Nutritional composition, bioactive polysaccharides, and biological activities of Russula griseocarnosa: A comprehensive review
Keywords:
antioxidant activity, anticancer activity, fatty acid, functional mushroomsAbstract
This review summarizes the existing studies on Russula griseocarnosa, a rare edible mushroom, with the aim of evaluating its nutritional composition and biological activities. The results showed that the mushroom contains high levels of protein, bioactive polysaccharides, essential amino acids, minerals, and unsaturated fatty acids and is rich in phenolic compounds, flavonoids, carotenoids, and ergosterol. The extracted polysaccharides (PRG, PRG1-1) exhibited strong antioxidant activity, antibacterial activity, and anticancer activity, mainly through apoptosis and enhanced ROS production in cancer cells. Compared with many other edible mushrooms, R. griseocarnosa has advantages in nutritional quality and biological function potential. This review shows that the mushroom has high value in the development of functional foods and natural medicines, but is still limited by the lack of in vivo studies, extract standardization, and long-term safety evaluation. Future research should focus on sustainable cultivation, polysaccharide standardization, and clinical trials to fully exploit the potential of this mushroom.
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