The present paper summarizes morphological, taxonomical, and biodiversity information on the important medicinal mushroom genus Trametes on a global scale. An identification key enriched by sufficient morphological descriptions is given for 64 recognized species of this genus. Each species is characterized in its global distribution and also in current or potential medicinal use. Thirteen new combinations were made as follows: Trametes apiaria (Pers.) Zmitr., Wasser & Ezhov; T. flavida (Lév.) Zmitr., Wasser & Ezhov; T. glabrorigens (Lloyd) Zmitr., Wasser & Ezhov; T. hirta (P. Beauv.) Zmitr., Wasser & Ezhov; T. hostmannii (Berk.) Zmitr., Wasser & Ezhov; T. niam-niamensis (P. Henn.) Zmitr., Wasser & Ezhov; T. quarrei (Beeli) Zmitr., Wasser & Ezhov; T. speciosa (Fr.) Zmitr., Wasser & Ezhov; T. strumosa (Fr.) Zmitr., Wasser & Ezhov; T. variegate (Berk.) Zmitr., Wasser & Ezhov; T. vernicipes (Berk.) Zmitr., Wasser & Ezhov; T. vespacea (Pers.) Zmitr., Wasser & Ezhov; and T. warnieri (Durieu & Mont.) Zmitr., Wasser & Ezhov.

Pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest of all solid malignancies, is one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide, with 232,000 new cases and 213,000 deaths reported each year. These unfortunate statistics reflect the advanced stage at which most patients with pancreatic cancer are diagnosed and the paucity of effective chemotherapeutic regimens. Fungal metabolites have been gaining scientific interest because of their medicinal properties. In the present study, 31 different mushroom extracts of 12 medicinal mushroom species were screened for their effect on the viability of human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells. Extraction procedures were executed with organic solvents-ethanol (EAL), ethyl acetate (EAC), and chloroform (CHL). In some cases, culture liquid (CL) extraction was also performed. All extracts were diluted to a concentration of 50 mg/mL dimethyl sulfoxide. Extract effects on cell viability were examined in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells HPAF-II (well differentiated) and PL5 (porrly differentiated), using XTT assay and crystal violet assay (CV). Furthermore, extract effects on LDH leakage were also studied in order to exclude necrotic damage of the extract. The screening phase revealed that among the total 31 extracts examined with various treatment doses (50-500 μg/mL) administered for 72 h, the CL extract of the mushroom Cyathus striatus exhibited the most prominent decrease in cell viability. Moreover, exposure of cells to lower concentrations then the above (1, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 15, 20, and 50 μg/mL) for 24, 48, and 72 h showed a significant decrease in cell viability. Crystal violet results support these findings, and LDH levels measured suggest the lack of a necrotic effect of the extract. Our results indicate that C. striatus CL extract inhibits the viability of human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells; HPAF-II and PL45. Growth inhibition can be achieved in low concentrations of the extract and a short exposure period. This effect can be mediated through apoptosis induction and/or cell cycle arrest; therefore, additional experiments are needed in order to elucidate the extract mechanism of action. These findings may lead to the development of new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Mushrooms are part of fungal biota characterized by wonder. They rise up from lignocellulosic wastes: yet they become so bountiful and nourishing. Mushrooms are environmentally friendly. They biosynthesize their own food from agricultural crop residues, which would otherwise cause health hazards. The extant records show the continued use of some mushrooms, e.g., Lentinus edodes, Ganoderma lucidum, and Cordyceps sinensis are now centuries old. This review presents a pyramid model for mushroom uses (industries), as food, dietary supplements (tonic), and medicine. A regular intake of mushrooms can make us healthier, fitter, and happier, and help us live longer. The sense of purpose and vision for the mushroom industries is also briefly discussed. A variety of mushrooms have been used traditionally in many different cultures for the maintenance of health and in the prevention and treatment of various diseases. A total of 126 medicinal functions are thought to be produced by medicinal mushrooms (MM) and fungi, including antitumor, immunomodulating, antioxidant, radical scavenging, cardiovascular, anti-hypercholesterolemia, antiviral, antibacterial, anti-parasitic, antifungal, detoxification, hepatoprotective, and anti-diabetic effects. Special attention is paid to mushroom polysaccharides. Many, if not all, higher Basidiomycetes mushrooms contain biologically active polysaccharides in fruit bodies, cultured mycelium, and cultured