Radioprotective effect of edible and medicinal mushrooms against ionizing radiation: Components, potential mechanisms, and applications.

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Citation abstract

Ionizing radiation can cause severe damage to the body. The use of natural products as radioprotective agents has gained increasing popularity and attention in recent years. Edible and medicinal mushrooms are the significant natural source demonstrating unique advantages in radiation protection, such as Ganoderma lucidum, Hohenbuehelia serotina, and Auricularia auricular. This review focuses on the current state of knowledge regarding the radioprotective components from mushrooms against ionizing radiation, and mechanisms of action are discussed. The main radioprotective components in mushrooms include polysaccharides, peptides/proteins, and terpenoids, exerting radioprotective effects either individually or combinedly. The radioprotective effects of these agents potentially occur through mechanisms such as reducing lipid peroxidation, ameliorating cell apoptosis, restoring DNA damage and regulating immune system. The review also provides an overview in the application strategies of mushrooms for radioprotection and summarizes the current limitations in the field and provided a perspective on future prospects. This review offers a timely and comprehensive summary of current findings on mushroom-derived components as radioprotective agents that contribute to preventing the body from ionizing radiation.