Lion's Mane Medicinal Mushroom Hericium erinaceus (Agaricomycetes) Polysaccharides for Improved In Vitro Probiotic Growth, Adhesion, Antioxidant Activity, and Cryoprotective Properties

Hericium erinaceus, commonly known as lion's mane mushroom, is a rare edible and medicinal fungus that is highly valued in both the culinary and medical fields. Its primary bioactive component, polysaccharides, holds significant therapeutic potential, particularly in healthcare. This study investigates the prebiotic effects of crude polysaccharides extracted from H. erinaceus on various probiotic strains. Three distinct fractions of crude polysaccharides, HEP-30, HEP-50, and HEP-80 were obtained through fractional precipitation using 30%, 50%, and 80% (v/v) ethanol concentrations from hot water-soluble extracts. The effects of the polysaccharide extracts on probiotic growth, adhesion, antioxidant activity, and cryoprotective properties were evaluated in vitro. Of the HEP fractions, HEP-80 contains the highest amounts of protein, total sugars, and reducing sugars. Galactose is the predominant monosaccharide in all HEP fractions. The polysaccharide extract exhibited antioxidant activity by inhibiting DPPH free radicals across all three tested concentrations, with an average IC50 value of 10.189 mg/mL. HEP-80 significantly enhanced the growth of all three probiotic strains compared with an unsupplemented control group. HEP-80 at a concentration of 50 μg/mL increased the adhesion of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strain L47-2 by up to 30%. Furthermore, HEP compounds demonstrated cryoprotective properties, resulting in over 70% survival of L. plantarum strain L47-2 after 90 days of storage at -20°C following freeze-drying. H. erinaceus-derived crude polysaccharides hold promise as both prebiotics and cryoprotectants, making them a potentially valuable functional ingredient for use in food products.