Protective Effect of Ganoderma lucidum Spore Powder on Acute Liver Injury in Mice and its Regulation of Gut Microbiota

Abstract

Background: Ganoderma lucidum spore powder (GLSP) has abundant pharmacological activities. However, the difference in the hepatoprotective function of sporoderm-broken and sporoderm-unbroken Ganoderma spore powder has not been studied. This study is the first to investigate the effects of both sporoderm-damaged and sporoderm-intact GLSP on the improvement of acute alcoholic liver injury in mice and gut microbiota of mice. Methods: Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and interleukin 1β (IL-1β), interleukin 18 (IL-18), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels in liver tissues from mice in each group were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits, and histological analysis of liver tissue sections was performed to evaluate the liver-protecting effects of both sporoderm-broken and sporoderm-unbroken GLSP. Additionally, 16S rDNA sequencing of feces from the bowels of mice was performed to compare the regulatory effects of both sporoderm-broken and sporoderm-unbroken GLSP on the gut microbiota of mice. Results: Compared with those in the 50% ethanol model group (MG), sporoderm-broken GLSP significantly reduced serum AST and ALT levels (p < 0.0001) and the release of the inflammatory factors, including IL-1β, IL-18, and TNF-α (p < 0.0001), and effectively improved the pathological state of liver cells; sporoderm-unbroken GLSP significantly reduced the ALT content (p = 0.0002) and the release of the inflammatory factors, including IL-1β (p < 0.0001), IL-18 (p = 0.0018), and TNF-α (p = 0.0005), and reduced the serum AST content, but the reduction was not significant; compared with the gut microbiota of the MG, sporoderm-broken GLSP reduced the levels of Verrucomicrobia and Escherichia_Shigella, increased the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Bacteroidetes, and decreased the abundance levels of harmful bacteria, such as Proteobacteria and Candidatus_Saccharibacteria; sporoderm-unbroken GLSP could reduce the abundance levels of harmful bacteria, such as Verrucomicrobia and Candidatus_Saccharibacteria; and GLSP treatment alleviates the downregulation of the levels of translation, ribosome structure and biogenesis, and lipid transport and metabolism in liver-injured mice; Conclusions: GLSP can alleviate the imbalance of gut microbiota and improve liver injury, and the effect of sporoderm-broken GLSP is better.

Regulatory effect of Ganoderma lucidum and its active components on gut flora in diseases

“… Jiang et al (2021a) in vitro fermentation of black G. lucidum polysaccharide (PSG) effectively improves the gut flora disorder in SD rats with acrylamide (AA)-induced liver injury, by increasing the relative abundance of Ruminococcus and Lactobacillus and reducing Prevotella It is a relative abundance, thereby achieving the liver protective effect. The edible G. lucidum spore powder (GLSP) produced by Leng et al (2023) effectively improves alcoholic liver damage (ALD) induced by 50% ethanol. GLSP can not only reduce the levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) increased by ALD, but also regulate aminotransferase to improve ALD and restore intestinal health.…”

Ganoderma lucidum: Novel Insight into Hepatoprotective Potential with Mechanisms of Action

“…These triterpenoids' hepatoprotective mode of action has also been proven [37,38]. Different formulas of G. lucidum, such as spore oil, sporoderm-breaking spores and spore powder have proven to be effective against hepatic ailments [15,[39][40][41]. Various triterpenoids isolated from G. lucidum can be seen in Figure 1.…”

“…The term "liver diseases" is used to describe a broad range of illnesses that prevent or impair the liver's ability to operate. Recent studies have found that G. lucidum has a variety of hepatoprotective effects on liver illnesses, including alcoholic liver disease [15], viral hepatitis [16], NAFLD [4], fibrosis [17], hepatic cancer [8], CCl4 and amanitin-induced liver injury, etc. [18].…”