Abstract
Medicinal mushrooms have an established history of use in traditional oriental therapies. Contemporary research has validated and documented much of the ancient knowledge. Over the last three decades, the interdisciplinary field of science that studies medicinal mushrooms has sprung up and has increasingly demonstrated the potent and unique properties of compounds extracted from a range of species. Currently, the field is being developed into a very fruitful area. Modern clinical practice in Japan, China, Korea, and other Asian countries rely on mushroom-derived preparations. Ancient oriental medicine has stressed the importance of several mushroom species, mostly Ganoderma lucidum (W. Curt.: Fr.) P. Karst. (Ling Zhi or Reishi) and Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Singer (Shiitake). For instance, Ling Zhi was valued for both its medicinal and spiritual properties. It was considered a symbol of happy augury and good fortune, good health, longevity, and even life with the immortals. Many preparations from Ling Zhi have helped thousands of patients throughout the centuries. Mushrooms have also played an important role as a cure for ailments affecting the rural populations of Russia and other Slavic European countries. The most important species used with these rural populations were Inonotus obliquus (Pers.: Fr.) Pilat (Chaga), Fomitopsis officinalis (Vill.: Fr.) Bond. et Singer, and Fomes fomentarius Fr.: Fr. These species were used in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, various forms of cancers, bronchial asthma, night sweats, etc. There is also a long history of the traditional use of mushrooms as curatives in Mesoamerica (especially species of the genus Psilocybe). Meanwhile, mushrooms comprise an extremely abundant and diverse world of fungi. The number of mushroom species on Earth is currently estimated at 140,000; yet, perhaps only 10% (approximately 14,000 named species) are known to science. Mushrooms are being evaluated for their nutritional value and acceptability as well as for their pharmacological properties. They make up a vast and yet largely untapped source of powerful new pharmaceutical products. In particular, and most importantly for
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