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The mushrooms have contributed to the development of active ingredients of fundamental importance in the field of pharmaceutical chemistry as well as of important tools in human and animal health, nutrition, and functional food. This review considers studies on the beneficial effects of medicinal mushrooms on the nutrition and health of humans and farm animals. An overview of the chemical structure and composition of mycochemicals is presented in this review with particular reference to phenolic compounds, triterpenoids and sterols, fatty acids and lipids, polysaccharides, proteins, peptides, and lectins. The nutritional value and chemical composition of wild and cultivated mushrooms in Italy is also the subject of this review which also deals with mushrooms as nutraceuticals and the use of mushrooms in functional foods. The nutraceutical benefits of UV irradiation of cultivated species of basidiomycetes to generate high amounts of vitamin D2 is also highlighted and the ability of the muhsrooms to inhibit glycation is analyzed. Finally, attention is paid to studies on bioactivities of some Italian wild and cultivated mushrooms with particular reference to species belonging to the genus Pleurotus. The review highlights the potential of medicinal mushrooms in the production of mycochemicals that represent a source of drugs, nutraceutical, and functional food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomass of Aspergillus awamori was investigated for mycochemicals, total phenolic compounds (TPC), condensed tannin content (CTC), free-radical scavenging potential (FRSP), and DNA damage protection activity. FRSP was determined using DPPH, ABTS, FRAP (Ferric reducing antioxidant power), metal chelating activity, and cupric reducing antioxidant capacity) assays. Water (Aq), aqueous ethanol 50% (AqE), and methanol were used as extraction phase at 44.5 °C for 23.8 min. AqE shows the presence of maximum mycochemicals (coumarins, glucose, saponins, flavonoids, and tannin). Further quantitative analysis shows maximum TPC (23.17 mg GAE/g dwb) in AqE and CTC (.89 mg CE/g dwb) in ME. Qualitative and quantitative analysis for identification of specific bioactive compound in AqE was carried out using HPLC. HPLC analysis confirmed the presence of bioactive compounds: p′-Coumaric acid (5.96 mg/g dwb), cinnamic acid (4.31 mg/g dwb), gallic acid (2.27 mg/g dwb), and ascorbic acid (.98 mg/g dwb). All the extracts show significant DNA damage protection activity; however, AqE showed the maximum activity. Pearson correlations were also calculated to find the relationships between bioactive compounds and antioxidant potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]