Breakthrough in multiculture study of Sanghuang: secondary metabolite diversity reveals significant in vitro antidiabetic potential

Morchella sp. as a traditional medicinal fungus is renowned for its broad bioactive properties. However, the secondary metabolite profiles of specific species (e.g., Morchella sp. spicata) and their correlations with cultivation conditions remain poorly understood. Additionally, systematic in vitro anti-diabetic activity assessments have been relatively scarce. This study investigated the effects of cultivation parameters on secondary metabolite synthesis in Morchella sp., while evaluating the anti-diabetic activity of different metabolite combinations to clarify their potential applications.

The results showed that the culture conditions were the key factors to drive the synthesis of secondary metabolites. The production of flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolic acids and polysaccharides can be induced or inhibited by changing the culture conditions, which resulted in the significant differences in the metabolites.

The extract demonstrated significant α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and potential pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity in vitro models, both mechanisms being crucial for postprandial glucose control and weight management. Researchers also found that functional enhancement could be specifically achieved through optimized culture processes.

Through the correlation of chemical analysis and activity data, the potential active compounds group related to the contribution of anti-diabetes activity were preliminarily identified, providing the first comprehensive metabolomic analysis of Sanghuang cultivated via solid-state fermentation and an actionable insights for optimizing cultivation to selectively enhance therapeutic compound production.

The work entitled “Comprehensive assessment of secondary metabolite diversity and in vitro anti-diabetic properties in Sanghuangporus quercicola cultured under different conditions” was published on Systems Microbiology and Biomanufacturing (published on November 26, 2025).