Fungi a source with huge potential for 'mushroom pharmaceuticals'

Abstract

Mushrooms for ages have been used by humans, not only as a source of food but as medicinal resources as well. They were used as a part of traditional medicine, first of all in the civilizations of the East and recently in Western civilizations. The mushrooms constitute 16,000 species worldwide with more than 2000 species identified as safe. Among these mushrooms, 1000 are edible, while others have been used as a source of biofuel, in medicinal formulation, as biochemicals, and for other purposes. Mushrooms have also huge potential, such as a "mushroom pharmaceuticals" with 130 medicinal functions. Therefore, they have been considered as potential source of antioxidant, antitumor, antiviral, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory agents. This review focuses on the antimicrobial and analgetic activities of some medicinal mushrooms.

Investigation of Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Different Extracts of Auricularia and Termitomyces Species of Mushrooms

“…The weak AMA of the chloroform and ethanol extracts might be the absence of bioactive compounds in the extracts or lost activities due to heat or chemical transformation into inactive products during extraction [12]. These deviations might also be associated with the difference in the contents and concentrations of the antimicrobial compounds present in the aqueous and organic solvent extracts [42, 43].…”

Comparative investigation on edible mushroomsMacrolepiota mastoidea,M. rhacodesandM. procera: functional foods with diverse biological activities

“…5,6 Numerous pharmacological properties have been attributed to mushrooms, including antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-oxidant, antiviral, immunomodulatory, immunosuppressive, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cholesterol activities. [7][8][9] Since mushrooms have been used as a food since ancient times and their biological functions are continuously explored nowadays, edible species are gaining extreme importance as functional foods or functional food ingredients. Microbial resistance to antibiotics, oxidative stress and cancer prevention is gaining more and more importance when linking natural product ingredients with the prevention of these medical conditions and illnesses.…”

Wild Mushrooms: Potential Natural Sources of Antioxidant and Anti‐Quorum Sensing Bioactive Compounds for Medical Applications

“…According to one study report, diferent solvents may have diferent efects on the quality, strength, and quantity of antioxidant components [51]. Te presence of a high concentration of phenolic acids, carotenoids, tocopherols (vitamin E), and ascorbic acids has also been linked to the antioxidant properties of mushroom extracts, according to numerous research [52][53][54][55].…”