Trang Thi Thu Nguyen

Ganoderma multipileum is a tropical wood-decaying fungus with high capacity for crop waste disposal and promising medicinal properties. In this study, a Vietnamese strain of G. multipileum was identified through morphological characterization and phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. To enhance sustainable mushroom production, two cultivation substrates were compared: rubber tree sawdust by itself (control) and rubber tree sawdust supplemented with 25% coffee grounds. The coffee-supplemented substrate reduced the carbon/nitrogen ratio from 83.87:1 to 41.86:1, accelerated mycelial colonization from 28 to 22 days, and increased the mycelial growth rate from 6.53 to 7.59 mm/day. Ethanolic extracts from fruiting bodies grown on the supplemented substrate showed higher antibacterial activity against both methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus compared with the control. Antioxidant capacity, as measured by DPPH assay, was reduced in the supplemented treatment, with a higher IC₅₀ value (104.27 μg/mL) compared with the control (47.44 μg/mL). These findings highlight the potential of lignocellulolytic Ganoderma fungi in a circular economy for reducing agro-industrial waste byproducts like sawdust and coffee grounds. An additional benefit accrues because the use of such substrates enhances the cultivation efficiency and bioactive properties of G. multipileum, promoting its application in pharmaceutical and cosmetic production as well as waste reduction.

Breast cancer remains the most frequently diagnosed malignancy among women worldwide, underscoring the need for safer and more effective therapeutic agents, particularly those derived from natural medicinal resources. This study evaluated the cytotoxic and apoptosis-inducing activities of the ethyl acetate fraction (GMEA) obtained from the 96% ethanol extract of Ganoderma multiplicatum (GME) against human breast cancer MCF-7 cells. Triterpenoid quantification using the vanillin assay revealed enrichment of these compounds in GMEA (5.84 ± 1.41 mg/g) compared with GME (4.83 ± 0.40 mg/g). GMEA significantly reduced MCF-7 cell viability in a dose-dependent manner, with an IC50 value of 147.69 µg/mL after 48 h. Flow cytometry demonstrated marked increases in both early (0.8% -16.1%) and late apoptosis (0.7% - 2.8%). Importantly, GMEA exhibited minimal cytotoxicity toward human fibroblasts at concentrations ≤ 400 µg/mL, suggesting selective activity against cancer cells. Collectively, these findings indicate that triterpenoid enriched fraction from Ganoderma multiplicatum exert cytotoxic effects through apoptosis induction and highlight this species as a promising and underexplored source of natural anticancer agents.

This study is the first to comprehensively investigate the potential of circular economy (CE) principles to enhance the sustainability of mushroom production, focusing on resource efficiency and waste reduction. A systematic literature review conducted in 2024 assessed the global state of CE applications in mushroom cultivation, emphasizing eight commonly cultivated species in Vietnam: Lentinula edodes, Ganoderma lucidum, Trametes versicolor, Hericium erinaceus, Cordyceps militaris, Auricularia heimuer, Pleurotus ostreatus, and Volvariella volvacea. The systematic literature review, covering 42 articles from Scopus and 46 from Web of Science, revealed a predominant focus on spent mushroom substrate (SMS) utilization, with limited attention to water recirculation, renewable energy, plastic recycling, and circular business models. In addition, we conducted 20 in-depth interviews with stakeholders across the mushroom production chain in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, identifying existing CE practices and opportunities for optimization. The study's novelty lies in its pioneering integration of systematic review and field study in the mushroom industry in the area. We propose CE recommendations for enhancing resource utilization and reducing environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions in the agricultural sector. Our analysis showed that research on mushroom byproduct transformation largely focuses on SMS utilization for composting, ignoring other production processes such as the development of mushroom co-products at the output phase and plastic and water reuse during the production phase. Application of CE principles during the entire mushroom value chain and diversification of the use of mushroom waste and by-products are therefore necessary to provide additional benefits to mushroom production.

Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus) and Aspergillus niger (A. niger) mainly spread through airborne fungal spores. An effective control to impede the dissemination of the spores of Aspergillus in the air affecting the environment and food was carried out. This study focuses on the sustainable rice husk-extracted lignin, nanolignin, lignin/n-lignin capped silver nanoparticles used for fungal growth inhibition. These biomaterials inhibit the growth of fungi by altering the permeability of cell membranes and influencing intracellular biosynthesis. The antifungal indexes for A. flavus and A. niger on day 5 at a concentration of 2000 mu g/100 mu L are 50.8 and 43.6%, respectively. The results demonstrate that the hybrid biomaterials effectively prevent the growth or generation of fungal spores. The findings of this research hold significant implications for future investigations focused on mitigating the dissemination of Aspergillus during the cultivation of agricultural products or in the process of assuring agricultural product management, such as peanuts and onions.

