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Can Medicinal Mushrooms Have Prophylactic or Therapeutic Effect Against COVID-19 and its Pneumonic Superinfection and Complicating Inflammation?

Summary

This research examines how certain medicinal mushrooms might help fight COVID-19 infection and its complications. These mushrooms have shown ability to boost immune function, fight infections, and reduce harmful inflammation. The study suggests they could potentially help protect against or treat COVID-19 in several ways: • Could help prevent or fight secondary bacterial infections that often complicate COVID-19 cases • May help control the excessive inflammation that causes severe COVID-19 symptoms • Could boost the immune system’s ability to fight the virus • Might help protect against antibiotic-resistant bacteria • Could potentially be used as a natural supplement alongside other COVID-19 treatments

Background

Medicinal mushrooms have documented effects against different diseases, including infections and inflammatory disorders. The Basidiomycota mushrooms Agaricus blazei Murill (AbM), Hericium erinaceus (HE), and Grifola frondosa (GF) have shown antimicrobial activity against viral agents, bacteria, and parasites both in vitro and in vivo through immunomodulatory mechanisms.

Objective

To review possible prophylactic and therapeutic effects that medicinal mushrooms AbM, HE and GF might have against COVID-19 infection and its complications, particularly focusing on their antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Results

The reviewed studies showed that these mushrooms exhibit significant antiviral effects against various viruses, reduce bacteremia and increase survival in bacterial infection models, and demonstrate potent anti-inflammatory properties. An AbM-based mushroom extract (Andosan™) was particularly effective in reducing bacteremia in pneumococcal sepsis and improving inflammatory conditions. The mushrooms’ mechanisms of action include immunomodulation, enhanced Th1 cellular immune response, and mucosal defense activation.

Conclusion

The medicinal mushrooms AbM, HE and GF show promise as prophylactic or therapeutic add-on remedies for COVID-19 infection, particularly against pneumococcal superinfection and damaging inflammation. Their immunomodulatory properties could be effective even against multi-resistant bacteria, while helping to control the immune overreaction associated with COVID-19.
  • Published in:Scandinavian Journal of Immunology,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: 10.1111/sji.12937
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