Ergothioneine Research
42 peer-reviewed studies · Evidence score: 8/10
Prospective study of dietary mushroom intake and risk of mortality: results from continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2014 and a meta-analysis
Ba DM et al. • Nutrition journal (2021)
In a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies, mushroom consumption was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality.
- The meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies, including 601,893 individuals, showed that mushroom consumption was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality (pooled risk ratio: 0.94; 95% CI: 0.91, 0.98).
- Published in Nutrition journal (2021)
- Further research warranted to confirm findings
Fungi-derived natural antioxidants
Arslan NP et al. • Critical reviews in food science and nutrition (2025)
This review summarizes the antioxidant potential of different fungi (mushrooms, yeasts, and molds)-derived natural compounds such as polysaccharides, pigments, peptides, ergothioneine, ergosterol, phenolics, alkaloids, etc.
- Fungi-derived antioxidants exhibit scavenging activities against DPPH, ABTS, hydroxyl, superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, and nitric oxide radicals in vitro.
- Furthermore, in vivo models, application of fungal-derived antioxidants increase the level of various antioxidant enzymes, such as catalases, superoxide dismutases, and glutathione peroxidases, and reduce the level of malondialdehyde.
- Therefore, fungi-derived antioxidants have potential to be used in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries.
Anserine, Balenine, and Ergothioneine: Impact of Histidine-Containing Compounds on Exercise Performance-A Narrative Review
Jędrejko M et al. • Nutrients (2025)
Nevertheless, supplementation with anserine and ergothioneine shows promise for enhancing physical performance and recovery, though further research is required to better understand their mechanisms and optimize their use in sports and exercise.
- Although balenine has been less extensively studied, it has shown promise in enhancing muscle regeneration and antioxidative defense in animal models.
- Ergothioneine, a sulfur-containing histidine derivative, displayed antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in both animal and human studies, suggesting its potential role in reducing exercise-induced oxidative stress and aiding recovery.
- The diversity of the presented studies and their limitations do not provide an opportunity to confirm the ergogenic properties of the histidine-containing compounds studied.
Exploring the causal association between serum metabolites and erectile dysfunction: a bidirectional Mendelian randomisation study
Xu R et al. • International journal of impotence research (2025)
The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.
- On the other hand, reverse Mendelian randomisation analysis showed that erectile dysfunction reduced serum homocitrulline levels (0.99 (0.97-1.00), P = 0.0360).
- On this basis, this study provides a new direction of thinking and strong evidence for the therapeutic application and adjunctive diagnosis of serum metabolites in erectile dysfunction, and provides a certain reference value for subsequent related studies.© 2024.
- The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.
The Role and Molecular Pathways of SIRT6 in Senescence and Age-related Diseases
Lu Y et al. • Advanced biology (2025)
Moreover, recent advancements in SIRT6-regulated compounds (e.g., C3G, BZBS, Fisetin, FNDC5, Lycorine hydrochloride, and Ergothioneine) are discussed as potential therapeutic agents for these mediated diseases.© 2025 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.
- Furthermore, SIRT6 promotes autophagy, slowing cellular senescence via the modulation of various signaling pathways, including AMPK, IGF-Akt-mTOR, H133Y, IL-1β, and mitochondrial autophagy-related proteins.
- Finally, SIRT6 regulates multiple signaling pathways, such asNF-κB, FOXO, and AMPK, to counteract the aging process.
- Moreover, recent advancements in SIRT6-regulated compounds (e.g., C3G, BZBS, Fisetin, FNDC5, Lycorine hydrochloride, and Ergothioneine) are discussed as potential therapeutic agents for these mediated diseases.© 2025 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.
Ergothioneine as a functional nutraceutical: Mechanisms, bioavailability, and therapeutic implications
Syahputra RA et al. • The Journal of nutritional biochemistry (2025)
All rights reserved.
- Clinical and preclinical studies have indicated its involvement in metabolic regulation, endothelial protection, and attenuation of neurodegeneration, further reinforcing its significance as a functional nutraceutical agent.
- This review provides a comprehensive analysis of EGT, including its biosynthesis, dietary sources, absorption mechanisms, and metabolism, and elucidates its therapeutic potential and mechanistic underpinnings for disease prevention and management.
- By summarizing recent advances in EGT research, this review aims to guide future investigations and support its broader application in clinical and nutritional sciences.Copyright © 2025 Elsevier Inc.
The roles and functions of ergothioneine in metabolic diseases
Wen T et al. • The Journal of nutritional biochemistry (2025)
All rights reserved.
- The unique chemical properties and biological functions of EGT position it as a promising candidate for the research and treatment of metabolic diseases.