broth. The data on mushroom polysaccharides are summarized for approximately 700 species of higher Hetero- and Homobasidiomycetes. In particular, the most important for modern medicine are polysaccharides with antitumor and immunostimulating properties. Several of the mushroom polysaccharide compounds have proceeded through phase I, II, and III clinical trials and are used extensively and successfully as drugs in Asia to treat various cancers and other diseases. Mushrooms are superior sources of different types of dietary supplements (DSs)(tonics). The advantages of using mushroom-based DSs as a matter of safety (as opposed to herbal preparations) are:(1) The overwhelming majority of mushrooms used for production of DSs are cultivated commercially (and not gathered in the wild).(2) Mushrooms are easily propagated vegetatively and thus keep to one clone. The mycelium can be stored for a long time, and the genetic and biochemical consistency can be checked after a considerable time.(3) The main advantage, in our opinion, is that many mushrooms are capable of growing in the form of mycelial biomass in submerged cultures. In this review, we discuss legal and regulatory issues introducing and controlling DSs from MMs in different countries, including the United States, the European Community, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and P.R. China, and guidelines of the World Health Organization. One of the targets of the present review is also to draw attention to many critically important unsolved problems in the future development of medicinal mushroom science in the 21st century.

Inhibitory effects of the higher Basidiomycetes mushrooms, including species of genus Tremella, on the growth of Helicobacter pyroli (Hp) have been described. This study aimed to test T. mesenterica (Tm) efficacy in vivo on eradication of Hp. This IRB-approved study included 52 consenting patients diagnosed with Hp infections. The patients were selected for 10-day treatments with one of the three arms of the protocol, namely,(i) Tm 2 g,(ii) Tm given with omeprazole 20 mg, or (iii) omeprazole 20 mg, clarithromycin 500 mg, and amoxicillin 1000 mg (all regimens given twice daily). The Tm submerged cultivated mycelium in the form of tablets (1 g) was supplied free of charge to patients. Three weeks after completing the therapy, breath testing was assessed for Hp eradication. The patients who took the standard triple therapy had a 70%(n = 14) eradication rate of Hp. Of the patients taking Tm, with and without omeprazole, only one had a breath test indicative of eradication of Hp, p < 0.000. Tm-treated patients had fewer adverse events and equivalent symptomatic relief. Limitations of this study include the brief duration of Tm therapy. Longer treatment might achieve better results, but was judged to be not warranted, so as to not excessively further delay accepted therapy. Ten-day Tm was not found to be effective in vivo in eradicating Hp, whether if given with or without omeprazole. Significant symptomatic relief found among Tm-treated patients suggests that further study of Tm is well justified.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia with defects in insulin secretion and/or insulin resistance. Despite great efforts that have been made in the understanding and management of diabetes, its prevalence continues to grow. Recent discoveries have opened up an exciting opportunity for developing new types of therapeutics from medicinal mushrooms to control DM and its complications. To date, more and more active components including polysaccharides and their protein complexes, dietary fibers, and other compounds extracted from fruiting bodies, cultured mycelium, or cultured broth of medicinal mushrooms have been reported as to having anti-hyperglycemic activity. These compounds exhibit their antidiabetic activity via different mechanisms. This article presents an overview of the multiple aspects of diabetes mellitus and the efficacy and mechanism of medicinal mushrooms for glucose control in diabetes, including the inhibition of glucose absorption, protection of beta-cell damage, increase of insulin release, enhancement of antioxidant defense, attenuation of inflammation, modulation of carbohydrate metabolism pathway, and regulation of insulin-dependent and insulin-independent signaling pathways. However, there is insufficient evidence to draw definitive conclusions about the efficacy of individual medicinal mushrooms for diabetes. In addition, the wide variability, the lack of standards for production, and the lack of testing protocols to assess product quality are still problems in producing medicinal mushroom products. Moreover, well-designed randomized controlled trials with long-term consumption are needed to guarantee the bioactivity and safety of medicinal mushroom products for diabetic patients.

