Advances in Mushroom Research
See the new book, edited by Bhoopander Giri, Isha Gunwal, Payal Mago, Rupam Kapoor, Siva Raseetha. This book offers a comprehensive overview of the latest findings in mushroom science, covering diverse domains such as cultivation, ecology, therapeutic potential, sustainable materials, and environmental applications.
Description: This book offers a comprehensive overview of the latest findings in mushroom science, covering diverse domains such as cultivation, ecology, therapeutic potential, sustainable materials, and environmental applications. With contributions from leading researchers, this volume highlights the conservation and sustainable cultivation of edible and medicinal mushrooms, focusing on innovative substrates, smart farming practices, and region-specific case studies like the Indian scenario.
The book explores challenges and opportunities in producing high-quality mushrooms, particularly in small-scale industries, and discusses the integration of IoT-based systems to enhance yield and efficiency. It provides in-depth insights into the bioactive compounds of mushrooms, their nutraceutical properties, and their therapeutic potential in boosting immunity and addressing neurodegenerative conditions. In addition to their health benefits, mushrooms are portrayed as eco-friendly agents with wide industrial applications—ranging from pollution remediation to the development of sustainable leather, textiles, and packaging materials.
This book is an essential resource for researchers, students, entrepreneurs, and professionals in mycology, food science, pharmacology, environmental science, and biotechnology. It is especially valuable for those interested in functional foods, sustainable practices, and industrial applications of fungi.
Chapter 1
Mushrooms: The Humble Warrior of Eco-Restoration
Anthropogenic activities, compounded by climate change, are rapidly accelerating the degradation of natural ecosystems, making ecological restoration an urgent global priority. Conventional approaches have largely focused on reintroducing native species, reforestation, wetland rehabilitation, and erosion control. However, emerging scientific insights highlight the significant ecological role of mushrooms and the reproductive structures of fungi in ecosystem recovery. Once overlooked, mushrooms are now increasingly recognized as vital natural allies in environmental restoration. This chapter examines the multifaceted role of mushrooms in ecological restoration, with a focus on their contribution to nutrient cycling, enhancement of soil structure, suppression of plant pathogens, regulation of water dynamics, and formation of beneficial symbiotic relationships with plants. A particular emphasis is placed on mycorestoration-a fungal-based restoration method involving the enzymatic and physical breakdown of both organic and inorganic pollutants by different fungi. Field experiments and case studies not only demonstrate the ability of fungi to facilitate vegetation growth in degraded landscapes but also indicate their role in improving the diversity and function of soil microbiomes. These humble species aid in the detoxification of pollutants such as petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy metals. Spent mushroom substrate (SMS) and spent mushroom compost (SMC), the leftover materials from the cultivation of mushrooms, are widely employed for their effectiveness as biofertilizers, soil conditioners, and tools for carbon sequestration. Economically, mushroom-based restoration is a superior practice, which offers not only a low cost but also an environmentally sustainable alternative to traditional remediation approaches. Besides reducing dependency on chemical inputs, these processes create value-added by-products, in addition to promoting rural employment. Despite the plentiful advantages, challenges remain in selecting appropriate fungal species, scaling up implementation, integrating fungal approaches into policy, and overcoming cultural barriers to acceptance. This chapter highlights mushrooms as vital ecological engineers and calls for their greater integration into restoration ecology practices and policies.
