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The Pharmacological Potential of Mushrooms

Summary

This research examines how mushrooms can be used as medicine, showing they contain powerful compounds that can fight disease and boost health. Many mushrooms traditionally used in Asian medicine are now being scientifically validated for their therapeutic properties. Impacts on everyday life: • New treatment options for cancer patients through mushroom-based immunotherapy • Natural alternatives for managing diabetes and high cholesterol • Potential new antibiotics from mushrooms to fight resistant bacteria • Dietary supplements derived from medicinal mushrooms for immune system support • Development of new drugs from mushroom compounds for various diseases

Background

The medicinal use of mushrooms has a long tradition in Asian countries, while their use in Western countries has only slightly increased in recent decades. The market value of medicinal mushrooms and their dietary supplements worldwide was approximately US $1.2 billion in 1991 and grew to an estimated US $6 billion in 1999.

Objective

This review aims to describe pharmacologically active compounds from mushrooms, focusing on recent literature. It covers compounds and complex substances with antimicrobial, antiviral, antitumor, antiallergic, immunomodulating, anti-inflammatory, antiatherogenic, hypoglycemic, hepatoprotective and central activities.

Results

The review found that mushrooms contain diverse bioactive compounds including polysaccharides, triterpenes, proteins and other substances with significant medicinal properties. Key findings include antimicrobial effects against resistant bacteria, antiviral activities including anti-HIV properties, antitumor effects through immunomodulation, and benefits for conditions like diabetes, allergies, and cardiovascular disease. Several mushroom-derived compounds have progressed to clinical use, particularly in Asia.

Conclusion

Mushrooms have great potential for producing useful bioactive metabolites and are a prolific resource for drugs. The spectrum of detected pharmacological activities is very broad. With increasing knowledge of mushroom chemistry, biotechnology and molecular biology, plus improved screening methods, rapid growth in medicinal mushroom applications can be expected. However, standardized production methods and proper quality controls need to be established.
  • Published in:Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: 10.1093/ecam/neh107
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