Effects of cultivation methods and growth stages on bioactive compound profiles and antioxidant capacity in Ganoderma lucidum: a comparative analysis of normal versus antler-shaped fruiting bodies

This study investigates how culture condition and growth stage affect morphological development, phenolic acid, flavonoid accumulation, and in vitro antioxidant capacity in Ganoderma lucidum ( G. lucidum ). We found that 0.5% CO 2 stress induces antler-shaped G. lucidum (AGL) and suppresses biomass accumulation. AGL shows higher antioxidant capacity early on, while conventionally grown fruiting bodies accumulate more phenolics and flavonoids at maturity, yielding greater overall antioxidant activity. Integrated metabolomics, WGCNA, network pharmacology, and molecular docking identified phenolic acids and flavonoids as potential functional metabolites driving these differences. They are predicted to exert antioxidant effects by modulating PTGS2, PPARG, and EGFR, thereby coordinately regulating NF-κB, PI3K-Akt, MAPK, HIF-1, and p53 pathways. Docking was consistent with stable binding of characteristic monomers to target proteins. Our findings support standardized, phenotype-targeted cultivation of G. lucidum and the development of natural antioxidant food ingredients.