Yadav, P., Gupta, C.K. (2026). Mushrooms: The Humble Warrior of Eco-Restoration. In: Giri, B., Gunwal, I., Mago, P., Kapoor, R., Raseetha, S. (eds) Advances in Mushroom Research. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-95-7692-0_1
Chapter 8
Functional Roles of Mushroom-Derived Polysaccharides in Human Health
Edible and medicinal mushrooms provide structurally distinctive polysaccharides, dominated by β-glucans with β(1 → 3) backbones and β(1 → 6) branches, whose molecular weight, branching, conformation, and solubility regulate bioactivity and vary with species and extraction, motivating rigorous chemotyping across studies. These polymers engage conserved pattern-recognition circuitry (notably dectin-1 → spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) → CARD9–BCL10–MALT1(CBM) → nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), with complement receptor 3 (CR3)/toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) crosstalk) and, beyond acute signaling, can imprint trained immunity; ex vivo work with Agaricus bisporus β-glucans shows canonical chromatin and metabolic reprogramming of human monocytes. Across indications, the most mature oncology data concern Trametes versicolor products (polysaccharopeptides (PSP) and polysaccharide-K (PSK)) and lentinan from Lentinula edodes: meta-analyses and cohorts in resected or advanced gastric cancer report survival benefits when lentinan is added to chemotherapy, and historical randomized trials with schizophyllan (sizofiran) plus radiotherapy improved tumor control in Stage II cervical cancer. In infectious-disease contexts, parenteral lentinan is used as an immunostimulatory adjuvant in parts of Asia, while oral pleuran (Pleurotus ostreatus) is positioned for respiratory support; recent multicenter pediatric data indicate improved asthma control and fewer respiratory infections, whereas a pediatric gastroenteritis randomized controlled trial (RCT) was negative, emphasizing indication-specific effects and disease-formulation matching. At the gut interface, mechanistic colitis models delineate epithelial (dectin–1–tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1)) and myeloid checkpoints targeted by oral lentinan. Convergent evidence indicates that β-glucans act as prebiotic-like substrates, increasing short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, reinforcing tight junctions, and attenuating endotoxemia. Neurocognitive signals include randomized trials of Hericium erinaceus in mild cognitive impairment (MCI)/early Alzheimer’s disease (AD) alongside cohort and biomarker data that implicate neurotrophic and microbiota–SCFAs pathways. However, key translational gaps persist in product heterogeneity, small underpowered trials, and inconsistent endpoints. This chapter therefore prioritizes (i) chemistry-anchored standardization, (ii) matrix-aware delivery (including colon-targeted strategies), and (iii) biomarker-linked clinical designs (trained immunity, barrier, and microbiome readouts) to enable dose–response modeling and responder stratification across oncology, infection, metabolism, gut, and brain health.
Garcia, J., Gouvinhas, I., Silva, J., Olo-Fontinha, E., Alves, M.J. (2026). Functional Roles of Mushroom-Derived Polysaccharides in Human Health. In: Giri, B., Gunwal, I., Mago, P., Kapoor, R., Raseetha, S. (eds) Advances in Mushroom Research. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-95-7692-0_8
Chapter 12
Effect of Mushroom Nutraceuticals on Human Health
Chemical constituents of mushrooms provide a wide range of therapeutic effects, enabling them to act as immunomodulatory, anticarcinogenic, antiviral, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory agents. The accumulated secondary metabolites in medicinal mushrooms are widely accepted as sources of safe and effective nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, and pharmaceuticals. These compounds, working individually or synergistically, underscore mushrooms’ vast potential as powerhouses of health-benefiting molecules. The cardioprotective effects of mushrooms are attributed to their rich composition of polysaccharides, sterols, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory compounds alongside triterpenes, unique amino acids like ergothioneine, and fibrinolytic enzymes. This diverse array of bioactive works synergistically to improve lipid profiles, regulate blood pressure, and maintain vascular integrity. As such, mushrooms represent a powerful functional food with significant potential for inclusion in preventive dietary strategies aimed at reducing the global burden of cardiovascular disease. While the preclinical data are compelling, the path forward requires a continued commitment to rigorous scientific validation. This chapter delves into the goodness of mushroom nutraceuticals on human health from a holistic perspective. Immunomodulation, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer action are explained based on research findings. Besides, cognitive enhancement and neuroprotection as well as cardiovascular effects from mushrooms are detailed. Additionally, the metabolic and endocrine effects on the human body are described in detail. It also aims to provide researchers and food industrialists with more pathways in mushroom research, perhaps in functional food products involving mushrooms as their bioactive components.
Rasyiqah-Nabihah, R., Mohammad-Syaril, R., Aida, F.M.N.A., Abzar, Raseetha, S. (2026). Effect of Mushroom Nutraceuticals on Human Health. In: Giri, B., Gunwal, I., Mago, P., Kapoor, R., Raseetha, S. (eds) Advances in Mushroom Research. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-95-7692-0_12
See the full book here
Bhoopander Giri, Isha Gunwal, Payal Mago, Rupam Kapoor, Siva Raseetha, Advances in Mushroom Research, Springer Nature Link, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-95-7692-0
See also our article on the Top Mushroom Nutraceutical Trends Emerging from Vitafoods 2026
