Medicinal mushrooms – challenges and opportunities

Medicinal mushrooms are macroscopic fungi, mostly basidiomycetes, which are used in the form of extracts or powder for prevention, alleviation or healing of diseases and/or for completion of our nutrition. Important species, are, for example, Ganoderma lucidum , Reishi or Ling Zhi, Lentinula edodes , Shiitake, Grifola frondosa , Maitake, or Hericium erinaceus , Lion’s Man. The relevant mushroom species are cultivated in large scale and the products are made from the fruiting bodies, the mycelium or the spores.The application of mushrooms for different indications has a very long tradition especially in East Asia and becomes worldwide increasing importance since several years. In Europe, the mushroom products are regulated mostly as dietary supplements and underly the food law. Scientific investigations, experiences from traditional medicine and clinical trials show that some fungal species have the potential for the development of regular drugs. To explore this potential, continuous and defined production processes, standardized pharmaceutical quality and methods for its control, preclinical and clinical trials according to the regulations and legal authorization are necessary. In addition to the use of complex fungal preparations, isolated active ingredients from fungi are also of interest as medicinal substances or as lead structures for the development of new drugs. Publication History Article published online: 05 March 2026 © 2026. Thieme. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany