The potential of polypore extracts to modulate angiogenesis and inflammation: Insights from in vitro screening on endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and leukocyte recruitment

Polypores have a rich history in traditional medicine and significantly contribute to the ethnopharmacological alimentarium across diverse cultures. These fungi produce diverse specialized metabolites and have supposed antitumoral, lipid-lowering, antiviral, and either immune-stimulating or anti-inflammatory activities [ 1 ]. We screened over 80 polypore extracts and fractions against various functional in vitro assays related to angiogenesis and inflammation, including endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and leukocyte recruitment to endothelial cells. Several ethanolic extracts, notably of Inonotus obliquus , Pseudoinonotus dryadeus , Laricifomes officinalis , and Piptoporus betulinus , inhibited the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), suggesting potential anti-angiogenic activity. MS networking identified lanostane-type triterpenoids as contributors to these effects. Given its promising bioactivity, Inonotus obliquus was selected for further mycochemical investigation. This led to the identification of the lanostane-type triterpenes lanosterol, inotodiol, and inonotsutriol A as active principles, with their biological effects showing some correlation with lipophilicity. Conversely, only a few extracts inhibited leukocyte recruitment to endothelial cells, suggesting limited anti-inflammatory activity. This contrasts with other reported immunomodulatory effects of polypores, such as inhibition of cytokine release and inhibition of NF-κB in LPS stimulated leukocytes [ 2 ]. Our findings highlight the potential of polypores to modulate endothelial cell proliferation, suggesting some potential to inhibit angiogenesis, which aligns with their ethnomedicinal use as antitumoral agents. However, their influence on inflammation appears selective, warranting further investigation into their immunomodulatory properties. Publication History Article published online: 05 March 2026 © 2026. Thieme. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany