Array of metabolites in Italian Hericium erinaceus mycelium, primordium, and sporophore

Hericium erinaceus is a medicinal mushroom that contains many molecules promising a
plethora of therapeutic properties. In this study, the strain H.e.2 (MicUNIPV, University of Pavia,
Italy) was isolated from a sporophore collected in Tuscany (Italy). Mycelium, primordium, and wild
type and cultivated sporophores were analyzed by HPLC-UV-ESI/MS. Erinacine A in the mycelium
and hericenones C and D in the sporophores were quantified by comparison with their standard
molecules. For the first time, H. erinaceus primordium was also investigated for the presence of
these molecules. Comparing with the literature data, hericenes, molecules structurally similar to
hericenones, were present in all our samples. The highest contents of hericenones C and D were
detected in cultivated sporophores, compared to the wild type. The comparison of these data with
those of another Italian H. erinaceus strain (H.e.1 MicUNIPV) was discussed. The results led us to
select H. erinaceus strains more suitable for mycelium production or sporophore cultivation to obtain
extracts with a higher content of bioactive compounds. This work provides a further step towards
standardizing the procedures in the development of dietary supplements made from mushrooms.