Edible tea tree mushroom extract shields rat bones by reshaping gut bacteria
Jin M, Zhang X, Ren M, Shi C, Jiang Y
Medicinal Plants
The tea tree mushroom sold in Asian markets and grown on logs or straw in home mushroom patches may do more than flavor a stir-fry, since its extract kept bones denser in rats through changes in gut microbes.
Researchers fed an extract of the edible Chaxingu mushroom to female rats that had their ovaries removed, a standard way to mimic bone loss after menopause. The rats kept denser, better-structured bones. The extract shifted their gut bacteria toward helpful types, including Lactobacillus, and boosted bacteria and genes tied to phosphorus handling, a mineral bones need. The work was done in rats, so human benefits remain unproven.
Key Findings
ACPE treatment raised bone mineral density, bone volume fraction (BV/TV), and trabecular number (Tb.N) while lowering trabecular separation (Tb.Sp) in ovariectomized rats.
ACPE corrected the OVX-driven rise in serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and the drop in serum phosphorus.
ACPE restored gut microbiota balance, enriching Lactobacillus, Corynebacterium and DA101, and upregulated the phosphate transporters Pit1 and Pit2.
chevron_right Technical Summary
An extract from the edible Chaxingu mushroom protected rats from the bone loss that follows the loss of estrogen. It appears to work by rebalancing gut bacteria and helping the body manage phosphorus, which points to a possible food-based supplement for postmenopausal bone health.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Preventive effects of Agrocybe chaxingu extracts on ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in rats via gut microbiota modulation.
Postmenopausal osteoporosis, characterized by estrogen deficiency, leads to significant bone loss and an elevated risk of fracture. While Agrocybe chaxingu is an edible mushroom with recognized hea...
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