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Diabetes Ameliorating Effect of Mushrooms and ameliorating diabetes

Review Article | DOI: https://doi.org/10.31579/2641-8975/026

Diabetes Ameliorating Effect of Mushrooms and ameliorating diabetes

  • Mohammad Azizur Rahman 1*
  • Rabeya Akter 1

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh 

*Corresponding Author: Mohammad Azizur Rahman, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh

Citation: Mohammad Azizur Rahman and Rabeya Akter, (2022). Diabetes Ameliorating Effect of Mushrooms. J. Diabetes and Islet Biology, 5(1); DOI:10.31579/2641-8975/026

Copyright: © 2022 Mohammad Azizur Rahman this is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Received: 20 September 2021 | Accepted: 29 December 2021 | Published: 06 January 2022

Keywords: diabetes mellitus; mushrooms; insulin; hyperglycemia; metabolic disorder

Abstract

The growing impact of type 2 diabetes in the majority of the population requires the introduction of better and more secure treatments, but also requires the development of new prevention strategies to reduce the incidence and prevalence of the disease. Significantly, type 2 diabetes is an important preventable disease and can be prevented or delayed by lifestyle intervention. Edible and medicinal macrofungi, mushrooms have been reported having diabetes ameliorating effects. Current study reviews the potentiality of both edible and medicinal mushrooms in preventing and ameliorating the diabetic complications as well as the future aspects of mushrooms against this metabolic disorder.

Introduction

Diabetes mellitus is a life-threatening chronic metabolic disease caused by lack of insulin and/or insulin dysfunction characterized by hyperglycemia [1]. Over 220 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes and its complications, and this number is predicted to increase in future years [1]. Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas is no longer able to make insulin, or when the body cannot make good use of the insulin it produces [1]. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that acts like a key to let glucose from the food we eat pass from the blood stream into the cells in the body to produce energy [1]. All carbohydrate foods are broken down into glucose in the blood. Insulin helps glucose get into the cells [1]. There are three main types of diabetes – type 1, type 2 and gestational [2]. Type 1 diabetes can develop at any age, but occurs most frequently in children and adolescents [2]. When one have type 1 diabetes, body produces very little or no insulin, which means that one need daily insulin injections to maintain blood glucose levels under control [2]. Type 2 diabetes is more common in adults and accounts for around 90% of all diabetes cases [3]. When one have type 2 diabetes, body does not make good use of the insulin that it produces [3]. The cornerstone of type 2 diabetes treatment is healthy lifestyle, including increased physical activity and healthy diet [3]. However, over time most people with type 2 diabetes will require oral drugs and/or insulin to keep their blood glucose levels under control. Gestational diabetes (GDM) is a type of diabetes that consists of high blood glucose during pregnancy and is associated with complications to both mother and child [3]. GDM usually disappears after pregnancy but women affected and their children are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life [3].  Diabetes dramatically increases risk of various cardiovascular problems, including coronary artery disease with chest pain (angina), heart attack, stroke, narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis) and high blood pressure. Nerve damage (neuropathy) [3].

Diabetes mellitus is a life-threatening chronic metabolic disease caused by lack of insulin and/or insulin dysfunction characterized by hyperglycemia. Over 220 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes and its complications, and this number is predicted to increase in future years [1-3]. The growing impact of type 2 diabetes in the majority of the population requires the introduction of better and more secure treatments, but also requires the development of new prevention strategies to reduce the incidence and prevalence of the disease. Significantly, type 2 diabetes is an important preventable disease and can be prevented or delayed by lifestyle intervention.

 Many studies have been published on the efficacy of new preventive treatments for diabetes or its complications; however, there is still little information on its applicability. Medicinal mushrooms present an exciting opportunity for the development of new types of therapeutics and have been valued for their potential healing properties for centuries. Mushrooms have been valued as remedies for disease and as natural health foods for thousands of years, and they are incredibly popular foods in numerous countries through-out the world. Biologically active metabolites and components derived from medicinal mushrooms have been demonstrated to have controlling effects on diabetes through the regulation of several pathophysiological pathways related to the onset of diabetes. Some of the anti-hyperglycemic mechanisms of medicinal mushrooms have been investigated including β-cell improvement and insulin releasing activity, antioxidant defences, carbohydrate metabolism pathways, and α-glucosidase and aldose reductase inhibitory activities.

Mushrooms as a functional food mediator in preventing and ameliorating diabetes:

Mushroom has ameliorating effects on diabetes [4]. Beta-D glucan is a form of soluble dietary fiber that has been strongly linked to improving cholesterol and boosting heart health [4]. It can also help our body regulate blood sugar, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes [5]. Oyster (Pleurotus) and shiitake (Lentinula) mushrooms are believed to have the most effective beta glucans [5]. Some  mushrooms appear  to  be effective  for  both the control  of  blood glucose and  the modification  of  the  course of  diabetic  complications without  side-effects [5]. 

Numerous species of mushrooms exist in nature; however, only a few are used as edibles. Many Asian countries use traditionally wild edible mushrooms as delicious and nutritional foods and medicine. Wild edible mushrooms are appreciated not only for their texture and flavor but also for the chemical and nutritional characteristics. Edible mushrooms have higher protein contents and minerals and contain less fat but are rich in B vitamins, vitamin D, vitamin K and sometimes vitamins A and C [6]. 

Mushrooms are not only sources of nutrients but also have been reported as therapeutic foods, useful in preventing diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia and cancer [7]. These functional characteristics are mainly due to the presence of dietary fiber and in particular chitin and beta glucans [7]. Certain mushrooms species have antitumor, antiviral, antithrombotic and immunomodulating properties [8-9]. Therefore  it  is  useful to  carry  out more  research  on mushrooms with  a  view to  identify  active principles  in  them for  the  treatment of  diabetes mellitus and its complications.

Medicinal mushrooms and diabetes:

Tremella fuciformis (berk)

Tremella fuciformis has been given the common names snow fungus or silver ear fungus [10]. In Chinese cuisine, T. fuciformis is traditionally used in sweet dishes [10]. Despite its tasteless nature, T. fuciformis is valued for its gelatinous texture as well as its supposed medicinal benefits. Glucuronoxylomannan (AC) from the fruiting bodies of T. fuciformis exhibited a significant dose-dependent hypoglycemic activity in normal mice and also showed a significant activity in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice, by intraperitoneal administration [10]. The anti-diabetic activities  of  the exopolysaccharides  (EPS)  produced by  submerged  mycelial culture  of  T. fuciformis in  ob/ob  mice were  investigated [11].  The results suggested that EPS exhibited considerable hypoglycemic effect and improved insulin sensitivity possibly through regulating PPAR-gamma-mediated lipid metabolism [11]. These results indicated that T. fuciformis has potential oral hypoglycemic effect as a functional food for the management of DM [10-11].

Wolfiporia extensa (Peck) Ginns (formerly known as Poriacocos)

Poriacocos, a rotten pine-tree fungus is a wood decay fungus but has a terrestrial growth habit [12]. It has long been used as traditional Chinese medicine and food [12]. Poriacocos, alone or in combination with other herbs is often used to treat diabetes as well as other disorders [12]. Mechanistic  study on  streptozocin  (STZ) treated  mice  showed that  the  crude extract, dehydrotumulosic acid, dehydrotrametenolic acid, and pachymic acid  of Poriacocos exhibited different levels of insulin sensitizer activity [12-13]. The data suggested that the Poriacocos extract and its triterpenes reduce postprandial blood glucose levels in db/db mice via enhanced insulin sensitivity irrespective of PPAR-γ [12-13].

Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis) 

Ganoderma lucidum has been use since the 4th century A.D. and is well known in China as the herb of longevity. Ganoderma is to be famous tonic and found an important place in Chinese medicine due to its beneficial effects to all viscera and nontoxic nature [14-17]. Research workers have found that G. lucidum polysaccharides (GL-PS) dose-dependently lowered the serum glucose levels after administration in mice. G. lucidum polysaccharides (GL-PS) possess the hypoglycemic effect on normal mice; one mechanism is through its insulin releasing activity due to a facilitation of Ca2+ inflow to the pancreatic beta cells [18].

Ganoderma applanatum (Pers.) Pat. andCollybiaconfluens (Pers.: Fr.)

The hypoglycemic effects of Ganodermaapplanatumexo-polymer (GAE) and Collybiaconfluensexo-polymer (CCE) produced by submerged mycelial cultures in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats were shown hypoglycemic effects [19]. The results strongly demonstrated the potential of GAE and CCE in combating diabetes in experimental animals [19].

Auricularia auricula-judae (Bull.) 

Auricularia auricula-judae,  known  as the  Jew‘s  Ear, Jelly  Ear  is a  species  of edible Auriculariales mushroom found worldwide. Distinguished by its noticeably ear-like shape and brown coloration, it grows upon wood. It is popular in China, where the medicinal use of food is common; a soup containing A. auricula-judae, chicken, pakchoi and ginger is used medicinally for dealing with colds and fevers by reducing the heat of the body. The hypoglycemic effect of water-soluble polysaccharide from fruiting bodies of A. auricula-judae was investigated on genetically diabetic mice (KK-Ay) [19-20]. This study showed that FA had a hypoglycemic effect on KK-Ay mice, and the reduced food consumption was not a major factor which contributed to the hypoglycemic action of -soluble polysaccharide from fruiting bodies of A. auricula-judae [19-20]. 

Agaricus campestris

Agaricus campestris has fast maturing and short shelf-life. A. campestris has been documented as a traditional treatment for diabetes. It’s insulin-like and insulin releasing activities have been reported [21]. The administration of mushroom in the diet and drinking water countered the hyperglycaemia of streptozotocin-diabetic mice [21].

Agaricus subrufescens (Peck)

Agaricus subrufescens is a choice edible, with a somewhat sweet taste and fragrance of almonds. In Japan, A. subrufescens is also the most popular complementary and alternative medicine used by cancer patients [22]. A. brasiliensis fruit body is useful as a health promoting food. Performed studies on murine models and human volunteers to examine the immune-enhancing effects  of the  naturally  outdoor-cultivated  fruit body  of  A. brasiliensis  KA21 (i.e. Agaricusblazei)  has  shown antitumor, leukocyte-enhancing,  hepatopathy-alleviating  and endotoxin shock-alleviating  effects  in mice [23-25].  In  the human  study,  percentage body  fat, percentage  visceral fat, blood  cholesterol level  and blood  glucose  level were decreased  and natural  killer cell  activity  was increased.  Beta-glucans  and oligosaccharides  (AO)  of Agaricus blazei Murill  showed anti-hyperglycemic, anti-hypertriglyceridemic, anti-hypercholesterolemic, and anti-arteriosclerotic activity indicating overall anti-diabetic activity in diabetic rats, AO  had  about twice  the  activity of  beta-glucans  with respect  to  anti-diabetic activity [23-25].  Further supplement  of  A. blazei Murill  extract has  improved  insulin resistance  among subjects with  type  2  DM [23-25]. The increase in adiponectin concentration after taking A. blazei Murill extract might be the mechanism that brings the beneficial effect [23-25].

Inonotus obliquus

Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus), a white rot fungus, belongs to the hymenochaetaceae family of Basidomycetes. Chaga mushroom grows on birch trees in colder northern climates. Since the sixteenth century, Chaga has been used as a folk medicine in Russia and western Siberia [26-27].  Researches exposed  that  the dry matter  of  culture broth  of  I. obliquus possesses  significant anti-hyperglycemic, anti-lipid  peroxidative  and antioxidant  effects  in alloxan-induced diabetic mice [26-27].

Hericium erinaceus (Bull.)

Hericium erinaceus is  named  for its  shape,  and is  literally  interpreted as monkey  head mushroom‖  in China.  Recent  studies have  determined  that many  types  of mushroom  (egHericiumspp),  may have important physiological functions in humans, including  antioxidant activities,  the  regulation of  blood  lipid levels  and  reduction of  blood  glucose levels [28-29]. Researchers  have found  that the  hypoglycemic effects  of feeding  the  methanol extract of  H. erinaceus  to streptozotocin-induced  diabetic  rats were  significantly  lower elevation  rates  of blood glucose levels [28-29].

