MYCOLab Ai Logo - gold and army green

Mass Spectrometry-Based Untargeted Metabolomics and α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity of Lingzhi (Ganoderma lingzhi) During the Developmental Stages

Summary

Scientists studied how the medicinal mushroom Lingzhi changes chemically as it grows from mycelium through various stages to mature fruiting bodies. They found that the mushroom contains many beneficial compounds, including special molecules called triterpenoids, that help block α-glucosidase, an enzyme involved in blood sugar control. Interestingly, the immature mushroom stage showed the strongest anti-diabetic activity, suggesting farmers should harvest at specific times depending on desired health benefits rather than always waiting for full maturity.

Background

Ganoderma lingzhi (Lingzhi) is a medicinal mushroom with diverse bioactivities including anti-diabetic properties. The quality of commercial G. lingzhi products varies significantly based on strain, cultivation conditions, and developmental stage of harvested fruiting bodies. Understanding metabolite changes during development is important for cultivation efficiency and bioactivity optimization.

Objective

To perform mass spectrometry-based untargeted metabolomics analysis to investigate alterations in metabolites during eight developmental stages of G. lingzhi fruiting bodies. To correlate marker metabolites with α-glucosidase inhibitory activity to identify potential bioactive contributors.

Results

Analysis identified 32 primary metabolites and 42 secondary metabolites (including 25 triterpenoids) as discriminant markers across developmental stages. Immature stage (stage 6) showed highest α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with IC50 of 40 ± 0.9 μg/mL. Compounds 34 and 35 demonstrated medium positive correlation with inhibitory activity.

Conclusion

Significant changes in primary and secondary metabolites occur during G. lingzhi development correlating with morphological changes. The immature stage shows superior α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, suggesting optimal harvesting time depends on intended product use. Identified marker metabolites could improve cultivation efficiency and product quality standardization.
  • Published in:Molecules,
  • Study Type:Experimental Research Study,
  • Source: PMID: 31146329, DOI: 10.3390/molecules24112044
Scroll to Top