Begell House Inc.
International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms
IJM
1521-9437
2
3
2000
Medicinal Value of the Genus Tremella Pers. (Heterobasidiomycetes) (Review)
26
10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v2.i3.10
Sergey V.
Reshetnikov
N. G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 2 Tereshchenkivskaya Str., Kiev 252001, Ukraine; and Med Myco Ltd., Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, Haifa 31905, Israel
Solomon P.
Wasser
International Centre for Biotechnology and Biodiversity of Fungi,
Institute of Evolution and Faculty of Natural Sciences,
University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, Haifa 31905, Israel
Ina
Duckman
Med Myco Ltd., Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, Haifa 31905, Israel
Katherina
Tsukor
Med Myco Ltd., Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Mt. Carmel, Haifa 31905, Israel
Jelly mushrooms from the genus Tremella have been known in Oriental medicine for hundreds of years as beneficial for health. During the last decades they were intensively investigated for medicinal effects in in vivo and in vitro model systems, and clinical applications were developed for different groups of patients. Both traditional and modern medicinal properties of Tremella mushrooms are reviewed. The present review includes the data on Tremella taxonomy and systematics, peculiarities of dimorphic growth, biological and ecological aspects of complicated life cycle, and fructification ability in pure culture. Nutritional value and composition are compared in wild and cultivated fruiting bodies. The promising feature of Tremella species is that the main pharmacological effects are attributable to acidic heteropolysaccharide glucuronoxylomannan action. Polysaccharide composition of fruiting bodies and those produced in pure culture are compared. It is shown that the antitumor activity of Tremella mushrooms is due to immunomodulating effects of both humoral and cellular immune factors in the body. Tremella species also stimulate vascular endothelial cells; possess pronounced antiradiating effects; stimulate hematogenesis; demonstrate antidiabetic, antiinflammatory, hypocholesterolemic, antiallergic activities; and show hepatoprotective effects. Tremella glucuronoxylomannan can be recommended to improve immunodeficiency, including that induced by AIDS, physical stress, or aging, and to prevent senile degeneration of microvessels, maintaining better blood perfusion conditions in vital organs.
Antioxidant and Antitumor Activity of Ganoderma lucidum (Curt.: Fr.) P. Karst.—Reishi (Aphyllophoromycetideae) from South India
6
10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v2.i3.20
Susan
Jones
Amala Cancer Research Centre, Amala Nagar, Trichur-680553, India
Kainoor Krishnankutty
Janardhanan
Amala Cancer Research Centre, Thrissur 680555,India
Antioxidant and antitumor properties of Ganoderma lucidum (Curt.: Fr.) P. Karst. (Aphyllophoromycetideae) from tropical South India were investigated. A methanol extract of the mushroom showed marked superoxide radical scavenging, hydroxyl radical scavenging, and lipid peroxidation inhibiting activities. The superoxide scavenging activity of the extract was significantly high. The aqueous extract also showed marked hydroxyl radical scavenging and superoxide radical scavenging activity. Hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of the extract was significantly high. However, the aqueous extract did not inhibit lipid peroxidation. Neither methanol nor aqueous extract showed any appreciable antitumor activity against ascites tumor. However, the extracts exhibited significant antitumor activity against solid tumor induced by Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma cells. The results of the investigations indicate that G. lucidum strains occurring in tropical South India possessed significant antioxidant and antitumor properties. The findings suggest the potent therapeutic use of South Indian strains of G. lucidum.
Chemical Constituents of Inonotus obliquus (Pers.: Fr.) Pil. (Aphyllophoromycetideae) III: A New Triterpene, 3β,22,25-Trihydroxy-Lanosta-8-ene from Sclerotia
8
10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v2.i3.30
Yusoo
Shin
Laboratory of Forest Chemistry, Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8589, Japan
Yutaka
Tamai
Laboratory of Forest Resource Biology, Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8589, Japan
Minoru
Terazawa
Laboratory of Forest Chemistry, Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8589, Japan
A new lanostane type triterpene, 3β,22,25-trihydroxy-lanosta-8-ene, which is a derivative of inotodiol hydrated at C-25 of isopentenyl group was isolated from the sclerotia of white-rot fungus, Inonotus obliquus (Pers.: Fr.)Pil.
Traditional Medicinal Mushrooms and Fungi of India
6
10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v2.i3.40
Jitendra G.
Vaidya
Department of Botany, University of Pune, Ganeshkhind Road, Pune-411 007, Maharashtra, India
Prasad Y.
Lamrood
Department of Botany, Ahmednagar College (affiliated with Savitribai Phule Pune University), Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, India
Ayurveda is the oldest system of medicine in India that describes medicinal uses of several plants and very few mushrooms and wood rotting fungi. The obvious one is phansomba (species of Phellinus). Phansomba, known also as phanas-alombe or phanas-alambi, is commonly sold in ayurvedic shops in the western parts of India (Maharashtra, Gujrat, Goa) as a treatment for throat ailments and dental disorders as well as for some ailments of children. The mushroom was discovered in the Pune market in 1985. The present article attempts to describe medicinal uses of phansomba, as well as some other mushrooms and fungi used in folk medicine of India.
Cultivation of the Medicinal Mushroom Royal Sun Agaricus—Agaricus blazei Murr. (Agaricomycetideae)
6
10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v2.i3.50
Takashi
Mizuno
Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Shizuoka University, 4-13-9 Seinan-Cho, Fujieda-Shi 426-0063, Japan
Information on the industrial cultures in Brazil, Japan, China, and Korea of the North American edible and medicinal mushroom Agaricus blazei Murr. is discussed.
Ecology, Morphology, and Morphogenesis in Nature of Edible and Medicinal Mushroom Grifola frondosa (Dicks.: Fr.) S.F.Gray—Maitake (Aphyllophoromycetideae)
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10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v2.i3.60
Alice W.
Chen
Specialty Mushrooms, 1730 Penfield Rd., No.41, Penfield, NY 14526, USA
Paul E.
Stamets
University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California; Fungi Perfecti P.O. Box 7634 Olympia, WA 98507, USA
Robert B.
Cooper
Rochester Museum and Science Center, Cumming Nature Center, Naples, NY, USA
Nian Lai
Huang
Saming Mycological Institute, Saming, Fujian Province, People's Republic of China
Sheng-Hua
Han
Hua-Dan Mushrooms, Qing Yuan, Zhejiang Province, China
Grifola frondosa (Dicks.: Fr.) S. F. Gray, best known as maitake, is an important medicinal and a choice edible mushroom. As a white-rot fungus, causing butt rot, the mushroom is associated primarily with deciduous forests in Northern temperate regions in North America, Europe, and countries such as Japan and China. The mushroom can also be found at high elevations with temperate climate in subtropics. Characteristics of habitats (in terms of distribution, altitude, major host-substrate tree species, soil, and climatic factors including lighting, temperature, and relative humidity); ecological characterization of the mushroom; life history (morphogenesis in nature); and morphological studies of the fruiting body are described. Of special interest are recent reports of possible sclerotia-producing strains in G. frondosa in North America and China. A description of G. frondosa sclerotia is given. These rare strains could be important, as G. frondosa sclerotia can be valuable in medicinal use.
Inhibiting Effect of Medicinal Mushroom Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Sing. (Agaricomycetideae) on Aflatoxin Production by Aspergillus parasiticus Speare
8
10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v2.i3.70
Corrado
Fanelli
Dipartimento di Biologia Vegetale, Universita di Roma "La Sapienza," Largo Cristina di Svezia 24, 00165 Roma, Italy
Valeria
Tasca
Dipartimento di Biologia Vegetale, Universita di Roma "La Sapienza," Largo Cristina di Svezia 24, 00165 Roma, Italy
Alessandra
Ricelli
Dipartimento di Biologia Vegetale, Universita di Roma "La Sapienza," Largo Cristina di Svezia 24, 00165 Roma, Italy
Massimo
Reverberi
Dipartimento di Biologia Vegetale, Universita di Roma "La Sapienza," Largo Cristina di Svezia 24, 00165 Roma, Italy
Slaven
Zjalic
Dipartimento di Biologia Vegetale, Universita di Roma "La Sapienza," Largo Cristina di Svezia 24, 00165 Roma, Italy
Enrico
Finotti
lstituto Nazionale della Nutrizione, via Ardeatina 546, 00100 Roma, Italy
Anna Adele
Fabbri
Dipartimento di Biologia Vegetale, Universita di Roma "La Sapienza," Largo Cristina di Svezia 24, 00165 Roma, Italy
Culture filtrates of Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Sing, (shiitake mushroom) added to potato dextrose broth inoculated with a toxigenic strain of Aspergillus parasiticus Speare showed an inhibiting effect on aflatoxin production. Filtrates from 30- (steady conditions) and 15-(shaken conditions)-day-old cultures were the most efficient in inhibiting aflatoxin production by A. parasiticus. Mycelia of L. edodes, incubated on wheat seeds for 20 and 30 days and subsequently inoculated with A. parasiticus, delayed fungal growth of the toxigenic strain and inhibited aflatoxin production. L. edodes represents a promising medicinal mushroom to control the infection by A. parasiticus and the aflatoxin production.
PERSPECTIVES OF MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS IN HEALTH CARE AND NUTRITION IN THE 21ST CENTURY,AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE, 12-14 September 2001, Kiev, Ukraine
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10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v2.i3.70