Mushrooms – From Traditional Remedies to the Modern Therapeutics; In: Mushrooms with Therapeutic Potentials (Recent advances in research and development).

Abstract

Although the living standard and life expectancy have been increasing significantly, we face numerous arising challenges in modern medicine, such as the presence of increasing exogenous triggers of oxidative stress that lead to the emergence of multiple diseases and disorders, the appearance of an increasing number of resistant microorganisms, an immense number of patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders as well as autoimmune and rare diseases. Therefore, we need the help of natural sources of active compounds, among which mushrooms are important. They have been an integral part of traditional medicine for centuries, and modern research has confirmed their bioactivities and given them a scientific basis. Numerous species, primarily from the genera Ganoderma, Lentinus, Pleurotus, Innonotus, Trametes, Cordyceps, Agaricus, etc., have shown exceptional immunomodulatory, antioxidative, antihypercholesterolemic, antihypertensive, antitumor, antineurodegenerative, antidiabetic, antimicrobial as well as numerous other potentials. Studies have shown that the mushrooms’ crude extracts, as well as various metabolites, especially polysaccharides, phenolic compounds, terpenoids, and proteins, possess mentioned activities and thereby could be the basis for the development of new, more efficient drugs. However, numerous problems and challenges need to be overcome before mushrooms from the domain of traditional medicine move into the modern one and become part of conventional therapy.