White Button Mushrooms Show Heart-Protective Effects in Rats ❤️

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IN TODAY’S EDITION

• ❤️ | Heart protection

• 🦠 | TB targeting

• 🐔 | Waste to feed

Hi Shroomers. The news was slower this week, but my favorite breakthrough has to do with a new way to connect local growers to local farmers through chicken feed.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Nameko support 🍯 Polysaccharides from nameko mushroom (Pholiota nameko) help strengthen antioxidant defenses and support healthy immune balance in early cell and animal studies. They’re mainly made of natural sugars like glucose and mannose, and their effects shift depending on how they’re extracted.

Brain protection 🧠 Compounds in medicinal mushrooms help defend brain cells from oxidative stress and inflammation in early preclinical and limited clinical research. Key mushroom molecules—like polysaccharides, terpenoids, and phenolic compounds—activate protective pathways such as Nrf2/ARE, which boosts antioxidant defenses, and NF-κB, which helps reduce inflammation.

Heart protection ❤️ Extracts from white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) helped protect rat hearts from chemically induced injury by strengthening antioxidant defenses. Rats given the extract showed higher antioxidant enzyme activity (SOD and catalase) and lower markers of damage after heart stress compared to untreated controls.

TB targeting 🦠 A natural compound from red milk mushroom (Lactarius hatsudake), called 11,12-dihydrolactaroviolin, showed strong and selective activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, including 80 drug-resistant strains. It inhibited the bacteria at a low concentration (MIC 7.8 μg/mL) and did not harm normal cells at much higher levels.

Liver cancer fighter 🧬 Compounds from the artist’s conk mushroom (Ganoderma applanatum) showed multi-pathway potential against liver cancer in a computer-modeling study. Four triterpenoids strongly bound to major cancer-related proteins such as AKT1, MAPK1, and SRC, which help drive tumor growth. Some compounds also showed low predicted toxicity.

Metabolism booster ⚖️ A polysaccharide from the split-gill mushroom (Schizophyllum commune) helped reduce obesity in mice by reshaping key gut pathways. It increased levels of the beneficial microbe Faecalibaculum rodentium and boosted indole-3-lactic acid, a gut-derived metabolite linked to healthier inflammation and metabolism. These changes also shifted microRNA activity tied to fat regulation.

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PSILOCYBIN & LEGISLATION 

Potency precision 🔬 A new quantitative NMR method accurately measures psilocybin and psilocin in dried psychedelic mushrooms without destroying the sample. The technique revealed wide potency variation, with total tryptamine levels ranging from 0.15% to 0.46% of dry weight depending on strain and storage.

Healthy aging support 🧠 Psilocybin improved mood and memory in older mice by actively reshaping aging brain pathways. Two low, spaced doses reduced depressive-like behavior across sexes and boosted spatial memory in females, while also reversing age-related DNA methylation patterns in key brain regions. These epigenetic shifts centered on genes involved in neuroplasticity and immune signaling, suggesting psilocybin may help the aging brain stay flexible and resilient.

ECOLOGY & CONSERVATION

Battery innovation 🔋 Scientists turned discarded oak mushroom waste into nanoporous activated carbon with an extremely high surface area, ideal for stabilizing sulfur in lithium–sulfur batteries. When used as a sulfur host, the mushroom-derived carbon delivered 503 mAh/g after 50 cycles and remained stable for 400 cycles.

Soil carbon 🪵 Mycorrhizal fungi helped soils store more carbon even when polluted with microplastics, largely through increases in glomalin, a sticky fungal protein that stabilizes soil carbon. Biodegradable microplastics boosted soil organic carbon by up to 46%, mainly by increasing arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi activity and glomalin levels. These fungal shifts improved soil carbon retention despite the stress of microplastic contamination.

Plastic-eaters 🧃 Two common white-rot fungi were tested on PET plastic, and grey oyster mushroom (Pleurotus sajor-caju) broke it down far more effectively than turkey tail (Trametes versicolor). Grey oysters caused 20% weight loss in just 14 days, using strong enzymes like lipases and cellulases to start breaking PET’s surface.

GROWING & GOURMET

Mushroom–rice nutrition 🍚 Blending brown rice with king tuber mushroom (Pleurotus tuberregium sclerotium) flour created a shelf-stable meal with more protein, fibre, and minerals to help address protein–energy malnutrition. The composite flours delivered about 12.5–13.7% protein and 360–365 kcal per 100 g, with mushroom-rich blends boosting key minerals like phosphorus and magnesium. A mix of 85% brown rice and 15% mushroom was recommended as a practical, nutrient-dense option.

Vegan mushroom meatballs 🍖 A plant-based meatball made from Florida oyster mushroom (Pleurotus florida) offered a nutritious, fiber-rich alternative to processed meat. The mushroom balls showed solid protein levels, good texture stability, and antioxidant activity, suggesting they could support healthier eating patterns while reducing reliance on ultra-processed plant meats.

Waste to feed 🐔Fermenting leftover oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) substrates created a low-cost poultry supplement that boosted growth and feed efficiency. Broilers given 30 mL per liter of the fermented mix showed a 16 percent improvement in feed conversion, while the highest weight gain came from the 40 mL dose. This circular approach turns farm waste into a functional feed additive that supports small farmers and reduces reliance on expensive commercial feeds.

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