Pholiota adiposa

It was originally described by German naturalist August Batsch in 1786 as a species of Agaricus. Paul Kummer transferred it to the genus Pholiota in 1871. The name adiposa comes from the slimy, oily appearance of the cap. == Description ==

The mushroom is fasciculate, meaning it grows in bunches. The cap is up to wide, yellow to orangish with dark, concentrically arranged scales. The gills are crowded and yellow to brown colored. These species are morphologically very similar, but can be distinguished based on the spore size or substrate the fungus is growing on. Pholiota squarrosoides is similar when young. == Distribution and habitat ==

P. adiposa has been documented in North America, Europe, and Asia. It can grow parasitically on live stems of trees, or as a saprotroph on dead wood. Mycelial growth is severely suppressed below 5 °C or above 35 °C. In growth media. P. adiposa can grow in a pH of 5-9, growing the best at a pH of 6. == Edibility ==

It is edible, and regularly consumed in many parts of Asia. == Bioactive compounds ==

P. adiposa produces many bioactive compounds that are of interest for potential medicinal properties. These include methyl gallate, Angiotensin 1-converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptide, and various polysaccharides with antitumor and antioxidant properties. The purported health benefits of this fungus has generated interest in improving the yields of commercially cultivated P. adiposa. Methyl gallate P. adiposa is the first fungus from which methyl gallate has been extracted. Methyl gallate has been studied for its antioxidant and related treatment properties. Antioxidants isolated from natural sources are desired due to their generally low cytotoxicity. Methyl Gallate was shown to preferentially scavenge superoxide (O2-) ions, which have been hypothesized to be involved in HIV-LTR activation. Polysaccharides Various polysaccharides isolated from P. adiposa have been shown to have anti tumor effects in mice. One dubbed SPAP2-1 interfered with the cell cycle and induced apoptosis in HeLa cells. Another called PAP-1a was combined with gold nanoparticles, increasing the macrophage count in mice. Other polysaccharides have been isolated which exhibit antioxidant effects. An overview of the literature on P. adiposa polysaccharides has suggested their antitumor abilities are closely tied to their antioxidant abilities. == See also ==