Medicinal uses of fungi

Fungi that can be used to develop medications

Medicinal fungi are fungi that contain metabolites or can be induced to produce metabolites through biotechnology to develop prescription drugs. Compounds successfully developed into drugs or under research include those treating infection with amoeba, bacteria, fungus, virus, inhibitors of cholesterol and ergosterol synthesis, and psychotropics.

Mushroom dietary supplements, commonly made from powdered or extracted fruiting bodies or mycelium, are marketed for various health benefits but lack sufficient scientific evidence for safety or effectiveness, and quality can vary due to inconsistent processing and labeling.[1]

## History

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Main article: Ancient Egyptian medicine

In Ancient Egypt moldy bread was applied to wound infection.[2]

Inonotus obliquus was used in folk medicine tumor treatment in Russia and Northern Europe during the 16th century.[3]

Hallucinogenic mushrooms include[4] Amanita muscaria, the fly agaric and "magic mushrooms", which contain psilocybin and psilocin.[4]

The ability to identify beneficial properties and then extract the active ingredient from mold started with the discovery of penicillin[2] from Penicillium rubens[5] by Alexander Fleming, September 1928.[2][6] Scientific investigation into pharmacological applications of mushrooms began during the 1960s.[7]

## Nutritional supplements

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The photochemistry of vitamin D2 biosynthesis

Mushroom dietary supplements, commonly made from powdered or extracted fruiting bodies or mycelium, are marketed for various health benefits but lack sufficient scientific evidence for safety or effectiveness, and quality can vary due to inconsistent processing and labeling.[1]

Lysine is produced from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.[8]

Riboflavin is produced from Candida famata and Ashbya gossypii.[9]

Pichia fermentans is a source of astaxanthin, β-carotene, and lutein.[10]

Fungi are a source of ergosterol which can be converted to vitamin D2 upon exposure to ultraviolet light.[11][12][13]

## Drug development

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### Amebicides

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Main article: Amebicide

Fumagillin was isolated in 1949 from Aspergillus fumigatus.[14][15]

Transgenic yeasts are used to produce artemisinin.[16]

### Antibacterial agents (antibiotics)

[edit]

Main article: Antibiotics

Pleuromutilin was discovered as an antibiotic in 1951.[17][18] It is derived from Omphalina mutila (formerly Pleurotus mutilus) and Clitopilus passeckerianus (formerly Pleurotus passeckerianus).[17] Cephalosporins were first sold in 1964,[19] the mold which yielded cephalosporin C was first discovered by Giuseppe Brotzu in July 1945.[20] Citromycin from Penicillium[21] was discovered in 1969.[22] Oudemansin A from Oudemansiella mucida was first described in 1979.[23] Plectasin from Pseudoplectania nigrella was discovered in 2005.[24]

### Cancer

[edit]

As of 2022, there is not enough scientific evidence to indicate that any mushroom or mushroom extract is effective for reducing the risk of cancer.[25]

### Cholesterol biosynthesis inhibitors

[edit]

The red yeast rice fungus, Monascus purpureus, can synthesize three statins.

Statins are an important class of cholesterol-lowering drugs; the first generation of statins were derived from fungi.[26] Lovastatin, the first commercial statin, was extracted from a fermentation broth of Aspergillus terreus.[26] Industrial production is now capable of producing 70 mg lovastatin per kilogram of substrate.[27]

### Diabetes

[edit]

Transgenic yeasts are used to produce insulin analogs.[16]

Moniliella pollinis is used industrially to produce erythritol.[28]

### Antifungals

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Main article: Antifungal

Griseofulvin is derived from a number of Penicillium species;[29] caspofungin is derived from Glarea lozoyensis.[30]

### Psychotropic effects

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The history of bread-making records deadly ergotism caused by ergot, most commonly Claviceps purpurea, a parasite of cereal crops.[31][32] Psychoactive ergot alkaloid drugs have subsequently been extracted from or synthesised starting from ergot; these include ergotamine, dihydroergotamine, ergometrine, ergocristine, ergocryptine, ergocornine, methysergide, bromocriptine, cabergoline, and pergolide.[31][33]

