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Domestication Cultivation and Nutritional Analysis of Hericium coralloides

Summary

Researchers successfully grew a rare medicinal mushroom called Hericium coralloides from a wild sample found on the Tibetan Plateau. The mushroom is nutrient-rich, containing good amounts of protein and fiber while being low in fat, making it a healthy food choice. The mushroom’s compounds showed strong antioxidant properties and the ability to slow the growth of certain cancer cells, particularly breast cancer cells, suggesting potential health benefits.

Background

Hericium coralloides is a rare medicinal and edible mushroom with documented bioactive compounds and health-promoting properties. Previous research has been geographically limited, with all known strains isolated from Northeast China regions. This study addresses the gap by investigating a wild strain from the Tibetan Plateau, where extreme environmental conditions may have driven the evolution of distinct metabolic pathways.

Objective

To isolate and characterize a wild H. coralloides strain from the Tibetan Plateau, optimize its cultivation conditions, analyze its nutritional composition, and evaluate the antioxidant and anticancer activities of its polysaccharides.

Results

Optimal growth conditions were identified as 30°C, pH 7.0, fructose as carbon source, and yeast extract as nitrogen source. Fruiting bodies yielded 249.07 g per bag and contained 15.4 g/100g protein, 34.7 g/100g dietary fiber, and 3.5 g/100g fat (dry weight). Polysaccharides demonstrated significant antioxidant activity with ABTS radical scavenging of 96.95% at 0.25 mg/mL and showed anticancer activity against HepG2 (IC50: 3.896 mg/mL) and MDA-MB-468 cells (IC50: 2.561 mg/mL).

Conclusion

Wild H. coralloides from Tibet can be successfully cultivated in vitro with high fruiting body yields. The mushroom demonstrates substantial nutritional value with balanced amino acid profiles and low fat content, making it suitable for functional food development. The polysaccharides exhibit promising antioxidant and anticancer activities, particularly against breast cancer cells, supporting its potential for pharmaceutical and functional food applications.
  • Published in:Journal of Fungi (Basel),
  • Study Type:Experimental Research Study,
  • Source: PMC12653868, PMID: 41295165
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