Health-Promoting Properties of Medicinal Mushrooms and Their Bioactive Compounds for the COVID-19 Era—An Appraisal: Do the Pro-Health Claims Measure Up?

Author: mycolabadmin
2022-04-01
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Summary

This research examines how medicinal mushrooms might help fight COVID-19 through their natural healing properties. Mushrooms contain powerful compounds that can boost immunity, reduce inflammation, and protect against viruses. Here’s how this research impacts everyday life: • People may be able to use certain mushroom supplements to help strengthen their immune system against COVID-19 • Common edible mushrooms like shiitake and maitake could be incorporated into regular diets for potential health benefits • Natural mushroom compounds might help reduce the severity of COVID-19 symptoms in infected individuals • Mushroom extracts could potentially be developed into new therapeutic treatments • Understanding proper mushroom preparation methods is important for getting maximum health benefits

Background

Mushrooms have long been regarded as healthful and widely consumed for their culinary and nutritional values. Some species have an ancient tradition as medicinal therapies, and increasingly, this is being realized in a contemporary context. Until recently, the scientific understanding of mushrooms’ application as a medicinal agent has been chiefly empiric. Interest in advancing the health properties and pharmacological activities means that clinical research is growing, and much of the traditional knowledge is being documented and validated.

Objective

To investigate if research supports the potential of medicinal mushrooms to enhance health and protect against or ameliorate symptoms associated with COVID-19, and to identify what limitations currently impact utilizing mushrooms as a reliable medicinal treatment. The review explores current research about medicinal mushrooms to identify key properties claimed to confer health benefits in the context of COVID-19.

Results

Research revealed therapeutic potentials including anti-pathogenic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, gut microbiota enhancement, and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 specificity properties. Specific bioactive compounds derived from mushrooms demonstrated capability of inducing physiological effects that could be considered applicable in preventing COVID-19, mitigating symptoms or reducing disease severity. These effects include anti-pathogenic, anti-inflammatory, immune-modulatory, antioxidant, and ACE inhibitory activity.

Conclusion

Medicinal mushrooms are well placed as a possible therapeutic option due to their demonstrated functions and properties. However, many health claims may be ahead of actual research validation, particularly concerning human translatability in specific COVID-19 contexts. Factors such as extraction method, growing conditions, standardization practices, mechanisms of action, and formulation synergies require greater understanding and examination.

Published in:Molecules,
Study Type:Review,
Source: 10.3390/molecules27072302