus in China has a history of more than 2000 years, and is known as the “forest gold”. Most notably, the polysaccharides of Sanghuangporus sp. have attracted widespread attention due to their significant bioactivity in recent years. At present, extensive studies are being carried out on the extraction methods, structural characterization, and activity evaluation of polysaccharides. Here, we aimed to evaluate the structure and bioactivity of LEPS-1, an exopolysaccharide derived from the S. sanghuang JM-1 strain. The structure was elucidated by chromatography/spectral methods and hydrolyzation, and the solubility, the antioxidant activity, hypoglycemic activity and immunomodulatory activity were investigated. Results showed that LEPS-1 contained a →2)-α-Manp(1→6)-α-Galp(1→[2)-α-Manp(1→]n→2,6)-α-Manp(1→6,2)-α-Manp(1→3)-α-Manp(1→ backbone substituted at the O-6 and O-2 positions with side chains. These two branching fragments were β-Manp(1→. The molecular weight of LEPS-1 is 36.131 kDa. The results of biological activity analysis suggested that LEPS-1 was easily soluble in water, with reducing capability and DPPH radical scavenging capability. Furthermore, the IC50 values of LEPS-1 against α-amylase and α-glucosidase were 0.96 mg/mL and 1.92 mg/mL. LEPS-1 stimulated RAW264.7 cells to release NO, TNF-α and IL-6 with no cytotoxicity, showing potent potential for immunomodulatory activity. These findings describe a potential natural exopolysaccharide with medicinal value and a basis for the development of S. sanghuang exopolysaccharides.

Cordyceps militaris solid medium polysaccharides (CMMPs) were extracted using an ultrasound-assisted enzyme method, and the process conditions were optimized via response surface methodology (RSM). The CMMPs were separated into four components named CMMP−1, CMMP−2, CMMP−3 and CMMP−4 using ethanol fractional precipitation, and their monosaccharide composition and structural properties were analyzed by molecular weight analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT–IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Congo red test, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). RSM could predict the yield of the CMMP (R2 = 0.9928), and the polysaccharide yield was 15.43% under the selected conditions of 3.1% cellulase enzyme addition, a liquid–solid ratio of 42:1, an extraction temperature of 61 °C, and an extraction time of 60 min. Glucose and galactose were the main constituents of the four fractional precipitated polysaccharides. Furthermore, four components exhibited antioxidant activity, and CMMP−1 demonstrated stronger antioxidant activity in vitro. This study demonstrates the possibility of developing a natural antioxidant food from Cordyceps militaris solid medium.