Health-Promoting Properties of Medicinal Mushrooms and Their Bioactive Compounds for the COVID-19 Era—An Appraisal: Do the Pro-Health Claims Measure Up?

Abstract

Many mushroom species are consumed as food, while significant numbers are also utilised medicinally. Mushrooms are rich in nutrients and bioactive compounds. A growing body of in vitro, in vivo, and human research has revealed their therapeutic potentials, which include such properties as anti-pathogenic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, gut microbiota enhancement, and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 specificity. The uses of medicinal mushrooms (MMs) as extracts in nutraceuticals and other functional food and health products are burgeoning. COVID-19 presents an opportunity to consider how, and if, specific MM compounds might be utilised therapeutically to mitigate associated risk factors, reduce disease severity, and support recovery. As vaccines become a mainstay, MMs may have the potential as an adjunct therapy to enhance immunity. In the context of COVID-19, this review explores current research about MMs to identify the key properties claimed to confer health benefits. Considered also are barriers or limitations that may impact general recommendations on MMs as therapy. It is contended that the extraction method used to isolate bioactive compounds must be a primary consideration for efficacious targeting of physiological endpoints. Mushrooms commonly available for culinary use and obtainable as a dietary supplement for medicinal purposes are included in this review. Specific properties related to these mushrooms have been considered due to their potential protective and mediating effects on human exposure to the SARS CoV-2 virus and the ensuing COVID-19 disease processes.

The potential role of ischaemia–reperfusion injury in chronic, relapsing diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Long COVID, and ME/CFS: evidence, mechanisms, and therapeutic implications

“…It is not easily obtained in pure form (though biotechnological processes are starting to make it [ 808–817 ]), but its availability via mushrooms can provide a convenient supply [ 818–820 ]. Indeed mushrooms themselves have been shown to be highly protective against mild cognitive impairment [ 821 ], as well as other diseases involving oxidative stress [ 787 ], and are themselves under consideration and trial as anti-COVID-19 agents [ 822 , 823 ].…”

Mushrooms as future generation healthy foods

“…Presently, there is growing attention on using mushrooms in the development of natural functional dietary supplements and biotherapeutics, as they may modulate the immune system and act as anti-inflammatory through their high content of antioxidants ( 24 , 25 ).…”

“…Numerous previous studies have demonstrated mushrooms as exhibitors of potential antiviral efficacy, including human exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus ( 24 , 107 ).…”

Deciphering the Potential of Pre and Pro-Vitamin D of Mushrooms against Mpro and PLpro Proteases of COVID-19: An In Silico Approach

“…Mushrooms are the only source of pre- and pro-vitamin Ds in which other bioactives, such as polysaccharides, terpenes, β-glucans, ergothioneine, lectins, polyphenols, etc., are also present; this makes them a unique natural source of valuable bioactives with various activities, including immunostimulant, immunomodulating, antiviral, anticancer, and antidiabetic activity [ 12 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. Studies by Rangsinth et al (2021) and Elhusseiny et al (2022) have indicated the efficacy of different mushroom bioactives against the main protein of SARS-CoV-2 [ 9 , 24 ].…”