Ganoderma: A propitious medicinal poroid mushroom

Abstract

Emergence of resistance in microorganisms against the current armamentarium of drugs along with severe side effects encountered with usage of synthetic drugs has resurrected natural products and herbal based drug industries. Among various sources of natural products, fungi have always been a key supplier of bioactive molecules of high medicinal importance. Over the years, fungi from the division Basidiomycota have been of keen interest due to isolation of putative bioactive compounds from them. The genus Ganoderma consists of wood-degrading polypore mushrooms which have been traditionally used in China and other Asian countries for the treatment of various ailments. Several species of genus Ganoderma exhibited anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and immunomodulatory properties which are attributed to the presence of various bioactive compounds such as terpenoids, polysaccharides, steroids, fatty acids, and proteins in them. The aim of this chapter is to summarize the research progress on general pharmacological effects of Ganoderma.