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Fungi-derived β-glucan, a type of glucopolysaccharide, has been shown to possess immune-modulatory properties in clinical settings. Studies have indicated that β-glucan derived from Ganoderma lucidum (commonly known as Reishi) holds particular promise in this regard, both in laboratory and in vivo settings. To further investigate the efficacy and safety of Reishi β-glucan in human subjects, a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted among healthy adult volunteers aged 18 to 55. Participants were instructed to self-administer the interventions or placebos on a daily basis for 84 days, with bloodwork assessments conducted at the beginning and end of the study. The results of the trial showed that subjects in the intervention group, who received Reishi β-glucan, exhibited a significant enhancement in various immune cell populations, including CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ T-lymphocytes, as well as an improvement in the CD4/CD8 ratio and natural killer cell counts when compared to the placebo group. Additionally, a statistically significant difference was observed in serum immunoglobulin A levels and natural killer cell cytotoxicity between the intervention and placebo groups. Notably, the intervention was found to be safe and well tolerated, with no statistically significant changes observed in markers of kidney or liver function in either group. Overall, the study provides evidence for the ability of Reishi β-glucan to modulate immune responses in healthy adults, thereby potentially bolstering their defense against opportunistic infections.

Background: Binding of beta 1,3/1,6 glucan of Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum) with the receptor results in a series of signal transfers (signalling cascades), which activates the transcription factors for regulating inflammation. Excess cholesterol intake leads to an increase in the distance between fat cells and capillaries, which may cause hypoxia in the fat tissue of obese mice. This hypoxia induces the death of fat cells, resulting in the inflammation of adipose tissue or an increase in the inflammatory gene expression associated with obesity. Methods: The current study examined the immunomodulation effect of G. lucidum beta 1,3/1,6 glucan according to immunoglobulin, poly-Ig receptor expression, Nature Killer cell (NK cell) activity, lymphocytes proliferation and cytokines expression. Results: Our present study shows that feeding G. lucidum beta 1,3/1,6 glucan to mice induces IgA or IgG expression in the serum and small intestine washing fluid and enhances poly-Ig receptor expression in the small intestine moreover, the observation of the IL-2 and Nature killer cell activity were exchanged. Conclusions: The effect of a high-cholesterol diet in the inflammatory response was observed in heart, liver, kidney, spleen, and colon tissues through histopathological evaluations. The presented evidence demonstrates that the inflammation response in the high-cholesterol diet group was much higher than in the other groups and the beta 1,3/1,6 glucan reduces inflammation in obese mice fed a high-cholesterol diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research evaluated the effects of triterpenes on the regulation of STZ-induced hyperglycaemic diabetes through an anti-inflammatory response. Diabetic mice were orally administered various concentrations of triterpenes on a daily basis. Weight gain, volume of drinking water, and liver and spleen weight were recorded and evaluated. These evaluations presented a positive regulation to the abnormal metabolism appearance compared to the diabetic mice. In the diabetic mice, the detection of adiponectin production or elevated levels of inflammatory factors such as CCL1 and TPO expression were found to reduce hyperglycaemia and thereby induce an inflammatory response. Moreover, to the best of our knowledge, hyperglycaemia impairs the tissue healing associated with an increased and prolonged inflammatory response. An investigation of the anti-inflammatory response in wound healing as affected by the triterpenes verified the promotion of wound recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluates the effect of mushroom beta-glucans (MBGS) derived from solid culture of Ganoderma lucidum on tumor inhibition by examining size of the primary tumor and rate of metastasis in Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) bearing mice (C57BL/6), given oral administration of MBGS with radiation therapy. A previous result showed that MBGS enhances NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity in mice without LLC bearing in advance. Furthermore, applications of MBGS in conjunction with radiation therapy were effective in controlling tumor growth, and rate of metastasis, life threatening, and can potentially serve as a protective factor for wounds and hair loss that resulted from the overgrowth of primary tumor in LLC bearing mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently studies performed on mushroom isolated polysaccharides demonstrated that β-(1,3)-glucan may affect the balance of Th1/Th2 cell response. Using ovalbumin (OVA) as a hypersensitivity inducer, we evaluated the ability of mushroom betaglucan (MBG) in modulating Th1/Th2 cell responses in B6 mice. As compared to the control group, administration of MBG resulted in an increase of phagocytic activities, Th1 cytokine productions, immunoglobulins including IgG2A and IgA, and a significant expression of the splenic surface markers including CD3, CD4, CD8, and F4/80. In contrast, administration of MBG has significantly suppressed IgE and IgG1 levels and Th2 cytokines including IL-4, IL-5, and IL-6. Histopathological observation of MBG-treated followed by OVA-treated mice showed less filtration of eosinophil in pulmonary tissue sections. Our data suggested that administration of MBG treatments alters the natural course of the IgE-mediated hypersensitivities. In this investigation, we realize the mushroom beta glucan alter the Th2 response toward the Th1 in the allergic, resulting in a reduction in IgE productions which played a substantive role in reducing the severity of IgE-mediated hypersensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schizophyllum commune, a widely distributed medicinal mushroom, was found with fibrinolytic activity from its basidiomycetes. The fibrinolytic activity of S. commune was to be beneficial for antithrombotic therapy. In this study, S. commune was cultured with fermentation technology, and protease purification was carried out by cross-flow filtration and fast performance liquid chromatography (FPLC) system. The specific activity of S. commune fibrinolytic protease increased 9.29-fold over the culture broth after purification. The fibrinolytic protease shows superior fibrinolytic activity than human plasmin and is inhibited by EDTA. Characterizations of this protease showed 21.32 kDa in molecular mass and monomeric form in protein structure. The optimal protease activity reveals at pH 5.0 and 45°C, and is enhanced by magnesium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]