- This review summarizes EGT's capacities, potential therapeutic effects on multiple metabolic diseases, and their specific mechanisms.
- Finally, we outline challenges for future research on EGT and aspire to establish it as a prospective therapeutic agent for metabolic diseases.Copyright © 2025 Elsevier Inc.
Diet-Derived Antioxidants: The Special Case of Ergothioneine
Halliwell B et al. • Annual review of food science and technology (2023)
By contrast, α-tocopherol has demonstrated in vivo antioxidant effects in humans.
- The various possible functions of ET in vivo are explored.
- Much emphasis has been placed on the antioxidant properties of ET, but although these are well established in vitro, the evidence that antioxidant activity is the principal function of ET in vivo is weak.
- ET is not unique in this: The evidence for the antioxidant roles of vitamin C and polyphenols such as the flavonoids in vivo is also weak.
Organic anion transporters in remote sensing and organ crosstalk
Granados JC et al. • Pharmacology & therapeutics (2024)
All rights reserved.
- The RSST has general applicability to other multi-specific SLC and ABC "drug" transporters (e.g., OCT1, OCT2, SLCO1B1, SLCO1B3, ABCG2, P-gp, ABCC2, ABCC3, ABCC4).
- Recent high-resolution structures of SLC22 and other transporters, together with chemoinformatic and artificial intelligence methods, will aid drug development and also lead to a deeper mechanistic understanding of polymorphisms.Copyright © 2024 The Authors.
- Published by Elsevier Inc.
Inflammation and Organic Cation Transporters Novel (OCTNs)
Pochini L et al. • Biomolecules (2024)
In the present review, we wish to provide a state of the art on OCTN1 and OCTN2 transport function and regulation in relationships with inflammation and inflammatory diseases focusing on the metabolic signature collected in different body districts and gene polymorphisms related to inflammatory diseases.
- The link between these proteins and inflammation has been proposed based on their link to some chronic inflammatory diseases such as asthma, Crohn's disease (CD), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
- Moreover, the two transporters show the ability to mediate the transport of several compounds including carnitine, carnitine derivatives, acetylcholine, ergothioneine, and gut microbiota by-products, which have been specifically associated with inflammation for their anti- or proinflammatory action.
- Therefore, the absorption and distribution of these molecules rely on the presence of OCTN1 and OCTN2, whose expression is modulated by inflammatory cytokines and transcription factors typically activated by inflammation.
Reactive oxygen species, toxicity, oxidative stress, and antioxidants: chronic diseases and aging
Jomova K et al. • Archives of toxicology (2023)
This systematic-review examined the effects of Ergothioneine.
- Perhaps one of the most effective low molecular weight antioxidants is vitamin E, the first line of defense against the peroxidation of lipids.
- A promising approach appears to be the use of certain antioxidants (e.g. flavonoids), showing weak prooxidant properties that may boost cellular antioxidant systems and thus act as preventive anticancer agents.
- Redox metal-based enzyme mimetic compounds as potential pharmaceutical interventions and sirtuins as promising therapeutic targets for age-related diseases and anti-aging strategies are discussed.© 2023.
Ergothioneine: an underrecognised dietary micronutrient required for healthy ageing?
Tian X et al. • The British journal of nutrition (2023)
We comment on some of the outstanding research questions in the field and consider the question of whether or not ergothioneine should be considered a conditionally essential micronutrient.
- Conversely, high plasma ergothioneine levels have been associated with significantly reduced cardiovascular mortality and overall mortality risks.
- In humans, blood levels of ergothioneine decline after the age of 60 years, and lower levels of ergothioneine are associated with more rapid cognitive decline.
- In this horizon’s manuscript, we review evidence suggesting critical roles for dietary ergothioneine in healthy ageing and the prevention of cardiometabolic disease.
Safe and Effective Antioxidant: The Biological Mechanism and Potential Pathways of Ergothioneine in the Skin
Liu HM et al. • Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (2023)
We believe that ergothioneine has good prospects in the food and cosmetics industries, and can thus meet some needs of the health and beauty industry.
- This review summarizes studies on the antioxidant effects of ergothioneine on various free radicals in vitro to date and systematically introduces its biological activities and potential mechanisms, mostly in dermatology.
- Additionally, the application of ergothioneine in cosmetics is briefly summarized.
- Lastly, we propose some problems that require solutions to understand the mechanism of action of ergothioneine.
Examining the Cultivation, Degradation Characteristics and Health Effects of the Golden Oyster Mushroom Pleurotus citrinopileatus (Agaricomycetes): A Review
Tao Z et al. • International journal of medicinal mushrooms (2023)
In this paper, the recent studies on the cultivation, degradation characteristics application, and health effects of P. citrinopileatus are reviewed, and their development trends are discussed.
