The super powers of the mushroom
A mushroom is defined as a living being without chlorophyll composed of a base and a cap, both made up of networks of filaments, called the mycelium. The interest in the fungus is mainly based on its reproductive apparatus, called the carpophore or the sporophore which is studied for its complex composition.
Mushrooms represent an exciting and unique universe: they have nothing to do with plants or animals, they are separate living organisms. They are absolutely essential in the cycle of nature. For example, it is mushrooms that rid the soil of our planet of various organic debris, like the rest of the plants which they transform into humus. Without them, the ground would be covered with such a layer of debris that life, as we know it, could not exist! They are intimately linked to the life cycle of all living beings and are therefore essential to us.
Mycology and mycotherapy
There is a branch of science devoted to the study of mushrooms: mycology.
Mycology really began around the 16th century: it was estimated that there were 3.3 million species in the Fungi kingdom. Of these, only 80,000 have been named by researchers. Of the 14,000 species well known to mycologists, only 50% are edible to certain degrees. 2,000 species of mushrooms are considered healthy edibles.
Historically, medicinal mushrooms have been integrated into several healing traditions in Asia, where they have been appreciated for centuries. They are particularly present in traditional Chinese medicine and Kampo medicine. Mushroom medicine, or Mycotherapy , is an integral part of Chinese pharmacopoeia.
Mushrooms with many virtues
The best-known medicinal mushrooms in the world have seen, over recent decades, scientific and clinical studies on their composition and their benefits multiply.
Mushrooms such as Reishi, Maitake, Shiitake, Cordyceps, Chaga, and Hericium have been the subject of numerous studies to better understand their composition. This research aims to explore the diversity and complexity of the compounds present in these mushrooms.
Bibliography:
- Guang-Hua MAO et al., “Antitumor and immunomodulatory activity of a water-soluble polysaccharide from Grifola frondosa”, 08/2015, in Carbohydrate Polymers , p.406-412
- MA XIAO-LEI et al., “Immunomodulatory activity of macromolecular polysaccharide isolated from Grifola frondosa”, 12/2015, in Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines
- Gui-Tang CHEN et al., "Isolation, purification and antioxidant activities of polysaccharides from Grifola frondosa", 02/2012, in Carbohydrate Polymers , p.61-66
- CSG KITZBERGER et al, “Antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of shiitake extracts obtained by organic solvents and supercritical fluids”, 2006, in Journal of Food Engineering , p.631-638
- Andreia AJ CARNEIRO et al., “Chemical composition and antioxidant of dried powder formulations of Agaricus blazei and Lentinus edodes”, 2012, in Food Chemistry , p.2168-2173
- Weifa ZHENG et al., “Accumulation of antioxidant phenolic constituents in submerged cultures of Inonotus obloquus”, 2008, in Bioresource Technology , p.1327-1335
- SQ HUANG et al., “Antioxidant activities of five polysaccharides from Inonotus obliquus”, 03/2012, in International Journal of Biological Macromolecules , p.1183-1187
- XiuJu DU et al., “Chemical analysis and antioxidant activity of polysaccharides extracted from Inonotus obliquus sclerotia”, 10/2013, in International Journal of Biological Macromolecules , p.691-696
- Jasmina GLAMOELIJA et al., “Chemical characterization and biological activity of Chaga, a medicinal mushroom”, 2014, in Journal of Ethnopharmacology , p.323-332
- Chao LIU et al., “Chemical Constituents from Inonotus obliquus and Their Biological Activities”, 12/2013, in Journal of Natural Products
- Cong WANG et al., “Effects of simulated gastrointestinal digestion in vitro on the chemical properties, antioxidant activity of polysaccharides from Inonotus obliquus”, 10/2017, in Food Research International , p.280-288
- Trishna DEBNATH et al., “Anti-Oxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Inonotus Obliquus and Germinated Brown Rice Extracts”, 07/2013, in Molecules , p.9293-9304
- Juan CHEN et al., “Genomic and transcriptomic analyzes reveal differential regulation of diverse terpenoid and polyketide secondary metabolites in Hericium erinaceus”, 08/2017, in Scientific Reports
- Xirui HE et al., “Structures, biological activities, and industrial applications of the polysaccharides from Hericium erinaceus mushroom”, 01/2017, in International Journal of Biological Macromolecules , p.228-237