Revisiting Ramaria species: the Coral Fungi as Food and Pharmaceuticals

Abstract

With the advancement of the quality of life and the resultant increase in the frequency of life-threatening diseases, food is being viewed as a source of nutritional and functional benefits. Mushrooms have served as nutritious food from time immemorial along with useful medicinal properties. The genus Ramaria, coral fungi, is a potential group of culinarily acclaimed mushrooms with worldwide distribution. During the past two decades, studies on several species of the genus revealed high medicinal potency. In this review, we particularly aim to update this group's present status with respect to its importance as food and medicine, which will offer a new perception to researchers for its progress from dietary food to functional food.