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.
Scientists developed a genetic engineering technique to modify king stropharia (a cultivated edible mushroom) by inserting foreign genes into its cells. This breakthrough allows researchers to study how the mushroom grows and produces beneficial compounds. The technique uses a bacterium called Agrobacterium tumefaciens to naturally deliver genes into mushroom cells, similar to how it infects plants. This advancement could lead to improved cultivation practices and enhanced nutritional or medicinal properties.
Fungi used in industries to produce antibiotics, enzymes, and other useful products sometimes mysteriously lose their ability to produce these substances effectively. This review explains why this happens through various mechanisms including genetic changes, chemical modifications of genes, and stress responses. The authors provide practical strategies to prevent this loss of productivity, such as careful strain selection, proper storage methods, and tailored bioprocess design to maintain stable production.
Mushrooms are nutrient-rich foods containing compounds that protect our bodies from damage and reduce inflammation. When mushrooms are processed into powders, extracts, or specially designed capsules, they can be added to ordinary foods like bread, pasta, and yogurt to make them healthier. This review shows that these mushroom-enriched foods successfully boost the antioxidant power of products, though the best results depend on how the mushrooms are prepared and which type of food they’re added to.
Cordyceps chanhua is a medicinal fungus used in traditional Chinese medicine that produces a compound called beauvericin, which has health benefits but can be toxic in high amounts. Researchers discovered a gene called CcT1 that controls how much beauvericin the fungus makes. By removing this gene, they could reduce beauvericin production by 64%, making the fungus safer to use as medicine while maintaining other beneficial properties.
Mushroom mycelium grown in liquid fermentation produces many beneficial compounds like polysaccharides and proteins that support immune function and may help fight cancer and oxidative stress. These fermented mushroom products can be added to foods, beverages, and health supplements to boost their nutritional value and health benefits. Studies show that fermented mushroom mycelium sometimes contains higher levels of beneficial compounds compared to whole mushroom fruiting bodies, making it a promising ingredient for functional foods and health products.
Natural polysaccharides from plants, mushrooms, and seaweed show promise as treatments for type 2 diabetes. These complex sugar molecules work through multiple mechanisms including improving how the body uses insulin, reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, and promoting beneficial gut bacteria. The effectiveness of these polysaccharides depends on their specific chemical structure, particularly their molecular weight and how their sugar units are linked together.
This review explores how medicinal mushrooms may help fight depression through several natural mechanisms. These mushrooms contain compounds that boost serotonin production, reduce brain inflammation, and promote healthy neural growth. The review also discusses psilocybin from magic mushrooms as a promising rapid-acting treatment for severe depression that doesn’t respond to conventional medications.
This study tested 30 different mushroom species to determine which ones are the best sources of natural antioxidants that can help protect the body from damage caused by harmful free radicals. Researchers grew the mushrooms in laboratory conditions and measured their antioxidant power and beneficial compounds like polyphenols and polysaccharides. Oyster-like mushrooms called Lentinula edodes and Fomitopsis pinicola showed the strongest antioxidant activity, making them promising candidates for use in health supplements and functional foods.
Researchers created a combination extract from four Asian plants including ginseng, medicinal mushrooms, and other herbs to treat acne. They tested this blend in laboratories and found it effectively killed acne-causing bacteria, reduced skin inflammation, repaired the skin barrier, and reduced oily skin production. The extract was safe for skin cells and appeared to work as well as or better than standard treatments.