- It is a kind of saprophytic edible fungus with strong degradation characteristics, commonly found on fallen trees and stumps of broad-leaf tree species.
- So far, abundant kinds of bioactive compounds such as polysaccharides, ergothioneine, sesquiterpenes, and glycoprotein have been isolated from P. citrinopileatus and studied.
- Studies have confirmed that these compounds are beneficial to human health.
The role of Ergothioneine in cognition and age-related neurodegenerative disease: a systematic review
Takhor NH et al. • Inflammopharmacology (2025)
The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
- Mechanisms of ET in improving cognitive function and preventing ARND were found to be through its antioxidative, anti-inflammatory and antisenescence properties.
- Its role in neurotransmission and neuroprotection also contributed to improving cognition and preventing ARND.
- In conclusion, ET is a potential compound to be explored as its role in cognition and ARND have been discovered through several studies.© 2025.
Decline of ergothioneine in frailty and cognition impairment
Kondoh H et al. • FEBS letters (2022)
Using these opposing dementia markers, not only diagnosis, but also therapeutic interventions to mitigate cognitive decline may now become possible.© 2022 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.
- In frail elderly people, whose ageing organs undergo functional decline, there is a correlation between ergothioneine levels and cognitive, but not skeletal muscle decline.
- In patients suffering from dementia, including Alzheimer's disease with hippocampal atrophy, deteriorating cognitive ability is correlated with declining ergothioneine levels.
- S-methyl-ergothioneine, trimethyl-histidine and three other trimethyl-ammonium compounds also decrease sharply in dementia, whereas compounds such as indoxyl-sulfate and quinolinic acid increase, possibly exacerbating the disease.
Ergothioneine and central nervous system diseases
Nakamichi N et al. • Neurochemical research (2022)
The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
- ERGO exerts a protective effect against various neurotoxins and improves the symptoms of cognitive impairment, depression, and epilepsy in animal models.
- The promotion of neurogenesis and induction of neurotrophic factors, in addition to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, may be involved in the neuroprotective effect of ERGO.
- This review shows the association between ERGO and CNS diseases, discusses the possible biomarkers of peripheral ERGO in CNS diseases, and the possible preventive and improvement effects of ERGO on CNS diseases.© 2022.
Ergothioneine, Ovothiol A, and Selenoneine-Histidine-Derived, Biologically Significant, Trace Global Alkaloids
Cordell GA et al. • Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (2022)
The history, chemistry, biology, and biosynthesis of the globally occurring histidine-derived alkaloids ergothioneine (10), ovothiol A (11), and selenoneine (12) are reviewed comparatively and their significance to human well-being is discussed.
- The history, chemistry, biology, and biosynthesis of the globally occurring histidine-derived alkaloids ergothioneine (10), ovothiol A (11), and selenoneine (12) are reviewed comparatively and their significance to human well-being is discussed.
- Published in Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (2022)
- Further research warranted to confirm findings
Histidine in Health and Disease: Metabolism, Physiological Importance, and Use as a Supplement
Holeček M • Nutrients (2020)
Of concern should be findings of hepatic enlargement and increases in ammonia and glutamine and of decrease in branched-chain amino acids (valine, leucine, and isoleucine) in blood plasma indicating that HIS supplementation is inappropriate in patients with liver disease.
- Several decades of experience have confirmed the effectiveness of HIS as a component of solutions used for organ preservation and myocardial protection in cardiac surgery.
- Further studies are needed to elucidate the effects of HIS supplementation on neurological disorders, atopic dermatitis, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, uraemic anaemia, ulcers, inflammatory bowel diseases, malignancies, and muscle performance during strenuous exercise.
- Signs of toxicity, mutagenic activity, and allergic reactions or peptic ulcers have not been reported, although HIS is a histamine precursor.
Prolonging healthy aging: Longevity vitamins and proteins
Ames BN • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2018)
Because nutrient deficiencies are highly prevalent in the United States (and elsewhere), appropriate supplementation and/or an improved diet could reduce much of the consequent risk of chronic disease and premature aging.
- Impairment of the function of longevity proteins results in an insidious acceleration of the risk of diseases associated with aging.
- I also propose that nutrients required for the function of longevity proteins constitute a class of vitamins that are here named "longevity vitamins." I suggest that many such nutrients play a dual role for both survival and longevity.
- Because nutrient deficiencies are highly prevalent in the United States (and elsewhere), appropriate supplementation and/or an improved diet could reduce much of the consequent risk of chronic disease and premature aging.