Polyporus umbellatus is a medicinal mushroom belonging to the family Polyporaceae which forms characteristic underground sclerotia. These sclerotia have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries and are used to treat edema and promote diuretic processes. Over the past few decades, researchers have found this taxon to contain many bioactive compounds shown to be responsible for antitumor, anticancer, antioxidant, free radical scavenging, immune system enhancement and antimicrobial activities. Due to its promising medicinal value, P. umbellatus is used as an ingredient in many medicinal products and food supplements. Thus demand for P. umbellatus has increased. To supply the high global demand, P. umbellatus is cultivated under natural or industrial conditions. In this review we discuss optimal conditions for the cultivation and culture of P. umbellatus . We also focus on the medicinal uses of P. umbellatus , the diversity of bioactive metabolites with various pharmacological properties and the medicinal products of great interest for health care or as alternative drugs
Tag: mushrooms
The genus Phylloporus (Boletaceae, Boletales), from Mekong river basin (Yunnan Province, China)
The genus Phylloporus is a gilled bolete and a typical ectomycorrhizal mushroom which froms mycorrhizal with woody Fagaceae or Pinaceae. Collections of Phylloporus were made from Xiaozhongdian (Shangri-La), Haitang (Baoshan) and Menssong (Xishuangbanna) from May to October 2012. Morphology and sequence analysis revealed that the Phylloporus collections belonged to seven groups and five species: P. imbricatus (Xiaozhongdian, Shangri-La), P. pachcystidiatus and P. yunnanensis (Haitang, Baoshan), P. rubiginosus (Mengsong, Xishuangbanna) and P. megacystidiatus sp. Nov. (Mengsong, Xishuangbanna). In this paper we introduce one new Phylloporus species: Phylloporus megacystidiatus sp. Nov., and new record P. rubiginosus for the first time in Yunnan Province, China. The new species and the new record are described and illustrated with drawings and color photos. Also the species and new record are compared with similar taxa.
People, money, and protected areas: the collection of the caterpillar mushroom Ophiocordyceps sinensis in the Baima Xueshan Nature Reserve, Southwest China
The caterpillar mushroom Ophiocordyceps sinensis (syn. Cordyceps sinensis) is among the most valuable mushrooms in the world, and plays a major role for the local economies in its distribution area on the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent regions. Large proportions of its habitat fall into protected areas, and best practice of sustainable harvest is under discussion, considering both, O. sinensis as a valuable income source for rural poor and protection of its populations and habitat. This study aims for a detailed analysis of O. sinensis collection in a nature reserve in Southwest China. We found that harvesting is unevenly distributed among households and villages, with households who have access to the resource but lack adequate alternatives for income generation such as rewarding wage labor, fertile agricultural fields or harvest of other high value products being most involved. Although collection is de jure forbidden, authorities of the nature reserve apply adaptive management strategies for sustainable resource use. This includes the allocation of collection areas to communities based on their traditional land use strategies and the control of harvesters from outside, triggering self-policing of the resource by the local people. The strategies applied provide a promising model also for other protected areas where the caterpillar mushroom is collected.
Ectomycorrhizal Mushrooms as a Natural Bio-Indicator for Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution
Environmental changes and heavy metal pollution are some of the consequences of anthropogenic activities. Many ecosystems, including edaphic ecosystems, suffer from the effects of pollution. The accurate assessment of soil heavy metal contamination leads to better approaches for remediating soils. The exploration of different ways, including biological methods, to conduct environmental monitoring is still ongoing. Here, we focus on reviewing the potential of ectomycorrhizal fungi as a natural indicator of soil heavy metal pollution. Mycorrhizal fungi fulfill basic criteria required as natural bio-indicators for heavy metal contamination. These fungi use different mechanisms such as avoidance and tolerance to survive in metalliferous soils. Thus, we promote ectomycorrhizal fungi as natural indicators. This review also synthesizes existing research on ectomycorrhizal mushrooms as natural bio-indicators for heavy metal pollution and the elaboration of mechanisms, by which ectomycorrhizal fungi meet the criteria required for a successful bio-indicator.
The case of the missing mushroom: a novel bioluminescent species discovered within Favolaschia in southwestern China
Seven species of bioluminescent mushrooms belonging to seven genera have been described in the tropical rainforests of China. This study contributes the eighth species, found growing on decaying bamboo in Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG). Morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and ribosomal large subunit (LSU) gene regions placed the species within the genus Favolaschia. Comprehensive morphological descriptions, micro and macro photographs, and a phylogenetic tree showing the placement of the new species are provided. This is the second report of bioluminescent Favolaschia in China.
Nutritional and medicinal benefits of Oyster (Pleurotus) mushrooms: a review
Pleurotus mushrooms are the third largest commercially produced and the second most important cultivated mushroom in the world, consisting of about 539 species. This comprises 25% of total world production of cultivated mushrooms. Pleurotus mushrooms possess various nutritional and medicinal values. The fruitbodies of Pleurotus are rich in unique flavor and nutrients such as carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals and dietary fibers. Bioactive compounds such as lectin, proteoglycans, laccase, lovastatin, phenols and uridine present in Pleurotus have shown some anti-tumor, anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, genoprotective, anti-oxidant, immuno-modulatory, anti-diabetic, anti-allergic, antimitogenic, anti-hypertensive and anti-hypercholesterolemic properties. The major nutritional and medicinal benefits of important Pleurotus species are discussed in the present review.
