Immunomodulatory Aspects of Medicinal Mushrooms

Abstract

Mushrooms, the macrofungi, are enigmatic in their composition, which renders some of them umami-flavored edible, some medicinal, some hallucinogenic/psychoactive, while some lethal. In current times, appreciation and demand of the medicinal mushrooms is rising, with the validation of their efficacy as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anticancer, endocrine restorative, etc. Containing a rich repertoire of bioactive components as β-glucan, phenolics, peptides, and sterols, they have attracted the attention of researchers. Ganoderma lucidum, Hericium erinaceus, Grifola frondosa, Lentinus edodes, Inonotus obliquus, and Cordyceps sinensis are some of the most popular medicinal mushrooms. The immunomodulation, anti-inflammation, and anticancer attributes of the mycochemicals mostly rely on the inhibition of mTOR translational pathway, cell apoptosis, G1 phase cell cycle arrest, downregulation of cyclins A and B1, upregulation of p21 and p27, and induction of cytokines (TNF-α, IL-2, and IFN- γ), among others. Further attention can facilitate the identification of components of biological interest from mushrooms. In this regard, this chapter discusses the biological effects of some major mushroom mycochemicals.