Extract of a myceliated agricultural substrate and its use as a nutraceutical composition

Abstract

The present invention provides an aqueous extract of a myceliated agricultural substrate for use as a nutraceutical or food composition for human consumption comprising at least one small molecule compound, wherein mycelia is grown on an agricultural substrate by inoculating the agricultural substrate with a pure strain of a fungal culture selected from the group comprising Basidiomycota and Ascomycota derived from a liquid fermentation, under optimum growth conditions. The present invention further provides methods of formation of an aqueous extract and nutraceutical or food compositions obtained from the extract. The aqueous extract and the nutraceutical compositions obtained from the extract thereof have neuroprotective and neuroregenerative properties amongst many other therapeutic properties.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An aqueous extract of a myceliated agricultural substrate for use as a nutraceutical or food composition for human consumption comprising at least one small molecule compound, wherein mycelia is grown on an agricultural substrate by inoculating said agricultural substrate with a pure strain of a fungal culture selected from the group comprising Basidiomycota and Ascomycota derived from a liquid state fermentation, under optimum growth conditions to obtain said myceliated agricultural substrate, wherein the at least one small molecule compound enhances bioavailability, water solubility and passive absorption of the aqueous extract. 
     
     
         2 . The extract of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one small molecule compound is selected from the group comprising citric acid, ascorbic acid, honey, dry honey, cane sugar, grape fruit essential oil, citrus essential oil, tangerine, ethyl alcohol and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The extract of  claim 1 , wherein the fungal culture is selected from the group comprising  Hericium erinaceus, Tremella fuciformis, Agaricus blazei, Cordyceps sinensis, Flammulina velutipes, Ganoderma lucidum, Grifola frondosa, Letinula edodes, Phellenis linteus, Polyporus umbellatus, Inonotus obliquus, Pleurotus ostreatus, P. eryngii, P. citrinopileatus, P. djamor, Trametes versicolor, Volvariella volvacea, Hypsizygus marmoreus, Pholiota nameko, Tuber melanosporum, Moschella hortensis , and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The extract of  claim 1 , wherein the agricultural substrate is selected from the group comprising grains, cereals, seeds, dry fruits, herbs, spices, citrus fruits, tubers, berries, vegetables, non-legume beans, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The extract of  claim 1 , wherein the agricultural substrate is at least partially coated with vegetable oil, lecithin, and combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The extract of  claim 1 , wherein the extract comprises active metabolites selected from the group comprising polysaccharides, glycoproteins, enzymes, proteins, triterpenes, phenols, sterols, fatty acids, vitamins, mineral salts and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The extract of  claim 1 , wherein the extract has therapeutic properties selected from the group comprising anti-aging, anti-tumor, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, hepatoprotective, anti-oxidative, immunomodulating property, cholesterol regulating property and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The extract of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid state fermentation yields spherical conglomerations of said fungal culture wherein said conglomerations are sized smaller than 2 millimeters in diameter. 
     
     
         9 . The extract of  claim 1 , wherein said agricultural substrate is pre-processed before inoculation by treatments selected from the group comprising heat sterilization, pasteurization, filtration or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . A method of preparation of an aqueous extract of a myceliated agricultural substrate for use as a nutraceutical composition for human consumption, comprising the steps of:
 inoculating an agricultural substrate with a pure strain of a fungal culture selected from the group comprising Basidiomycota and Ascomycota, derived from a liquid fermentation, under optimum growth conditions;   enabling mycelial growth on the agricultural substrate till the mycelial growth reaches a desired stage to obtain the myceliated agricultural substrate;   obtaining a water-substrate mixture by boiling the myceliated agricultural substrate in water for a suitable duration of time and at suitable temperature;   separating aqueous and non-aqueous components from the water-substrate mixture; and   adding at least one small molecule compound to the aqueous component to form an aqueous extract;   wherein the at least one small molecule compound enhances bioavailability, water solubility and passive absorption of the aqueous extract.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said substrate is pre-processed by treatments selected from the group comprising heat sterilization, pasteurization, filtration and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one small molecule compound is selected from the group comprising citric acid, ascorbic acid, honey, dry honey, cane sugar, grape fruit essential oil, citrus essential oil, ethyl alcohol, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the agricultural substrate is selected from the group comprising one or more of grains, cereals, seeds, herbs, spices, dry fruits, berries, citrus fruits, tubers, vegetables, edible flowers, non-legume beans, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the liquid media is kept either stationary or non-stationary during liquid state fermentation. 
     
     
         15 . A method of preparation of an aqueous extract of a myceliated agricultural substrate for use as a nutraceutical composition for human consumption with neuroprotective and neuroregenerative activity, comprising the steps of:
 optionally pre-processing an agricultural substrate based on nature of the agricultural substrate;   inoculating the agricultural substrate with a pure strain of a fungal culture selected from a group comprising  Tremella fuciformis  and  Hericium erinaceus , derived from a liquid fermentation under optimum growth conditions;   enabling mycelial growth on the agricultural substrate till the mycelial growth reaches a predetermined stage to obtain the myceliated agricultural substrate;   obtaining a water-substrate mixture by boiling the myceliated agricultural substrate in water for a suitable duration of time and at suitable temperature;   separating aqueous and non-aqueous components from the water-substrate mixture;   adding at least one small molecule compound to the aqueous component to form the aqueous extract; and   optionally formulating the aqueous extract into a nutraceutical or food composition;   wherein the at least one small molecule compound enhances bioavailability, water solubility and passive absorption of the aqueous extract.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one small molecule compound is selected from the group comprising citric acid, ascorbic acid, honey, cane sugar, grape fruit essential oil, citrus essential oil, ethyl alcohol and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the pre-processing is selected from the group comprising:
 a. heat treatment comprising pasteurization or heat sterilization;   b. filtration;   c. at least partial coating of a surface of the agricultural substrate with a substance selected from the group comprising vegetable oil, lecithin and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the vegetable oil is olive oil. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the agricultural substrate is selected from the group comprising one or more of grains, cereals, seeds, dry fruits, herbs, spices, citrus fruits, tubers, berries, vegetables, non-legume beans and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the agricultural substrate is selected from the group comprising green coffee beans, green cocoa beans and green vanilla beans.