Open Access Research

Effect of Mukitake mushroom (Panellus serotinus) on the pathogenesis of lipid abnormalities in obese, diabetic ob/ob mice

Nao Inoue1,2, Masashi Inafuku1,3, Bungo Shirouchi1,4, Koji Nagao1 and Teruyoshi Yanagita1,5*

Author Affiliations

1 Department of Applied Biochemistry and Food Science, Saga University, Saga 840-8502, Japan

2 Department of Food Function and Health, Tohoku University, Miyagi, 981-8555, Japan

3 Department of Mangroves and Bio-resources, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, 903-0213, Japan

4 Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, 812-8581, Japan

5 Department of Health and Nutrition Sciences, Nishikyushu University, Kanzaki 842-8585, Japan

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Lipids in Health and Disease 2013, 12:18 doi:10.1186/1476-511X-12-18

Published: 14 February 2013

Abstract

Background

Various mushrooms have been used in folk medicine for the treatment of lifestyle diseases in eastern countries, and several compounds that modulate the immune system, lower blood lipid levels, and inhibit tumor and viral action have been isolated. The fruiting body of Panellus serotinus (Mukitake) is recognized in Japan as one of the most delicious edible mushrooms, and previous studies have demonstrated that the dietary intake of powdered whole Mukitake or Mukitake extracts prevents the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in leptin-resistant db/db mice. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of the Mukitake diet on the pathogenesis of metabolic disorders in leptin-deficient ob/ob mice.

Results

After 4 weeks of feeding, hepatomegaly, hepatic lipid accumulation, and elevated hepatic injury markers in the serum were markedly alleviated in Mukitake-fed ob/ob mice compared with control mice. Moreover, the mild hyperlipidemia in control ob/ob mice was attenuated and the elevated atherogenic index was reduced in Mukitake-fed ob/ob mice. These effects were partly attributable to the suppression of hepatic lipogenic enzyme activity due to the Mukitake diet.

Conclusion

The current results showed that Mukitake supplementation is beneficial for the alleviation of NAFLD and dyslipidemia in obese, diabetic ob/ob mice.

Keywords:
Panellus serotinus; Atherogenic index; Nonalcoholic fatty acid disease; ob/ob mice