Ganoderma (Ganodermataceae, Basidiomycota) Species from the Greater Mekong Subregion
The cosmopolitan fungal genus Ganoderma is an important pathogen on arboreal plant hosts, particularly in tropical and temperate regions. It has long been used as a traditional medicine because of its medicinal properties and chemical constituents. In this study, Ganoderma collections were made in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), encompassing tropical parts of Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and temperate areas in Yunnan Province, China. The specimens used in this study are described based on micro-macro-characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of combined ITS, LSU, TEF1α, and RPB2 sequence data. In this comprehensive study, we report 22 Ganoderma species from the GMS, namely, G. adspersum, G. applanatum, G. australe, G. calidophilum, G. ellipsoideum, G. flexipes, G. gibbosum, G. heohnelianum, G. hochiminhense, G. leucocontextum, G. lucidum, G. multiplicatum, G. multipileum, G. myanmarense, G. orbiforme, G. philippii, G. resinaceum, G. sichuanense, G. sinense, G. subresinosum, G. williamsianum, and G. tsugae. Some of these species were reported in more than one country within the GMS. Of these 22 species, 12 were collected from Yunnan Province, China; three were collected from Laos; three species, two new records, and one new species were collected from Myanmar; 15 species and four new records were collected from Thailand, and one new species was collected from Vietnam. Comprehensive descriptions, color photographs of macro- and micro-characteristics, the distribution of Ganoderma within the GMS, as well as a phylogenetic tree showing the placement of all reported Ganoderma from the GMS are provided.
Mushroom cultivation for soil amendment and bioremediation
Intensive crop production, use of pesticides, and unsustainable farming practices are known to cause land degradation and soil contamination. Both have led to a decline in biodiversity and changes in the functional groups of soil microorganisms. Although physicochemical methods have been used to apply soil amendments to agricultural land, mushroom cultivation in agricultural land for soil improvement have been poorly studied. In-field mushroom cultivation is considered a good strategy for improving soil quality by reducing the input of chemical fertilizers. In this paper, we list the edible mushroom species suitable for growing in fields and summarize the important role that mushroom field cultivation can play in soil erosion control, nutrient cycling, and the bioremediation of contaminants. Decomposition, symbiosis, assimilation, degradation, bioweathering, oxidation, biosorption, and bioconversion are all critical components of mushroom field cultivation. Research has shown that field mushroom cultivation contributes to nutritional bioavailability while also promoting the degradation of pollutants and formation of soil aggregates. Through soil amendment practices, a portion of agricultural waste can be converted into high-quality food and nutraceutical sources, and the remaining organic matter improves soil quality via fungal mycelial networks and the re-use of spent mushroom substrates. Only a small number of mushroom species have been used in the application of soil amendments in field conditions. This review shows the need for further research into specific mushroom species for achieving different soil amendment goals in order to balance agricultural development with sustainable land management.
Reviewing the world’s edible mushroom species: A new evidence-based classification system
Wild mushrooms are a vital source of income and nutrition for many poor communities and of value to recreational foragers. Literature relating to the edibility of mushroom species continues to expand, driven by an increasing demand for wild mushrooms, a wider interest in foraging, and the study of traditional foods. Although numerous case reports have been published on edible mushrooms, doubt and confusion persist regarding which species are safe and suitable to consume. Case reports often differ, and the evidence supporting the stated properties of mushrooms can be incomplete or ambiguous. The need for greater clarity on edible species is further underlined by increases in mushroom-related poisonings. We propose a system for categorizing mushroom species and assigning a final edibility status. Using this system, we reviewed 2,786 mushroom species from 99 countries, accessing 9,783 case reports, from over 1,100 sources. We identified 2,189 edible species, of which 2,006 can be consumed safely, and a further 183 species which required some form of pretreatment prior to safe consumption or were associated with allergic reactions by some. We identified 471 species of uncertain edibility because of missing or incomplete evidence of consumption, and 76 unconfirmed species because of unresolved, differing opinions on edibility and toxicity. This is the most comprehensive list of edible mushrooms available to date, demonstrating the huge number of mushrooms species consumed. Our review highlights the need for further information on uncertain and clash species, and the need to present evidence in a clear, unambiguous, and consistent manner.
First successful domestication of a white strain of Auricularia cornea from Thailand
Intraspecies colour variations in cultivated edible mushrooms present novel and potentially valuable alternatives to the research and cultivation industries. In this study, we collected, identified, and domesticated a white strain of Auricularia cornea from Thailand. The brown strain of A. cornea is one of the top two species of Auricularia cultivated and traded in Asia. Since both white and brown phenotypes of A. cornea belong to a single species, we established their similarities or differences. Both morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of ITS rDNA sequence data were used to confirm the taxonomic placement of the white A. cornea strain in the same clade with the brown A. cornea. Nutritional analysis showed that fat, fiber, protein, and total soluble sugar contents of the white A. cornea were significantly higher than the commercially used brown strain. The melanin content of the white strain of A. cornea (less than 1.5 mg/100g) was not significantly different from that of the brown strain. This discovery may create new opportunities for the mushroom growing industry and for smallholder farmers in Asia.