Medicinal mushrooms, having been the focus of scientific research in recent years, are experiencing a surge in popularity due to a boom in the health industry as well an increase in the number of people who are adopting a vegan lifestyle. Mushrooms, that is the fruiting bodies of a fungal colony, have been used in medicine for centuries and Chinese medicine is notable for its use of fungal remedies for a variety of ailments. Scientists, seeking evidence of the healing powers of mushrooms, have tried to identify chemicals in fungus that are capable of treating health problems. These medicinal mushrooms, available as powders and extracts, are available in health food stores and coffee shops.
Turkey tail and other polypore mushrooms could be used to fight cancer.
Certain polypore mushrooms, or fruiting bodies where spores are released via pores instead of through gills, contain compounds that could be used to treat cancer and which may provide the basis of future anti-cancer drugs. Trametes versicolor, also known as the Turkey tail mushroom, could enhance the immune system’s ability to destroy cancerous cells while Phellinus linteus is thought to suppress the growth of tumours. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy suppress the immune system, reducing the amount of t-cells that are available to destroy cancerous tissue, and the ability of medicinal mushrooms to improve immunological response to malignant cells could improve cancer treatment.
Lion’s Mane mushroom may improve cognitive function.
The chemical constituents of Hericium erinaceus, or the Lion’s mane mushroom, are thought to improve cognitive function and may reduce the symptoms of some neurodegenerative disorders. Erinacines and hericenones, present within the mushroom, are known to stimulate the production of biomolecules which promote the growth as well as the maintenance of neurons. Nerve growth factor (NGF) is one such biomolecule that promotes neurogenesis, that is the creation of new nerve cells, and prevents the death of neurons in the sensory and sympathetic nervous system. This mushroom’s ability to prevent neuronal apoptosis, or nerve cell death, may bring hope to those suffering from dementia.
Certain types of medicinal fungi have antimicrobial properties.
Networks of fungal cells, known as the mycelium, live in soil or in decaying wood and are capable of forming the largest as well as the longest-living organisms on earth. The mycelium, producing mushrooms for reproductive purposes, is able to form symbiotic relationships with benevolent organisms while synthesising antimicrobial chemicals that protect it from pathogens. Fungi that produce antimicrobial compounds, such as Oyster mushrooms, are of interest to the pharmaceutical industry and may lead to the development of new generation of drugs. Medications derived from Laricifomes officinalis, or the Agarikon mushroom, are able to neutralise Influenza and Herpes viruses.
The reasons why medicinal mushrooms have become more popular in recent times.
The rise of medicinal mushrooms in the second decade of the twenty-first century is due to a resurgence of interest in traditional medicines, new research into the therapeutic properties of certain fungi and the buyer decisions of health-conscious consumers. The tendency of fashionable cafés to infuse coffee, hot chocolate, juices, smoothies or tea with dried and powdered medicinal mushrooms has made these types of fungus popular with young and aspirational patrons. Some medicinal mushrooms, such as Reishi and Shiitake mushrooms, are known for their culinary uses as well their therapeutic benefits while others may have a bitter or earthy taste than needs to be disguised. The global market value of medicinal mushrooms, worth an estimated $14 billion in 2014, is predicted to rise to $50 billion by 2024.
