Beauty, diversity, and potential uses of certain macrofungi

ABSTRACT

Macrofungi are diverse in their uses as good source of protein in our diet, nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals medicine, and for making beautiful art pieces. Several species serve as decomposers and many form mycorrhizal associations with plants. The commercial cultivation of several macrofungi has been steadily increasing globally. Cultivation of Cordyceps militaris can be done in a variety of media including silkworm pupae, rice, or liquid nutrition. Macrofungi are diverse with complex and highly varied growth conditions and bioactive constituents, most macro-fungal resources have not yet been fully explored and implicated, leading to an urgent need for appropriate strategies to address the problem. Increasing attention has been paid to the cultivation and application, of these fungi as potential probiotics. The accumulated secondary metabolites in medicinal mushrooms have been widely accepted as sources of safe and effective nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, and pharmaceuticals. Various mushrooms are utilized as foods appreciated for their exquisite flavour and are used extensively for their medicinal properties. Recently, we saw how an invisibly small entity an ultramicroscopic virus created a turmoil in dynamic ecosystem of the planet Earth and caused the human societies to grind to a halt. Of course, human lives have pivoted around the metabolic ingenuity of fungi for a long time and these organisms can still be the tools to learn the intricacies of life, their mutualistic behaviour with other organisms and potential to produce a large number of secondary metabolites useful to fight diseases and providing good memory and better health are our present day concerns. Entangled body of tubes can teach the lessons of human survival in this crucial time of Corona pandemic. These macrofungi could modulate immune cell's response and possess antimicrobial, antioxidants, and anticancer properties. In Western Ghats as well as Himalayan mountain ranges of India, the lush green vegetation supports a variety of naturally occurring macrofungi. Brief details of some of the well-known fungi found in India, Macedonia, and other parts of the world are highlighted in this chapter. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.