Pharmacological and nutritional importance of Mushrooms

Abstract

Mushrooms are micro fungi cultivated and consumed by peoples of different countries across the world. Even though they are quite common, but their significant importance is not that much known to everyone. Mushrooms have a variety of pharmacological properties for those it works as anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, anti-oxidative, anti-viral, anti-diabetic, anti-allergic agents. Mushrooms are now widely used in different countries for the treatment of cancer, diabetes, hypertension, inflammation and many other diseases. Mushrooms are eaten all over the world because of their significant nutritional value. They contain vitamin B, zinc, selenium, protein, pantothenic acid, copper, potassium, glycerol, mannitol, β-glucans, phosphorus, polysaccharides, magnesium etc. They also fulfill a huge mineral and nutritional need of our body. This review has overviewed and complied the information on pharmacological and nutritional benefits of mushrooms and inferred that the dietary supplementation of mushrooms could provide immense potential in the prevention and treatment of various diseases.