Mushrooms are popular for their delicacy and flavor rather than food. However it is an established fact that they are excellent sources of vitamins and minerals. In view of their high food value to man and their medicinal properties mushrooms can help in solving the problems of malnutrition and diseases. Besides being an important food article, mushroom are variously exploited by man. They are at the same time, also beneficial to forest.
1. Decomposition of Dead Organic Matter/Forest Importance:
There are few species of mushrooms which attack living trees where as large number of them grows on fallen timber, bark, sap wood etc. The mycelium of mushroom grows in few years and completes disintegration of wood take place. It gradually mixes with forest soil and provides food for living trees. Thus mushrooms are one of the important agents in providing available food for virgin forest.
The role of mushroom in deposing of fallen timber in forest and converting dead trees and fallen leaves into available food is most important in managing an ecological balance in the forest. One of the key roles that mushrooms play in natural systems is the decomposition of dead organic matter. Decomposition is accomplished by a succession of saprophytic fungi.
The primary decomposers such as Shiitake, Oyster, and Wine Cap mushroom (Stropharia rugoso-annulata), start the process by breaking down the lignin and cellulose in wood, straw and other plant matter. Secondary decomposers take over after the substrate has been partially broken down. Secondary decomposers typically grow on compost and include the White Button mushrooms and Portobello (Agaricus spp.).Tertiary decomposers are typically soil dwellers existing in reduced substrates.
These include some Agaricus species, the Peel mushroom, Conocybe, Agrocybe, and Pluteus. Primary and secondary decomposers are the most suitable for cultivation since the mycelium of these species is usually quite vigorous and with proper techniques there is a high rate of success. In addition, substrates are readily available. Mushrooms are than to be given a very high rank among the natural agencies, which have contributed to the good of the world.
Snuff:
Polyporus nigricans when dried and pounded is an ingredient in snuff.
Dyeing:
Polyporus bispidus which gives a brown dye is used for coloring silk, cotton, and wool. This is used by leather dresser’s to give fawn chestnut colour and by carpenters to give a brown colour to furniture. P. sulphureus gives yellow colour and Fomes ignitarius gives a brown black colour. Many other mushrooms are also used for giving different colours.
Writing Materials:
Inky cap mushroom Coprinus comatus is very deliquescent and soon become black liquid which can be used for writing purposes.
Mushroom Used for Flower Pots:
Shaped fruit bodies of Polyporus fomentarius and P. ignitarius are used for flower pots.
Luminosity:
The ability of organism to produce light in the dark is well known in bacteria, plants and animals. Many fungi are also luminescent and either fruit body or mycelium or both may be luminous, depending on the species. Luminous is well known to woodmen, foresters, timber men and others who have occasion to pass through a wood in darkness.
The decayed wood itself permitted with the mycelium of Armillaria mellea, glow strongly as long growth continues and remains damp. Fome anosus is also aluminous fungus. This fungus grows in mines and both the mycelium and fruit bodies are luminous.
Pleurotus japonicus also emit light. Light is emitted from the gills of P. japonicus. A single body can give so much luminosity that one can see Roman letters four-tenth of an inch wide. Other species are Boletus edulis, Collybia longipes, etc. Luminosity is often so bright that when brought near a printed page in dark, words can be read.
2. Medicinal Uses:
Reishi or Ling Zhi (Ganoderma lucidum) and Caterpillar Fungus (Cordyceps sinense) are common medicinal mushrooms cultivated in China and Japan. A great deal of research has been carried out, in Japan, on the nutritional and medicinal value of the Shiitake. It is said to be rich in vitamin D2 and has antitumor activity polysaccharides, antiviral glycoproteins, platelet agglutination inhibitive substances, and anti- cholesterol active substances.
Ganoderma lucidum, Known as reishi or mannentake in Japan and Ling Zhi in China, G lucidum is known for its medicinal properties. Reishi often is associated with health and recuperation, longevity, wisdom, and happiness. It is believed that certain triterpenes and polysaccharides may account for the multiple activities of Reshi.
About 100 triterpenes have been isolated from either the fruit bodies or mycelium but only a few have been tested for their bio-activity Maitake, Grifila frondosa, has been shown to have both antitumor and anti-viral and immunity enhancement properties.
