Antiplatelet potencies of polysaccharides extracted from eight cultivated edible Pleurotus mushroom species.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases remain a leading global health challenge, necessitating effective antiplatelet therapies to mitigate thrombotic risks. Conventional antiplatelet agents, such as acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and purinergic receptor type Y, subtype 12 (P2Y12) inhibitors, are effective but present limitations, including bleeding complications and resistance in some patients. This study investigates the antiplatelet potential of polysaccharide fractions extracted from fruiting bodies of eight different edible Pleurotus mushroom species cultivated for the purpose of this research.

Methods: Mushroom polysaccharide fractions were extracted from eight Pleurotus species (P. citrinopileatus, P. columbinus, P. djamor, P. eryngii, P. florida, P. ostreatus, P. pulmonarius, and P. sajor-caju) with cold water. Using multiple electrode aggregometry, we evaluated their inhibitory effects on platelet aggregation induced by adenosine-5'-diphosphate (ADP) and arachidonic acid (AA).

Results: Polysaccharides from all tested Pleurotus species exhibit significant inhibition of ADP-induced platelet aggregation in the 69-75% range, comparable to or exceeding that of ASA. While their beneficial effect on AA-induced aggregation was lower and limited to selected species with inhibition in the 6-46% range, polysaccharides from P. djamor and P. sajor-caju demonstrated promising dual inhibition.

Conclusions: This study suggests that Pleurotus-derived polysaccharides may serve as potential natural alternatives or adjuncts to existing antiplatelet therapies. Further in vivo studies and clinical trials are warranted to investigate their therapeutic potential in the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease.