Research articles
ScienceAsia 52 (2026): 1-9 |doi:
10.2306/scienceasia1513-1874.2026.047
Hericium erinaceus polysaccharides: A potential intervention
for antibiotic-associated diarrhea and gut microbiota dysbiosis
Zicheng Chena, Fei Yea, Anning Lib, Xutao Ana, Xiuling Zhanga, Ruitong Qinc, Shanshan Lia,*
ABSTRACT: In China, the fungus Hericium erinaceus is known as a healthy food crop which possesses digestive tract
protection functionality. This research focused on the effects of polysaccharides extracted from H. erinaceus (WHP) on
rats with antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD), specifically on the shifts of gut microbiota. WHP was mainly composed of
glucose (88.6%), galactose (9.1%), and fucose (2.3%). It decreased the disease activity index and structural damage
of the colon in rats with AAD; increased butyrate production and affected the gut microbiota through increase the
relative abundance of Lactobacillus and Butyricicoccus, while decreased that of Allobaculum and Enterococcus, which
closely related to the gut microbiota dysbiosis. This study demonstrates that WHP can ameliorate antibiotic-induced
diarrhea by causing the recovery of the colon damage, improving the gut microbiota dysbiosis, and promoting the
butyrate production. The results of this study can provide valuable data on how H. erinaceus polysaccharides alleviate
the damage associated with the intake of antibiotics.
Download PDF
Downloads Views
| a |
College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Jilin Agricultural Science and Technology University,
Jilin 132101 China |
| b |
Jilin Aodong Yanbian Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Dunhua 133700 China |
| c |
East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237 China |
* Corresponding author, E-mail: shanshanli123456@163.com
Received 15 Nov 2025, Accepted 2 May 2026
|