Powdered fruit bodies are used in the production of many health foods such as Maitake tea, whole powder, granules, drinks, and tablets. Polysaccharides in Hericium spp. are believed to inhibit a variety of cancers by enhancing the hosts’ immune functions. It has also been suggested that the phenol-analogous compounds hericenone-C, -D, -E, and Y-A- 8-c, which induces the synthesis of nerve growth factor, might be effective in treating patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. The antitumor polysaccharide, β -(1-3)-D- glucan, isolated from Hypsizygus marmoreus showed very high activity.
The water solubility of the polysaccharide was much higher than the same polysaccharide isolated from other fungi. Dried mushroom powder from this mushroom is believed to stimulate the radical-trapping activity of blood. Excessive free radicals in the blood stream are believed to hasten the aging process.
Tremellafuciformis is said to cure tuberculosis, high blood pressure and common cold Psilocybin, an extract of certain psychodelic mushroomsis being studied for its ability to help people suffering from certain mental diseases such obsessive compulsive disorders. Minute amounts have been reported to stop cluster and migraine headaches.
Polyporus officinalis was used in homes as a drastic purge and applied externally stop bleeding. It was also used for chronic catarrh diseases of the breast and lungs, as remedy for night sweating in tuberculosis, for rheumatism, gout, jaundice, dropsy and intestinal worms. It is used in homeopathic doses as Boletus laricis.
Jew’s ear (Auricularia auriculata) was frequently used as a poultice for inflamed eyes and as gargle for inflammation of the throat.
Fomes ignitarius and F. fomentarius and surgeon agarics is used for rapid coagulation of blood.
Lycoperdon giganteum is used as soft and comfortable surgical dressing.
Clavatia gigantia is still used in anesthesia.
Amanita muscaria has been used therapeutically from the earliest times as powder or tincture for swollen glands, epilepsy and various diseases. It is still used today in homeopathic doses under the name of Agaricus muscarius. It is used in highly diluted preparations of heart ailment and rheumatoid arthritis.
Volvariella volvcea and Flammulina velutipes cardio toxic proteins have been isolated. They lower the blood pressure and also active against turner cells. Anti-cancerous extract of Shitake causes recession of some kinds of cancer and inhibits the growth of some viruses like influenza.
Hallucination:
The hallucinogenic mushrooms are Amentia muscorina, several species of Stropharia and Psilocybin. Amentia muscorina, the drug like stimulant is not decomposed in the stomach but apparently is excreted unchanged in the urine. Many writers have commented on the common practice of renewing the stimulation by drinking the urine of someone who has already eaten the mushroom. The hallucinogenic principle of Psilocybin is due to the derivatives Psilocybin and Psilocin.
Tinder Mushroom:
Polyporus fomentarius or tinder mushroom sometimes called German tinder was used in the manufacture of tinder.
3. General Uses:
Daedalea quercina is sometimes used to clean down horses, particularly those whose skin is too tender for an ordinary curry-comb. It is also used by men for cleaning hair.
The fruit bodies of Fomes fomentarius and Ganoderma applanatum are stilled used to produce a suede-like material from which hats, various articles of dress, handbags and picture frames are made.
Dried Coriolus versicolor brackets have been used for making hats for costume decoration, while bottle corks are made from Polyporus squamosus.
Polyporus applantus is used as a curio and also for the purpose of etching. Some species of polyporus have been used for making major strop. Polyporus squamosus, P. betulinus are suitable for this purpose.
4. Other Uses:
Mushrooms can be used for dying wool and other natural fibers. The chromophores of mushrooms produce strong and vivid colors and all colors of the spectrum can be achieved with mushroom dyes. Before the invention of synthetic dyes the mushrooms were the primary sources of dying textiles.
Some mushrooms have been used as fire starters and are known as tinder fungi. They also play a role in mycoremediation and microfiltration. Shitake, Portabellas. Criminic and Oysters are being used for cleaning up of the environment. The technique called mycoremediation uses mycelium to breakdown the contaminants like petroleum, fertilizers, pesticides, explosives and agricultural, medical and industrial wastes.
