Domestication Cultivation and Nutritional Analysis of Hericium coralloides

[Objective] : To isolate and identify a wild strain resembling Hericium coralloides (strain SH001) collected from the wild, explore its biological characteristics, and investigate the cultivation, nutritional composition, and antioxidant and anticancer activities of its fruiting body polysaccharides. [Methods] : The strain was identified based on its morphological characteristics and ITS sequence analysis. The biological properties were assessed by evaluating mycelial growth under varying conditions, including different carbon and nitrogen sources, temperatures, and pH values. Nutritional analysis of the fruiting body was conducted using Kjeldahl nitrogen determination, Soxhlet extraction, and light scattering detection methods. The antioxidant potential of the polysaccharides was evaluated through assays measuring DPPH, ABTS, OH radical scavenging activities, and iron ion reduction capacity. The anticancer effects of the polysaccharides on HepG ₂ liver cancer cells and MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells were assessed using the MTT assay. [Results] : The strain was identified as Hericium coralloides . The optimal growth conditions were found to be 30°C, pH 7, fructose as the preferred carbon source, and yeast extract as the optimal nitrogen source. Nutritional analysis revealed that the fruiting body was rich in protein (15.4 g/100 g dry weight), dietary fiber (34.7 g/100 g dry weight), and minerals, while being low in fat (3.5 g/100 g dry weight). The most abundant amino acids were glutamic acid, followed by aspartic acid. The polysaccharides exhibited significant antioxidant activity, with ABTS scavenging comparable to that of Vitamin C, achieving a clearance rate of 96.95% at concentrations between 0.25–5 mg/mL. At a concentration of 5 mg/mL, the DPPH and OH radical scavenging activities reached their peak (83.77% and 67.31%, respectively), along with the highest iron ion reducing capacity (FRAP value: 4.43 mmol/L). Polysaccharides also exhibited notable anticancer activity, inhibiting HepG2 liver cancer cells and MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells, with IC50 values of 3.896 mg/mL and 2.561 mg/mL, respectively. [Conclusion] : This study demonstrates that wild Hericium coralloides can be successfully cultivated in vitro. The fruiting bodies possess substantial nutritional value, and the polysaccharides extracted from them show promising antioxidant and anticancer activities, particularly against HepG ₂ liver cancer cells and MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells.