Fungi a source with huge potential for 'mushroom pharmaceuticals'

Abstract

Mushrooms for ages have been used by humans, not only as a source of food but as medicinal resources as well. They were used as a part of traditional medicine, first of all in the civilizations of the East and recently in Western civilizations. The mushrooms constitute 16,000 species worldwide with more than 2000 species identified as safe. Among these mushrooms, 1000 are edible, while others have been used as a source of biofuel, in medicinal formulation, as biochemicals, and for other purposes. Mushrooms have also huge potential, such as a "mushroom pharmaceuticals" with 130 medicinal functions. Therefore, they have been considered as potential source of antioxidant, antitumor, an-tiviral, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory agents. This review focuses on the antimicrobial and analgetic activities of some medicinal mushrooms.