Antibacterial effect: Antibacterial properties compounds are poly acetylene was mostly found in genera Aleurodiscus, Clitocybe, Marasminus, Polyporus, Tricholoma etc. Antibacterial activity in the genera which parasites on tree, such as Fomes, Ployporus and Trametes reported antibacterial property in Agaricus bisporus and found quinoid and phenolic derivatives. Bose (1953) reported antibacterial activity in Agaricus campestris, Flemmulina mellea against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi and E. coli.
Anti-Fungal Effect:
Sparossol from Sparassis ramosus was reported by Falck in 1923. Examples of anti-fungal activity among edible fungi include Lentinus edodes, cortenellin, Coprinus comatus and Oudemansiella mucida.
Anti-Protozoal Effect:
Omphalotus olearius is toxic mushroom with terpenoid illudin M and S, reported to be active against Plasmodium gallinaceum. Gregory et al., (1966) reported Irpex flavous active against protozoan.
Antiviral Effect:
Ganoderma nutriceuticals have exhibited promising antiviral effects like anti-HIV, anti-hepatitis B and Epstein Barr vims. In L. edodes a polysaccharide fraction has been found to be active in-vivo and in-vitro against influenza.
Anti-Tumor Effect:
Calvacin from giant puffball Calvatia gigantea has anti-tumour activity. Chemical nature of calvacin shows that it is a non-diffusible basic micro protein. Lucas et al., (1957) reported anti-tumor activity in Boletus edulis. Ikekawa et al., (1969) reported the anti-tumour effect of edible mushroom.
Mushroom derived chemical compounds associated with anti-tumour activities and their source includes polysaccharide Lentinan from Lentinus edodes, Pleurotus ostreatus. Flammulin from Flammulina velutipes, the acid protein from Poria corticola protein and quinoid from Agaricus bisporus, Ganoderma lucidum has been reported to certain many immuno regulating compounds/and called as longevity mushroom in Korea. Nanba (1993) have shown that Maitake (Grifola frondosa) had stronger anti-cancer and anti-tumor effect.
Maitake has been shown to be highly effective in controlling blood pressure, diabetes, constipation and has been shown to kill AID-virus and increase the activity of helper T-cells. Low molecular weight of G. lucidum showed significant anti-HIV activity without affecting host T-cells. Weaver et al., (1970) reported that quinoids from Agaricus bisporus may bind sulfhydral group and inhibit deoxyribonucleic synthesis.
Use of Mushroom as Brain Drugs:
Psilocybin and psilocin isolated from Psillocybe mexicana has been found to affect mind. From Amnita muscaria a drug has been prepared that may treat diseases such as epilepsy and schizophrenia, which are characterized by malfunctioning of gamma amino butyric acid (GABA).
This compound has been reported to have inhibitory effect on human central nervous system. Krogsgaard (1981) found that muscinol and ibotenic acid two compounds isolated from Amnita muscaria interact with GABA. These compounds are highly toxic and are of specific action in nature.
Nutritionally, the mushroom is a perfect little package of natural goodness with no nutritional nasties. Mushrooms supply vitamins of the B-Complex group including riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and thiamin.
The Mushroom further distinguishes itself by being one of the few non-animal source of Vitamin B-12. This makes useful for strict vegetarians who eat no animal products.
Mushrooms are completely free from fat and that makes Mushrooms an ideal way to add variety and flavour to meals for those trying to reduce weight or blood cholesterol, or for those with high blood pressure or diabetes.
In addition to low fat, mushrooms are also very low in sodium. To bring even better balance, they are a good source of potassium, a mineral which helps balance the sodium which comes from salt. Further Mushrooms are good source of dietary fiber than that of apple, lettuce and cucumber.
Above all, it is pleasing to know that Mushrooms grow on clean, but otherwise water material. The spent Mushroom straw becomes an excellent addition to soil.
Almost all the mushrooms are very low in fats and have no starch, hence are being used to prevent diabetes, high cholesterol, heart diseases and obesity. Many varieties are high in fibers, essential amino acids and proteins and provide vitamins such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, cobalamine, ascorbic acid and vitamin D. They also contain minerals like iron, copper, potassium, phosphorus and calcium. Antioxidants like ergothioneine and selenium are also present.