Edible fungus polysaccharides and metabolism: A review

Abstract

Metabolic disorders constitute a severe global health challenge, with dietary intervention serving as a cornerstone of prevention and treatment. As primary bioactive macromolecules isolated from edible fungus, Edible Fungus Polysaccharides (EFPs) possess a broad spectrum of physiological activities. This review consolidates recent progress surrounding EFPs, encompassing extraction techniques, structural features, gut microbiota-driven biotransformation within the body, and how these compounds help sustain metabolic homeostasis. EFPs tune glucose, lipid, and amino acid metabolism through crosstalking signaling cascades, while systemic benefits arise from immunoregulation, anti-inflammatory properties, and signaling communication along the microbiota–gut–brain axis. EFPs have shown promising effects in the treatment of metabolic syndrome, obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and metabolism-associated malignancies. Existing evidence varies considerably by disease setting. While certain data support the use of EFPs as auxiliary reagents in tumor treatment, solid clinical evidence targeting metabolic complications remains largely lacking. Most relevant observations stem from cell cultures and animal experiments. Available clinical datasets focusing on metabolic outcomes tend to be small, short-duration and geographically limited, restricting broader extrapolation. EFPs hold great research potential as preclinical agents to support metabolic wellness, yet efforts to translate these findings into treatments for metabolic disease remain preliminary. Progress toward practical clinical use hinges on conclusive data from large randomized controlled trials, prolonged toxicology evaluation, and comprehensive pharmacokinetic characterization. Such work will lay the groundwork to define consistent safety benchmarks, therapeutic efficacy and suitable dosage protocols.