Cultivation, nutritional composition, and anticancer activity of ergosterol from the edible mushroom Hericium coralloides in Thailand

Hericium coralloides is a remarkable mushroom valued for both culinary applications and potential health benefits. This study represents its first successful cultivation in Thailand using locally available agricultural substrates. Hericium coralloides strain STMA 14278, obtained from Germany, was cultivated on three different substrate treatments. Fresh fruiting bodies were harvested, dried into powder form, and subjected to proximate analysis to determine the nutrient composition. For chemical profiling, the dried mushroom powder was extracted using ethyl acetate, followed by fractionation and purification through silica gel column chromatography. The isolated compounds were identified through thin-layer chromatography and 1H/13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Three isolated compounds were identified as (22E)-ergosta-7,9,22-trien-3β-ol (1), hericene A (2), and ergosterol (3). The anticancer potential of the isolated compounds was evaluated against A549, SW-480, and Huh-7 cancer cell lines using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), clonogenic, and apoptosis assays. The results revealed successful fruiting body formation across all three substrates, yielding 141.40, 138.20, and 142.50 g per cultivation bag, respectively. Proximate analysis of the dried mushroom powder revealed a protein content of 18.81 g/100 g. Three compounds were purified from the fruiting bodies, with ergosterol exhibiting the most potent cytotoxicity against cancer cells. The IC50 values of ergosterol were 4.6, 5.2, and 4.2 µg/mL against A549, SW-480, and Huh-7 cells, respectively. Additionally, ergosterol treatment significantly inhibited colony formation and cell migration in A549, SW-480, and Huh-7 cell lines. In conclusion, H. coralloides represents a promising source of bioactive compounds with potential anticancer properties. The isolated ergosterol exhibits significant cytotoxicity against cancer cells, highlighting its potential for further investigation as a therapeutic agent.