Agrocybe aegerita

 It is an important valuable source possessing varieties of bioactive secondary metabolites such as indole derivatives with free radical scavenging activity, cylindan with anticancer activity, and also agrocybenine with antifungal activity [30]. A glucan and a heteroglycan were isolated from a hot-water extract of the fruiting bodies of A. cylindracea [30]. A glucan showed a remarkable hypoglycemic activity in both normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice by intraperitoneal administration, and its activity was higher than that of heteroglycan [30].

Coprinus comatus (O.F.Mull)

The young mushrooms of Coprinus comatus, before the gills start to turn black, are edible. It can sometimes be used in mushroom soup with parasol mushroom .This species is cultivated in China as food. When young it is an excellent edible mushroom provided that it is eaten soon after being collected. It can be used as a hypoglycemic food or medicine for hyperglycemic people. The hypoglycemic activity of fermented mushroom, C. comatus teste on Alloxan and adrenalin-induced hyperglycemic mice [31-33]. It confirmed that C. comatus rich in vanadium has significant anti-hyperglycemic effect [31-33].

Cordyceps sinensis

Cordycepssinensis, known in English commonly as caterpillar fungus is considered a medicinal mushroom in traditional Chinese medicine. Crude polysaccharides of C. sinensis were tested in normal mice and streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. It significantly lowered the glucose level by oral administration in mice [34-35]. A polysaccharide obtained from the cultural mycelium of Cordycepssinensis showed potent hypoglycemic activity in genetic diabetic mice after intraperitoneal administration, and the plasma glucose level was quickly reduced in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice after intravenous administration [34-35]. The diabetic rats had significantly lower weight gain and higher blood glucose response in oral glucose tolerance test than the control rats; and these changes were significantly  reduced  by administrating  the  fruiting body  of  Cordyceps and  these improvements suggested that fruiting body of Cordyceps has a potential to be the functional food for  diabetes [36].  Another research  revealed  that isolated  polysaccharide  from C. sinensis, named CSP-1 produced a significant drop in blood glucose level in both STZ-induced diabetic rats  and  alloxan-induced  diabetic mice [36].  It suggested that CSP-1 may stimulate pancreatic release of insulin and/or reduce insulin metabolism.

Grifola frondosa (Dicks.)

Grifola frondosa is  also  very popular  in  Korea, China  and Japan,  where it  is  cultivated as maitake, the dancing mushroom. Controlled experiments have found many beneficial activities attributable to G. frondosa and/or its extracts. The reason Maitake lowers blood sugar is due to  the fact  that  the mushroom  naturally  contains an  alpha-glucosidase  inhibitor [37-38].  Alpha-glucosidase  inhibitory activities  were  found in  aqueous  methanol extracts  of  the seeds  of Momordica charantia and the fruit bodies of G. frondosa. Researchers evaluated the anti-diabetic  effect of  an  alpha-glucan (MT-alpha-glucan)  from  the fruit  body of  G. frondosa on KK-Ay mice [39]. These data suggest that MT-alpha-glucan has an anti-diabetic effect on KK-Ay mice, which might be related to its effect on insulin receptors (i. increasing insulin sensitivity and ameliorating insulin resistance of peripheral target tissues). Further animal and human experiments also proven that anti-diabetic activity present in the fruit body of G. frondosa [40].

Conclusion

Many studies have been published on the efficacy of new preventive treatments for diabetes or its complications; however, there is still little information on its applicability. Medicinal mushrooms present an exciting opportunity for the development of new types of therapeutics and have been valued for their potential healing properties for centuries. Mushrooms have been valued as remedies for disease and as natural health foods for thousands of years, and they are incredibly popular foods in numerous countries through-out the world. Biologically active metabolites and components derived from medicinal mushrooms have been demonstrated to have controlling effects on diabetes through the regulation of several pathophysiological pathways related to the onset of diabetes. Some of the anti-hyperglycemic mechanisms of medicinal mushrooms have been investigated including β-cell improvement and insulin releasing activity, antioxidant defences, carbohydrate metabolism pathways, and α-glucosidase and aldose reductase inhibitory activities. Thus, mushrooms could be a potential therapeutic agent against diabetes mellitus.

Acknowledgement

Authors gratefully acknowledge the grant-in-aid provided by Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh and University Grants Commission of Bangladesh and National Science and Technology Fellowship provided by the Government of Bangladesh.

References

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