Species Diversity and Utilization of Medicinal Mushrooms and Fungi in China (Review)

Abstract

The investigation and utilization of medicinal fungi in China has received considerable attention in recent years. However, information on medicinal fungi is scattered throughout the literature, and many nomenclatural inconsistencies have been found in the Chinese reports. The publications on Chinese medicinal fungi have been critically checked; as a result, 540 medicinal mushrooms and fungi from China were enumerated in the present checklist. All names have been checked or revised in accordance with contemporary taxonomy and the latest version of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (Vienna Code). The "out-of-date" names, illegitimate names, nonexistent names, and misapplied names in previous reports were revised. The common synonyms are listed after their valid names. The main medicinal functions of each species, together with the original or important references, are provided. The 540 species belonging to 10 classes, 26 orders, 76 families, and 199 genera of Ascomycota and Basidiomycota have been recorded with medicinal values. Most are the higher Basidiomycetes (482 species), which comprise approximately 89% of all the Chinese medicinal species. In total, 126 medicinal functions are thought to be provided by Chinese medicinal fungi, and 331 (61% of the total medicinal fungi) can be used as antitumor agents. Other common functions are hemostasis, antibacterial, improving immunity, detoxication, and anti-inflammatory. Fifteen species, including Ganoderma lucidum, are the most important or commonly used medicinal fungi, and 26 species, including Agaricus bisporus, are commonly cultivated in China as food or for medicinal products.