Porcini Mushroom – Latest Studies 08.2026
Updated: Aug 15
The porcini mushroom, scientifically Boletus edulis, is not only of culinary interest. Current work examines, among other things, its beta-glucans, antioxidant constituents and certain extracts obtained from it.
For the current period, no direct intervention studies in humans were found. The following results therefore come from analyses of constituents as well as from cell and animal models, and show above all which biologically interesting properties are currently being investigated.
Beta-glucans and other constituents
An analysis from 2025 compared several edible mushrooms. In this sample, the porcini examined contained 46.6 grams of beta-glucans per 100 grams of dry matter, the highest value among the mushroom species compared. The lycopene content measured was also the highest.
Beta-glucans are particular multiple sugars that form part of the cell walls of mushrooms. They are studied scientifically, among other reasons, because of their biological properties. Lycopene, by contrast, belongs to the antioxidant plant pigments, or carotenoids.
The measured amounts can differ depending on origin, growing conditions and the sample examined. The values therefore describe the porcini mushrooms analysed and not automatically every porcini mushroom. [2]
A further study from 2025 examined a hydroethanolic extract from porcini mushrooms. In this process, constituents of the mushroom are dissolved out using a mixture of water and ethanol and are then examined in concentrated form.
Among other substances, ergosterol, epigallocatechin gallate and caffeoyl tryptophan were detected. Ergosterol is a typical component of fungal cells and at the same time a precursor of vitamin D2.
In the laboratory, the extract was able to capture various reactive molecules and inhibit several enzymes, including alpha-glucosidase, lipase and 5-lipoxygenase. These enzymes are involved, among other things, in the processing of carbohydrates and fats as well as in certain inflammatory processes.
However, these were tests with a concentrated extract in the laboratory and not the consumption of a normal portion of porcini mushrooms. [1]
Selenoneine in porcini mushrooms
In 2024, selenoneine was detected in porcini mushrooms. This is a selenium-containing compound with antioxidant properties.
Antioxidant substances can react with reactive molecules that could otherwise damage components of cells. In the porcini samples examined, more than 80 percent of the total selenium present was in the form of selenoneine.
The study thus extends the known profile of constituents of the porcini mushroom by a particular form of selenium, which is also of scientific interest because of its antioxidant properties. [4]
Cell model: oxidative stress and inflammatory signals
A porcini extract was examined in 2024 on what are known as Caco-2 cells. This human cell line is frequently used as a laboratory model for processes in the intestine.
In the experiment, the cells were exposed to hydrogen peroxide, which artificially generated oxidative stress. The porcini extract reduced the damage observed.
In addition, the values for iNOS and COX-2 decreased. These are proteins or enzymes that are examined in such experiments as markers for certain inflammatory processes.
Cell proliferation also decreased. The researchers observed an arrest of the cell cycle as well as an activation of autophagy and apoptosis. Autophagy is a recycling process within cells carried out by the body itself, while apoptosis describes a controlled cell death.
These results apply to the cell model used and cannot be transferred directly to the consumption of porcini mushrooms by humans. [3]
Animal model: polysaccharide and gut microbiome
A study from 2025 isolated a low-molecular-weight polysaccharide from Boletus edulis and examined it in mice on a high-fat diet.
Polysaccharides are larger molecules consisting of many interconnected sugar building blocks. Some of these substances can come into contact with gut bacteria in the intestine and are therefore examined with regard to their effect on the microbiome.
In the experiment, the composition of the gut flora changed in a favourable direction. Among other things, Lactobacillus increased. At the same time, the serum value of lipopolysaccharide fell by 50 percent compared with the group fed a high-fat diet.
Various measurements of glucose and fat metabolism also improved.
However, what was examined was an isolated component of the porcini mushroom in mice. The result therefore does not directly describe the effect of a usual portion of porcini mushrooms in humans. [5]
Conclusion
The latest investigations show that porcini mushrooms contain various biologically interesting constituents. These include beta-glucans, selenoneine and further bioactive compounds.
Concentrated porcini extracts showed antioxidant and inflammation-related properties in the laboratory. An isolated polysaccharide also positively influenced the gut flora and various metabolic markers in an animal model.
Direct human studies could show in future which of these observations are also found in humans and with the normal consumption of porcini mushrooms.
Sources
[1] Boletus edulis as a healthy and prized edible mushroom: Analysis of bioactive compounds and in vitro functional properties. Applied Food Research, 2025.
[2] Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Boletus edulis, Imleria badia, Leccinum scabrum in the Context of Environmental Conditions. Molecules, 2025.
[3] Biological Properties of Boletus edulis Extract on Caco-2 Cells: Antioxidant, Anticancer, and Anti-Inflammatory Effects. Antioxidants, 2024.
[4] High levels of the health-relevant antioxidant selenoneine identified in the edible mushroom Boletus edulis. Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, 2024.
[5] Role of a low-molecular-weight polysaccharide from Boletus edulis Bull: Fr. in modulating gut microbiota and metabolic disorders. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2025.
13.08.2026
Author: Alireza Mohtashami
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About the AuthorAlireza Mohtashami is the author of "Plant-Eater's Helper", a certified mushroom expert of the German Mycological Society and a trained practitioner of herbal medicine. He continuously reviews current studies on nutrition, nature and holistic health and presents them in a practical way, free of ideology. More about the author
The Book on This Topic"Plant-Eater's Helper" is the guide to plant-based nutrition: critical nutrients and antinutrients, protein requirements and plant-based sources, and bioavailability through sprouting, soaking, cooking and fermenting. Plus practical chapters on sport, pregnancy and highly processed foods. Currently available in German only; an English edition is in preparation. All about the bookReading sample (PDF) · Autorenwelt · Amazon · Romeon Verlag · Thalia
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