The morphological and cultural characteristics of vegetative mycelia of 29 Tibetan strains of medicinal caterpillar fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis (= Cordyceps sinensis) were studied. Data on mycelial growth of the above-mentioned fungi strains on different types of nutrients, the macro- and micromorphological description of colonies grown on different agar media, and anamorph stage identification are provided. It was shown that strains of O. sinensis demonstrated moderately slow growth on selected nutrients compared with other ascomycetous fungi. The highest growth rate value from all analyzed strains is O. sinenis N14-2.7 mm/day was completed with a mycelial run on potato-dextrose agar (pH = 6.0) in 15 d. Most of the examined strains preferred Sabouraun’s dextrose agar; some of the strains preferred potato-dextrose agar as the medium for optimal development. The least favorable nutrient for all strains was Czapek solution agar. Analyses of morphological and microstructural peculiarities on different types of nutrients were conducted and detailed descriptions and illustrations were provided. Based on macro- and micromorphological characteristics, the investigated strains were identified as Hirsutella sinensis and Tolypocladium sinensis species, which were identified as the anamorphs of Ophiocordyceps sinensis.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women. Currently, there is no effective therapy for malignant estrogen-independent breast cancer. In our study, we used hydrogen peroxide, a well-known strong oxidative reagent capable of activating the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) transcription factor. The IC50 value of the culinary-medicinal Shaggy Inc Cap mushroom Coprinus comatus culture liquid crude extract on MCF7 cell viability was found to be as low as 76 microg/mL, and the IC50 value of C. comatus ethyl acetate extract was only 32 microg/ mL. Our results also showed that both extracts significantly affected IkappacBalpha phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner. The effect of ethyl acetate extract was comparable to the effect of curcumin, a known NF-kappacbeta pathway inhibitor, and seemed to be the most active inhibitor of H2O2-dependent IkappaBalpha phosphorylation. In addition, the data obtained showed that only ethyl acetate extract inhibited the activity of IKK complex, at close to 90% as compared to the control of the untreated sample. These results suggest that C. comatus contains potent compounds capable of inhibiting NF-kappaB function and also possibly acts as an antitumor agent.

Prostatic adenocarcinoma is the second leading cause of death from cancer in Western men. The common prostate cancer treatments are effective in the early stages; however, advanced prostate cancer is resilient to most of these treatments. Altered androgen receptor (AR) activity caused by point mutations or signaling mechanisms that regulate AR function has been proposed as a key mechanism in the transition to the androgen-independent stage. Our previous results demonstrated that hexane extract prepared from Coprinus comatus (C. comatus) strain 734 was able to interfere with AR activity. The current study was made to further evaluate the antiandrogenic activity of the C. comatus mushroom strain 734. Activity-guided chromatography was conducted and 2 active fractions, F-32-and F-33, were found to contain substances that were able to inhibit AR-mediated reporter activity and reduce the levels of AR and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) transcripts in LNCaP cells. Fraction F-32 also inhibited the proliferation and clonigenicity of LNCaP cells. Furthermore, F-32 was able to inhibit the binding of AR to the PSA enhancer region and to inhibit Akt-mediated AR phosphorylation at Ser 213. This study illustrated the potential of substances from the C. comatus mushroom to serve as natural antiandrogenic modulators for the treatment of prostatic disorders.