### Antivirals

[edit]

Main article: Antiviral

Brefeldin A was first isolated from Penicillium decumbens in 1958 at Purdue University.[34][35][36]

## See also

[edit]

* List of unproven and disproven cancer treatments: Plant and fungus

## References

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1. ^ a b "Mushrooms in dietary supplements". Operation Supplement Safety. Consortium for Health and Military Performance. 2020-07-29. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
2. ^ a b c "Discovery and Development of Penicillin". American Chemical Society, International Historic Chemical Landmarks. 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
3. ^ Zheng W, Miao K, Liu Y, Zhao Y, Zhang M, Pan S, Dai Y (July 2010). "Chemical diversity of biologically active metabolites in the sclerotia of Inonotus obliquus and submerged culture strategies for up-regulating their production". Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology. 87 (4): 1237–54\. doi:10.1007/s00253-010-2682-4. PMID 20532760. S2CID 22145043.
4. ^ a b "Hallucinogenic mushrooms drug profile". The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction.
5. ^ Lalchhandama K (2020). "Reappraising Fleming's snot and mould". Science Vision. 20 (1): 29–42\. doi:10.33493/scivis.20.01.03.
6. ^ Boucher HW, Talbot GH, Benjamin DK, Bradley J, Guidos RJ, Jones RN, Murray BE, Bonomo RA, Gilbert D (June 2013). "10 x '20 Progress – development of new drugs active against gram-negative bacilli: an update from the Infectious Diseases Society of America". Clinical Infectious Diseases. 56 (12): 1685–94\. doi:10.3201/eid2305.161556. PMC 5403050. PMID 23599308.
7. ^ Wasser SP. (2010) Medicinal mushroom science: history, current status, future trends, and unsolved problems. International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, 12, 1-16. in: Zaporaa, Ewa; Wolkowyckia, Marek; Bakiera, Slawomir; Zjawionyb, Jordan K. (2016). "Phellinus igniarius: A Pharmacologically Active Polypore Mushroom". Natural Product Communications. 11 (7): 1043–1046\. doi:10.1177/1934578X1601100741. PMID 30452190.
8. ^ Isogai, Shota; Matsushita, Tomonori; Imanishi, Hiroyuki; Koonthongkaew, Jirasin; Toyokawa, Yoichi; Nishimura, Akira; Yi, Xiao; Kazlauskas, Romas; Takagi, Hiroshi (13 July 2021). "High-Level Production of Lysine in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae by Rational Design of Homocitrate Synthase". Appl Environ Microbiol. 87 (15): e00600-21. Bibcode:2021ApEnM..87E.600I. doi:10.1128/AEM.00600-21. PMC 8276798. PMID 33990312.
9. ^ You, Jiajia; Pan, Xuewei; Yang, Chen; Du, Yuxuan; Osire, Tolbert; Yang, Taowei; Zhang, Xian; Xu, Meijuan; Xu, Guoqiang; Rao, Zhiming (November 2021). "Microbial production of riboflavin: Biotechnological advances and perspectives". Metabolic Engineering. 68: 46–58\. doi:10.1016/j.ymben.2021.08.009. PMID 34481976.
10. ^ Shrivastava, Akansha; Pal, Mamta; Kumar Sharma, Rakesh (May 2023). "Pichia as yeast cell factory for production of industrially important bio-products: Current trends, challenges, and future prospects: 3. Pichia as a multifaceted cell factory". Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts. 8 (2): 108–124\. doi:10.1016/j.jobab.2023.01.007.
11. ^ Keegan RJ, Lu Z, Bogusz JM, Williams JE, Holick MF (January 2013). "Photobiology of vitamin D in mushrooms and its bioavailability in humans". Dermato-Endocrinology. 5 (1): 165–76\. doi:10.4161/derm.23321. PMC 3897585. PMID 24494050.
12. ^ Kamweru PK, Tindibale EL (2016). "Vitamin D and Vitamin D from Ultraviolet-Irradiated Mushrooms (Review)". International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms. 18 (3): 205–14\. doi:10.1615/IntJMedMushrooms.v18.i3.30. PMID 27481154.
13. ^ Cardwell, Glenn; Bornman, Janet; James, Anthony; Black, Lucinda (13 October 2018). "A Review of Mushrooms as a Potential Source of Dietary Vitamin D". Nutrients. 10 (10): 1498. doi:10.3390/nu10101498. PMC 6213178. PMID 30322118.
14. ^ F. R. Hanson, T. E. Elbe, J. Bacteriol. 1949, 58, 527
15. ^ Lefkove B, Govindarajan B, Arbiser JL (August 2007). "Fumagillin: an anti-infective as a parent molecule for novel angiogenesis inhibitors". Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy. 5 (4): 573–579\. doi:10.1586/14787210.5.4.573. PMID 17678422. S2CID 41794515.
16. ^ a b Peplow, Mark (16 April 2013). "Sanofi launches malaria drug production". Chemistry World.
17. ^ a b Kavanagh F, Hervey A, Robbins WJ (September 1951). "Antibiotic substances from basidiomycetes: VIII. Pleurotus multilus (Fr.) Sacc. and Pleurotus passeckerianus Pilat". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 37 (9): 570–574\. Bibcode:1951PNAS...37..570K. doi:10.1073/pnas.37.9.570. PMC 1063423. PMID 16589015.
18. ^ Novak R, Shlaes DM (February 2010). "The pleuromutilin antibiotics: a new class for human use". Current Opinion in Investigational Drugs. 11 (2): 182–91\. PMID 20112168. S2CID 41588014.
19. ^ "cephalosporin" at Dorland's Medical Dictionary
20. ^ Tilli Tansey; Lois Reynolds, eds. (2000). Post Penicillin Antibiotics: From acceptance to resistance?. Wellcome Witnesses to Contemporary Medicine. History of Modern Biomedicine Research Group. ISBN 978-1-84129-012-6. OL 12568269M. Wikidata Q29581637.
21. ^ Capon, RJ; Stewart, M; Ratnayake, R; Lacey, E; Gill, JH (2007). "Citromycetins and bilains A-C: New aromatic polyketides and diketopiperazines from Australian marine-derived and terrestrial Penicillium spp". Journal of Natural Products. 70 (11): 1746–52\. Bibcode:2007JNAtP..70.1746C. doi:10.1021/np0702483. PMID 17958395.
22. ^ Kusakabe, Y; Yamauchi, Y; Nagatsu, C; Abe, H; Akasaki, K (1969). "Citromycin, a new antibiotic. I. Isolation and characterization". The Journal of Antibiotics. 22 (3): 112–8\. doi:10.7164/antibiotics.22.112. PMID 4978096.
23. ^ Anke, Timm; Hecht, Hans Jürgen; Chramm, Georgs; Steglich, Wolfgang (1979). "Antibiotics from basidiomycetes. IX. Oudemansin, an antifungal antibiotic from Oudemansiella mucida (Schrader ex Fr.) hoehnel (Agaricales)". The Journal of Antibiotics. 32 (11): 1112–1117\. doi:10.7164/antibiotics.32.1112. PMID 528381.
24. ^ Mygind, Per H.; Fischer, Rikke L.; Schnorr, Kirk M.; Hansen, Mogens T.; Sönksen, Carsten P.; Ludvigsen, Svend; Raventós, Dorotea; Buskov, Steen; Christensen, Bjarke; De Maria, Leonardo; Taboureau, Olivier (2005). "Plectasin is a peptide antibiotic with therapeutic potential from a saprophytic fungus". Nature. 437 (7061): 975–980\. Bibcode:2005Natur.437..975M. doi:10.1038/nature04051. ISSN 1476-4687. PMID 16222292. S2CID 4423851.
25. ^ "Medicinal mushrooms in cancer treatment". Cancer Research UK. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
26. ^ a b Tobert JA (July 2003). "Lovastatin and beyond: the history of the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors". Nature Reviews. Drug Discovery. 2 (7): 517–26\. doi:10.1038/nrd1112. PMID 12815379. S2CID 3344720.
27. ^ Jahromi MF, Liang JB, Ho YW, Mohamad R, Goh YM, Shokryazdan P (2012). "Lovastatin production by Aspergillus terreus using agro-biomass as substrate in solid state fermentation". Journal of Biomedicine & Biotechnology. 2012: 196264. doi:10.1155/2012/196264. PMC 3478940. PMID 23118499.
28. ^ Deshpande, Mandar S.; Kulkarni, Pranav P.; Kumbhar, Pramod S.; Ghosalkar, Anand R. (January 2022). "Erythritol production from sugar based feedstocks by Moniliella pollinis using lysate of recycled cells as nutrients source". Process Biochemistry. 112: 45–52\. doi:10.1016/j.procbio.2021.11.020.
29. ^ Block, Seymour Stanton (2001). Disinfection, Sterilization, and Preservation. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. p. 631\. ISBN 978-0-683-30740-5.
30. ^ Richardson, Malcolm D.; Warnock, David W. (2003). Fungal Infection Diagnosis and Management. Wiley. ISBN 978-1-4051-1578-0.
31. ^ a b Schiff, Paul L. (September 2006). "Ergot and Its Alkaloids". American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education. 70 (5): 98. doi:10.5688/aj700598 (inactive 12 July 2025). PMC 1637017. PMID 17149427.`{{cite journal}}`: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of July 2025 (link)
32. ^ Shiel, William C. "Medical Definition of Ergotism". MedicineNet. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
33. ^ Schade R, Andersohn F, Suissa S, Haverkamp W, Garbe E (January 2007). "Dopamine agonists and the risk of cardiac-valve regurgitation". The New England Journal of Medicine. 356 (1): 29–38\. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa062222. PMID 17202453.
34. ^ McCloud, T. G.; Burns, M. P.; Majadly, F. D.; Muschik, G. M.; Miller, D. A.; Poole, K. K.; Roach, J. M.; Ross, J. T.; Lebherz, W. B. (1995-07-01). "Production of brefeldin-A". Journal of Industrial Microbiology. 15 (1): 5–9\. doi:10.1007/BF01570006. ISSN 0169-4146. PMID 7662298. S2CID 8511645.
35. ^ "Molecule of the Week Archive Brefeldin A". American Chemical Society. 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
36. ^ Singleton, V. L.; Bohonos, N.; Ullstrup, A. J. (12 April 1958). "Decumbin, a New Compound from a Species of Penicillium". Nature. 181 (4615): 1072–1073\. Bibcode:1958Natur.181.1072S. doi:10.1038/1811072a0. PMID 13541371.

## Notes

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## External links

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* Memorial Sloan-Kettering Agaricus subrufescens, Phellinus linteus, Ganoderma lucidum, Trametes versicolor and PSK, Grifola frondosa, Inonotus obliquus, Pleurotus ostreatus, Cordyceps, Shiitake, Lentinan, AHCC.
* American Cancer Society Trametes versicolor and PSK, Grifola frondosa Archived 2010-03-31 at the Wayback Machine, Shiitake Archived 2009-06-14 at the Wayback Machine.
* National Cancer Institute Shiitake, Lentinan, Cordycepin
* Broadbent, Douglas (July 1966). "Antibiotics Produced by Fungi". The Botanical Review. 32 (3): 219–242\. Bibcode:1966BotRv..32..219B. doi:10.1007/BF02858660. JSTOR 4353729. S2CID 23442996.

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