Fungi naturally produce many compounds that kill harmful bacteria, fungi, and viruses. This review explores how these fungal compounds could replace antibiotics that no longer work due to drug resistance. These natural substances could be used not only as medicines but also in cosmetic products to prevent bacterial growth and improve skin health.
This review explores how fungi produce remarkable chemical compounds that have been transformed into important medicines for over a century. Starting with penicillin in the 1940s, scientists have discovered dozens of fungal-derived drugs used to treat infections, prevent organ rejection, lower cholesterol, and fight cancer. Modern technology now allows researchers to discover and analyze these compounds much faster and with smaller samples than ever before.
Microbiome engineering uses advanced biotechnology to strategically modify helpful bacteria in food to make it safer and higher quality. By using tools like CRISPR gene editing and engineering beneficial probiotics, scientists can prevent food spoilage, reduce harmful bacteria, improve nutrition, and create better-tasting foods. These innovations could reduce reliance on synthetic preservatives and chemicals while addressing global food safety challenges and helping combat malnutrition.
Researchers discovered that a bacterium called Weissella confusa produces a sticky substance (exopolysaccharide) that has multiple health benefits. This substance fights harmful bacteria, acts as an antioxidant, helps heal wounds, and may slow down skin aging by reducing proteins that break down collagen. Because this bacterium produces much more of this substance than other commonly studied bacteria, it could be used in food preservation, health supplements, and anti-aging skincare products.
Tiny plastic particles called microplastics are spreading through our environment and creating a dangerous partnership with antibiotic-resistant bacteria. When these plastics accumulate in soil, water, and even food, they carry bacteria with genes that resist antibiotics, making infections harder to treat. This combined threat to human health can spread through wind, water, and the food chain, requiring urgent action to reduce plastic pollution and antibiotic overuse.
This research examined how Lion’s Mane mushroom extracts made with different liquids can fight infections and oxidative damage. The water-based extract was best at preventing viruses and free radical damage, while the ethyl acetate extract worked best against bacteria and fungi. The study identified 16 beneficial compounds in the mushroom and suggests it could be used as a daily supplement to protect against infections and oxidative stress.
Mushrooms contain special compounds called peptides and proteins that can boost your immune system and fight harmful bacteria. These mushroom-derived compounds show promise as natural alternatives to antibiotics, which are becoming less effective due to antibiotic resistance. Researchers are studying how these mushroom compounds could help treat difficult infections, wounds that won’t heal, and cancer, though more testing is needed before they can be used widely as medicines.
Medicines we take don’t fully disappear—30 to 90% are excreted unchanged and end up in water supplies. These pharmaceutical residues contaminate drinking water and harm aquatic life worldwide. Scientists are discovering that certain fungi and bacteria can break down these drug residues through natural metabolic processes. By harnessing these microbes in treatment systems and improving waste management practices, we could significantly reduce pharmaceutical pollution.
Scientists have developed a greener way to coat medical devices like wound dressings and catheters with antibacterial materials using electrospun fibers. These tiny fibers are made from natural, renewable materials and release antimicrobial agents slowly and effectively to prevent infections. Unlike traditional antibiotics that can create resistance, these coatings use multiple attack methods against bacteria, making them harder for microbes to develop resistance against.
Scientists have discovered a new way to create tiny fluorescent particles called carbon nanodots from oyster mushrooms using heat treatment. These particles glow under certain light conditions and show promising ability to fight bacteria like E. coli. The process is environmentally friendly, uses waste mushroom material, and could lead to new ways to treat infections and reduce dependence on antibiotics.