Mushrooms are experiencing a kind of renaissance as a part of the contemporary human diet. These valuable organisms are more than food, they fit in perfectly as a novel market group known as nutra-mycoceuticals. Wellness and cosmetic companies are increasingly using mushroom extracts rich in these ingredients.
The review, published in Food Science and Human Wellness, describes the most used mushroom ingredients, β-glucans and polyphenols, and their nutraceutical and cosmeceutical formulations in the world market which are used to boost and balance immunity. In particular, the literature data on their bioavailability, metabolic transformations, preclinical and human clinical research, and safety are discussed.
The most important ingredients identified in mushroom are β-glucans. Their clinical properties may be based on the effect on the immune system. Oral applications are focusing on cancer treatment, as mushroom extracts rich in β-glucans showed anti-tumor effects. Moreover, they revealed their application as bronchodilator medications in studies on oral therapies for asthma and respiratory tract infections among adults and children. Nevertheless, the ability of β-glucans to enter the stratum corneum and epidermis, and to penetrate deep into the dermis offers a cosmetic alternative to other more invasive treatments aimed at reducing fine lines and wrinkles in the elderly population.
The other precious components of mushrooms are polyphenols. Cosmeceutical formulations rich in mushroom polyphenols have the potential to regulate inflammatory skin disorders, as well as eczema or atopic dermatitis and photocarcinogenesis. In addition to corticosteroids, they are applied as alternative natural additives in cosmeceutical formulations. Moreover, they may influence multiple immunomodulatory processes involved in the inflammatory response and carcinogenesis. One of the disadvantages in the commercialization of polyphenol-based formulations is quantitative and qualitative variations in the polyphenol content in mushroom species. The researchers affirm that, as secondary metabolites with a protective role against radiation, mechanical damage, and microbial infection, their content in mushrooms depends on the locality and environmental conditions of growth. Besides, mushrooms possess the ability to absorb polyphenols from the substrate on which they grow. Using extracts or preparations that are based on mycelia grown under controlled conditions may be the solution for the reduction of the natural variability in polyphenol composition.
The study provide integrated information regarding complete aspects of functionality of mushroom extracts rich in β-glucans and polyphenols that will reduce or fill the gap in their application in the nutraceutical and cosmeceutical sector among complementary and integrative medicine and conventional medicine to strengthen and balance immunity.
