Microbial Bioactives
Microbial Bioactives | Online ISSN 2209-2161
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Volume 9 Number 1 2026
REVIEWS (Open Access)
Between Nutrition and Toxicity: A Narrative Synthesis of Metabolomic Complexity in Edible and Poisonous Mushrooms
Wafaa Naser Radhi 1*, Somaya M. Eshtiwi 2*
Microbial Bioactives 9 (1) 1-8 https://doi.org/10.25163/microbbioacts.9110640
Submitted: 04 April 2026 Revised: 26 May 2026 Accepted: 06 June 2026 Published: 08 June 2026
Abstract
Mushrooms occupy a rather unusual—almost paradoxical—space in biological and nutritional sciences. They are, at once, sources of nourishment and, in some cases, agents of profound toxicity. This review attempts to navigate that duality by bringing together evidence on edible species such as Pleurotus ostreatus, Lentinula edodes, and Hypsizygus marmoreus, alongside toxic counterparts like Amanita phalloides. Rather than treating these organisms as static entities, the analysis leans into their dynamic nature, emphasizing how metabolite composition shifts across developmental stages, tissues, and environmental conditions. A consistent pattern emerges, though not without variation: oyster mushrooms tend to exhibit stronger antioxidant activity, likely reflecting higher concentrations of phenolics and flavonoids, while shiitake mushrooms offer moderate yet meaningful bioactivity. Beech mushrooms introduce an additional layer of complexity, with size-dependent metabolic variation suggesting that growth stage subtly reshapes biochemical priorities. At the same time, toxic species reveal how similar metabolic frameworks can yield compounds such as amatoxins, with severe clinical consequences. What becomes increasingly clear is that mushroom functionality cannot be reduced to single metrics. Instead, it reflects an interplay of metabolic regulation, ecological adaptation, and methodological variability. By integrating metabolomic, proteomic, and toxicological insights, this review offers a more fluid understanding of mushrooms—not simply as food or hazard, but as evolving biochemical systems with both promise and risk.
Keywords: Edible mushrooms; Hypsizygus marmoreus; Lentinula edodes; Pleurotus ostreatus; Amanita phalloides; Metabolomics; Antioxidant activity; Amatoxins; Functional foods
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