Besides nutritional properties, mushrooms have attracted market attention because they are a potential source of bioactive compounds able to perform several functions in organisms with benefits for consumer health. In recent years Coriolus versicolor aroused interest among researchers because of the bioactive properties demonstrated.
Polysaccharopeptide (PSP) and polysaccharopeptide Krestin (PSK) have shown to be useful adjuncts to the therapy of cancer; these polysaccharides from C. versicolor have also shown prebiotic activity, stimulating the growth of probiotic bacteria. This review article highlights the health-promoting potential of several mushroom species with special emphasis on C. versicolor.

(1) Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF - Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina – Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Rua Arquiteto Lobão Vital, Apartado 2511, 4202-401 Porto, Portugal

(2) Centro de Investigación en Recursos Naturales y Sustentabilidad (CIRENYS), Universidad Bernardo O’Higgins, Fábrica N∘ 1990, Segundo Piso, Santiago, Chile

(3) CEIL, Lúrio University, Marrere, Nampula, Mozambique


Journal of Food and Nutrition Research. Vol. 4, No. 12, 2016, pp 773-781