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.
Ganoderma lucidum, a mushroom used in traditional medicine for thousands of years, shows promise in fighting certain blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma. The mushroom contains special compounds that can kill cancer cells in multiple ways—by triggering cancer cell death, boosting the immune system, and preventing cancer cell growth. While laboratory studies are very encouraging, more testing in humans is needed before it can be used as a standard cancer treatment.
Scientists developed a method to purify laccase enzymes from oyster mushrooms using membrane filtration technology. They compared mathematical models to predict how membranes get clogged during filtration and found that using crossflow (tangential) filtration significantly reduces harmful clogging. Understanding these clogging patterns helps improve enzyme purification for use in industrial applications like textile processing and bioremediation.
This comprehensive review examines how medicinal mushrooms contain natural compounds that can boost immune function, fight cancer cells, reduce inflammation, and protect nerve cells. Different mushroom species like reishi, shiitake, and maitake contain various active substances such as beta-glucans and triterpenes that work through multiple biological pathways. While laboratory and animal studies show promising results, more human clinical trials are needed to confirm effectiveness and establish safe dosing guidelines.
Researchers reviewed patents from 2009-2018 on using fungal mycelium to create eco-friendly materials. Instead of petroleum-based plastics, scientists grow fungi on agricultural waste like corn stalks and wood chips, where fungal threads bind the materials together into strong, biodegradable products. These fungal materials are being developed for packaging, car interiors, textiles, and insulation, offering sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics.
Researchers investigated using corncob, a corn industry byproduct, as a growing medium for Auricularia heimuer mushrooms instead of expensive sawdust. By analyzing which genes the mushroom activates at different growth stages, they identified key enzymes responsible for breaking down corncob’s tough cellulose structure. The findings show the mushroom can effectively adapt to use corncob as a substrate, offering a sustainable and economical alternative for mushroom farming while reducing agricultural waste.
Researchers created an improved version of tlayudas, a traditional Mexican tortilla, by adding extracts from the medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum. When mice were fed a high-cholesterol diet with these enhanced tlayudas, they experienced significant reductions in cholesterol and triglycerides comparable to or better than pharmaceutical treatments. These functional foods could help Mexican communities reduce their risk of heart disease and other health problems related to diet.
Your gut bacteria are tiny living organisms that help digest food, support your immune system, and influence your overall health. Eating foods rich in fiber, fermented products like yogurt and kimchi, and colorful fruits and vegetables helps grow these beneficial bacteria. When your gut bacteria become unbalanced, it can lead to inflammation and various diseases, but eating the right foods can restore balance and improve your health.
Researchers tested 64 types of mushroom strains to find which grows the strongest mycelial mats for making eco-friendly materials to replace plastic and other fossil fuel products. They discovered that Ganoderma lucidum, a medicinal mushroom, produces especially thick and strong mycelium that can be grown at large scales. By using the right nutrients like glycerol and skim milk, they were able to grow large sheets of mushroom material that could potentially be used for packaging, furniture, and other products instead of traditional plastics.
Researchers studied how oyster mushrooms respond to heat stress at the genetic level by analyzing which genes turn on and off when exposed to different temperatures. They found that at moderate heat (32°C), the mushrooms could maintain normal growth, but at severe heat (36°C), growth almost completely stopped. The study identified specific genes related to heat shock proteins and cell membrane composition that appear crucial for helping mushrooms survive heat, which could eventually help farmers grow heat-resistant mushroom varieties.