Phytochemical Properties and Pharmacological Applications of Poria cocos

Poria cocos, the dried sclerotium of the fungus Wolfiporia cocos, has a long history in East Asian medicine and functional foods. Its principal phytochemicals comprise two classes: lanostane-type triterpenoids (notably pachymic acid and poricoic acids) and bioactive polysaccharides (predominantly β-glucans). Triterpenoids are synthesised via the mevalonate pathway and confer diuretic, sedative, anti-inflammatory and antineoplastic effects. Polysaccharides modulate the immune system by enhancing macrophage and lymphocyte activity. Pharmacological investigations have demonstrated efficacy in tumour apoptosis, metabolic regulation (including anti-hyperglycaemic action), hepatic and renal protection, and neuroprotection. Advances in omics and gene-editing technologies now enable elucidation of biosynthetic routes and metabolic engineering to improve yield and homogeneity of active constituents. The integration of molecular biology, analytical chemistry and cell biology is accelerating the translation of P. cocos constituents into novel therapeutic leads with global significance.

Research from Nature Portfolio

High-quality genome and transcriptome assemblies of W. cocos mycelia and sclerotia have uncovered key enzymes in pachymic acid biosynthesis. Candidate genes encoding lanosterol synthase, sterol O-acyltransferase and sterol C-24 methyltransferase were identified alongside a cluster of four cytochrome P450 cDNAs. Functional validation by overexpression of three P450s enhanced levels of pachymic acid, 16α-hydroxytrametenolic acid, eburicoic acid and tumulosic acid, whereas gene silencing reduced their accumulation. Temperature-dependent expression profiling further revealed environmental modulation of these biosynthetic genes, providing precise targets for metabolic engineering to boost therapeutic triterpenoid production.

Phytochemical Properties and Pharmacological Applications of Poria cocos publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in phytochemical properties and pharmacological applications of poria cocos across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Triterpenoids: Lanostane-type secondary metabolites derived from six isoprene units, responsible for many of P. cocos’s bioactivities.

Polysaccharides: High-molecular-weight carbohydrate polymers, notably β-glucans, that modulate immune responses.

Cytochrome P450: A superfamily of haem-containing enzymes catalysing oxidative transformations in the biosynthesis of natural products.

Molecular docking: Computational technique to predict the binding mode and affinity of a small molecule to a protein target.

CRISPR-Cas9: A genome editing system that enables precise, targeted modifications of DNA sequences in living cells.

References

1. An omics-based characterization of Wolfiporia cocos reveals three CYP450 members involved in the biosynthetic pathway of pachymic acid. Communications Biology (2024).
2. Regulation of Tumor Apoptosis of Poriae cutis-Derived Lanostane Triterpenes by AKT/PI3K and MAPK Signaling Pathways In Vitro. Nutrients (2023).
3. Identification of squalene epoxidase in triterpenes biosynthesis in Poria cocos by molecular docking and CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing. Microbial Cell Factories (2024).
4. Phytochemistry and Pharmacological Activities of Wolfiporia cocos (F.A. Wolf) Ryvarden & Gilb. Frontiers in Pharmacology (2020).
5. Anti‐Hyperglycemic Properties of Crude Extract and Triterpenes from Poria cocos. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2010).