King Oyster Mushroom

What Is Pleurotus?

Pleurotus eryngii (or King Oyster mushroom) is a medicinal mushroom of significant scientific interest for its polysaccharide composition (with interesting prebiotic activity), but also for its high mineral, phenolic and vitamin content. This species is one of the most sought after by mushroom enthusiasts as it is highly valued as a culinary mushroom due to its organoleptic qualities. It is easily found in meadows and fields, usually where wild thistles, Sea Holly (Eryngium campestre) and other umbellifers grow. In addition to ‘seta de cardo’ or ‘eryngii’, this variety is known as ‘Gardu Ziza’ in the Basque Country, ‘Gírgola de panical’ in Catalonia and ‘Seta de cemtcamps’ in Valencia.

Powerful benefits of Pleurotus

Excellent source of dietary fibre

P. eryngii stands out for the amount of active biomolecules it contains, especially β-glucans (immunomodulatory polysaccharides) and minerals such as potassium and phosphorus. It also contains phenolic compounds or ergothioneine, which have a natural antioxidant function. Thanks to these and other biomolecules, the king oyster mushroom is the subject of ongoing scientific research in health-related areas such as:

Immune System

Integrative Support

Gastroenterology

Powerful nutrients in Pleurotus

Like Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom), the King Oyster mushroom contains protein, polysaccharides, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins and other nutrients, and is low in fat, making it a high-quality food. Its micronutrients include:

Beta-glucans, known to support the immune system.
Peptides, Ostreolysin, laccase, lectin and other peptides and fatty acids.
Vitamins, B & D group.
Minerals, Rich in zinc.

Some of these compounds have been shown to enhance in vitro growth of certain bacteria naturally present in the colon, Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium & Enterococcus.

Krüzselyi, D., Kovács, D., Vetter, J. (2016). Chemical analysis of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii) fruiting bodies. Acta Alimentaria, 45(1), 20-27. doi:10.1556/066.2016.45.1.3.
Stajic, M., Vukojevi, J., Duletic-Lauševic S. (2009). Biology of <i>Pleurotus eryngii</i> and role in biotechnological processes: a review. , 29(1), 55-66. doi:10.1080/07388550802688821.
Sun, Y., Hu, X., & Li, W. (2017). Antioxidant, antitumor and immunostimulatory activities of polypeptide from Pleurotus eryngii mycelium. International journal of biological macromolecules, 97, 323-330. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2017.01.043.
Wong, Jack Ho., et al (2020). Fungal extracts and compounds with suppressive action on breast cancer: evidence from studies with cultured cancer cells, tumour-bearing animals and clinical trials. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, (), -. doi:10.1007/s00253-020-10476-4.
Xue, Zhaohui; Li, Jiaomei; Cheng, Aiqing; Yu, Wancong; Zhang, Zhijun; Kou, Xiaohong; Zhou, Fengjuan (2015). Identification of triterpene structure of Pleurotus eryngii mushroom with inhibitory effects against breast cancer. Plant Foods for Human Nutrition, 70(3), 291-296. doi:10.1007/s11130-015-0492-7
Yang, RL, Li, Q. and Hu, QP. Physicochemical properties, microstructures, nutritional components and free amino acids of Pleurotus eryngii as affected by different drying methods. Sci Rep 10, 121 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-56901-1
Zhang, Bingru; Li, Yanying; Zhang, Fuming; Linhardt, Robert J.; Zeng, Guoyang; Zhang, Anqiang (2019). Extraction, structure and bioactivities of Pleurotus eryngii polysaccharides: a review. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, (), S0141813019338218-. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.10.144.