Development of Lion’s Mane Mushroom Extract-Loaded Polyvinyl Alcohol/Chitosan Hydrogel Film Composites for Controlled Release of Ergosterol

Ergosterol is the most prevalent sterol in microbial membranes, which shows a hypoglycemic effect that can be used to treat type 2 diabetes. However, ergosterol has restricted bioavailability and low free-form solubility in hydrophilic conditions. This research aimed to evaluate the properties of bioactive compounds, ergosterol, from Lion's Mane mushroom (LM) mushroom extract and entrap them in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and chitosan (CS) hydrogel film composites with/without the crosslinker tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) to increase the solubility of ergosterol. Ergosterol-enriched extract (37.17 mg/g extract) was extracted from the LM by supercritical fluid extraction using CO2 (SCFE-CO2). LM extract showed no cytotoxic effects on the fibroblast cells, with cell viability ranging from 94.60-97.40%, increased cell proliferation, and wound-healing activity at 1 mg/mL of LM extract. Scanning Electron Microscopy revealed that the film exhibited a homogenous structure with swelling ability. The release rate of ergosterol from the film was relatively higher during 30 to 60 min of submersion in phosphate buffer. LM extract-loaded PVA/CS hydrogel film composites have a high potential for wound-healing applications in medical settings. This research challenges further investigation for alternative treatments and offering aids for efficiency improvement in wound-healing. The longer release rate of LM extracts should be investigated in future work.