Anti-inflammatory potential of mushroom extracts and isolated metabolites

• Mushroom extracts and compounds exhibit anti-inflammatory activity.
• Agaricus, Antrodia, Cordyceps and Pleurotus are the most widely studied species.
• Polysaccharides, terpenoids and phenolic compounds are the most active classes.
• Cordycepin, hispidin and hispolon were described as having this activity.

BackgroundIn the recent years natural resources are being in focus due to their great potential to be exploited in the discovery/development of novel bioactive compounds and, among them, mushrooms can be highlighted as alternative sources of anti-inflammatory agents.Scope and approachThe present review reports the anti-inflammatory activity of mushroom extracts and of their bioactive metabolites involved in this bioactive action. Additionally the most common assays used to evaluate mushrooms anti-inflammatory activity were also reviewed, including in vitro studies in cell lines, as well as in animal models in vivo.Key findings and conclusionsThe anti-inflammatory compounds identified in mushrooms include polysaccharides, terpenes, phenolic acids, steroids, fatty acids and other metabolites. Among them, polysaccharides, terpenoids and phenolic compounds seem to be the most important contributors to the anti-inflammatory activity of mushrooms as demonstrated by numerous studies. However, clinical trials need to be conducted in order to confirm the effectiveness of some of these mushroom compounds namely, inhibitors of NF-κB pathway and of cyclooxygenase related with the expression of many inflammatory mediators.