Bioactive compounds in some principal mushrooms: An association to adverse effects

Abstract

Mushrooms are widely used in Asian medicine, both as dietary supplements and as nutraceutical foods. Some principal fungi have recently become popular in Europe for their nutritional and health benefits, and a large number of bioactive compounds have been isolated in several taxa showing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antitumor activities and other biological properties with great therapeutic application. Separate research has been done separately for the different species. The aim of the present review was to give an overview of the present knowledge regarding bioactive compounds in ten of the most common species, their options in therapeutic use and, for the first time, their possible toxicity or adverse effects. Boletus edulis, Ganoderma lucidum, Grifola frondosa, Hericium erinaceus, Hypsizygus marmoreus, Lentinula edodes, Morchella esculenta, Pleurotus ostreatus, Poria cocos and Trametes versicol have great potential as functional foods and as a source of drugs for pharmaceutical science and medicine. Some adverse effects, however, were found to occur in individual daily consumption and during clinical trials. More research is needed to make a good rational use of these medicinal compounds.