The polysaccharides found in Amauroderma subresinosum have been recognized, but their characterization has been limited. In this study, enriched polysaccharide fractions (ASF) were extracted from the mycelia of Amauroderma subresinosum using hot water, sodium hydroxide, and acetone. To determine these ASF structural characteristics, deproteination and precipitation with cold ethanol were performed to remove residual proteins. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was employed to assess the purity of the ASF, while gel permeation chromatography (GPC) was used to measure molecular weight, and high-performance liquid chromatography with precolumn derivatization using 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone (PMP) reagent was utilized for monosaccharide analysis. The antioxidant activity of the ASF was evaluated through DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays. Seven enriched olysaccharide fractions, named ASF1–7, were isolated, and three main fractions were identified as ASF-1 (22.53 kDa, 6.16 ± 1.01%, w/w), ASF- 3 (0.75 kDa, 16.46 ± 0.26%, w/w), and ASF-7 (35.73 kDa, 12.60 ± 1.48%, w/w). These fractions corresponded to the primary polysaccharide derived from hot water, alkaline solution, and insoluble residue. Monosaccharide analysis revealed that glucose was the predominant component in ASF-1 (70.24%), ASF-3 (84.11%), and ASF-7 (87.78%). FTIR spectroscopy confirmed the presence of carboxyl and hydroxyl groups, as well as pyranose rings in these ASFs. Additionally, ASF-1, ASF-3, and ASF-7 demonstrated significant PPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities, with IC50 values ranging from 12.8 to 16.1 µg/mL and 8.5 to 12.6 µg/mL, respectively.This study provides the initial evidence that polysaccharides extracted from Amauroderma subresinosum may possess potential as functional food ingredients with potent antioxidant activity.

Ganoderma multipileum, a wood decay mushroom, was initially discovered and classified in Taiwan through the analysis of its morphology and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA. In this study, we identified a mushroom associated with the dieback of Delonix regia (Boj. ex Hook.) Raf., a woody ornamental street tree in Vietnam, as Ganoderma multipileum. This classification was based on phylogenetic analysis of ITS, RPB2, and TEF1 sequences, as well as morphology assessment and scanning electron microscope observation of basidiospores. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the specimens collected in Vietnam formed a monophyletic group of Ganoderma multipileum with a high bootstrap value and posterior probability (100%/1.00). Furthermore, the morphological features consistent with laccate Ganoderma, including a thin pileipellis composed of enlarged and bulbous hyphae, and the basidiomes exhibited two different phenotypes. Notably, scanning electron microscopy of the basidiospores revealed ovoid spores with numerous echinules, providing the first documented evidence of this characteristic for Ganoderma multipileum. This research represents the first recorded instance of Ganoderma multipileum in Vietnam associated with the dieback of Delonix regia.

Background: Staphylococcus aureus is a nosocomial pathogen responsible for many serious infectious diseases in humans. Finding the anti- S. aureus agents is a time-consuming and costly process. Recently, computational methods have provided a better understanding of the interactions between herbal medicine drug targets to help clinical practitioners rationally design herbal formulae. Methods: In this study, molecular docking simulation was applied to screen a list of natural secondary metabolites from Ganoderma sp. on the protein target S. aureus sortase A. Molecular dynamics models were used to assess the stability of protein–ligand complexes during the first 100 ns. To validate the computational results, 2 Ganoderma species, G. multiplicatum VNKKK1901 and G. sinense VNKKK1902, were tested for antibacterial activity against S. aureus using the disk diffusion method. Results: The results showed that, among the selected compounds, ganosinensin B and ganosinoside A generated the highest binding energy on S. aureus sortase A, and demonstrated strong and stable binding capacity to proteins. In addition, the extracts of G. sinense VNKKK1902 and G. multiplicatum VNKKK1901 were bactericidal, with minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC)/minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ratios of 2. Conclusion: Our findings provide the first scientific report on the antibacterial activity of Ganoderma sp., which contain 2 promising compounds, ganosinensin B and ganosinoside A, as potential hits for developing novel drugs capable of supporting treatment of S. aureus infection.

Members of the Ganodermataceae are used in traditional medicine in Asian countries. In Vietnamese Traditional Medicine, these mushrooms are used to treat several diseases since the 15^th century. In this study, five new Ganodermataceae specimens as Ganoderma multiplicatum, Ganoderma sinense, 2 strains of Ganoderma lingzhi, and Amauroderma subresinosum collecting from Kon Ka Kinh National Park, Vietnam, were classified by morphology and 5.8S-ITS rDNA phylogenetic analysis. Colour photographs of macro-micro features and a phylogenetic tree were provided and discussed. This is the first report of new records of Ganoderma multiplicatum, Ganoderma sinense, two strains of Ganoderma lingzhi, and Amauroderma subresinosum for Vietnam. This research contributed to the distribution of new Vietnamese Ganodermataceae in geography, morphological characteristics, and rDNA sequences.