Keywords Boletus edulis Á Tricholoma matsutake Á Functional foods Á China Á
Mexico
Contents
6.1 Introduction..................................................................................................................... 152
6.2 Bioactive Compounds with Medical or Nutraceutical Importance .............................. 158
6.2.1 Antitumor and Immunostimulating .................................................................... 158
6.2.2 Antidiabetes ........................................................................................................ 176
6.2.3 Antimicrobial ...................................................................................................... 178
6.2.4 Anti-HIV and Other Virucidal Compounds ...................................................... 181
6.2.5 Antihypertensive and Hypocholesterolemic Effects.......................................... 183
6.2.6 Anti-Inflammatory .............................................................................................. 184
6.2.7 Hepatoprotective ................................................................................................. 185
6.2.8 Miscellaneous...................................................................................................... 185
6.3 Bioactive Compounds of Agricultural Interest ............................................................. 194
6.4 Biotechnology and Sustainability .................................................................................. 197
6.4.1 A Non-Timber Forest Product ........................................................................... 199
6.4.2 Truffle Cultivation .............................................................................................. 202
6.4.3 Other Edible Ectomycorrhizal Species .............................................................. 205
6.5 Advances in Mexico....................................................................................................... 207
6.6 Conclusions..................................................................................................................... 211
References................................................................................................................................ 212
6.1 Introduction
Fungi are one of the most fascinating and understudied group of microorganisms
worldwide. Since 1969, they have been recognized so different from other
eukaryotes, in many essential structural and functional aspects, that they have been
classified into their own kingdom (Whittaker 1969; Petersen 2012). More than
70,000 species of fungi have been currently described, and it has been conservatively estimated that there are 1.5 million species on Earth (Hawksworth 1991,
1994). Fungi have always played important roles in human life, as food or
medicine. In early civilizations they were used as agents in the production of
various food products including bread, wine, and beer. The Babylonians and
Sumerians were brewing as early as 6,000 BC and reliefs on tombs dating from
2,400 BC document beer making in Egypt. Egyptians were also probably the first
to bake leavened bread (Young 2013). From the 1940s fungi have permanently
been used as a source of antibiotics, which has been considered a crucial factor that
dramatically increased human longevity. More recently, they have also been used
as a source of enzymes with industrial application. Members of the Association of
Manufacturers and Formulators of Enzyme Products have commercialized more
than 160 enzymes produced by 25 fungal genera (Ostergaard and Olsen 2010).
152
J. Pérez-Moreno and M. Martínez-Reyes
Mexico
Contents
6.1 Introduction..................................................................................................................... 152
6.2 Bioactive Compounds with Medical or Nutraceutical Importance .............................. 158
6.2.1 Antitumor and Immunostimulating .................................................................... 158
6.2.2 Antidiabetes ........................................................................................................ 176
6.2.3 Antimicrobial ...................................................................................................... 178
6.2.4 Anti-HIV and Other Virucidal Compounds ...................................................... 181
6.2.5 Antihypertensive and Hypocholesterolemic Effects.......................................... 183
6.2.6 Anti-Inflammatory .............................................................................................. 184
6.2.7 Hepatoprotective ................................................................................................. 185
6.2.8 Miscellaneous...................................................................................................... 185
6.3 Bioactive Compounds of Agricultural Interest ............................................................. 194
6.4 Biotechnology and Sustainability .................................................................................. 197
6.4.1 A Non-Timber Forest Product ........................................................................... 199
6.4.2 Truffle Cultivation .............................................................................................. 202
6.4.3 Other Edible Ectomycorrhizal Species .............................................................. 205
6.5 Advances in Mexico....................................................................................................... 207
6.6 Conclusions..................................................................................................................... 211
References................................................................................................................................ 212
6.1 Introduction
Fungi are one of the most fascinating and understudied group of microorganisms
worldwide. Since 1969, they have been recognized so different from other
eukaryotes, in many essential structural and functional aspects, that they have been
classified into their own kingdom (Whittaker 1969; Petersen 2012). More than
70,000 species of fungi have been currently described, and it has been conservatively estimated that there are 1.5 million species on Earth (Hawksworth 1991,
1994). Fungi have always played important roles in human life, as food or
medicine. In early civilizations they were used as agents in the production of
various food products including bread, wine, and beer. The Babylonians and
Sumerians were brewing as early as 6,000 BC and reliefs on tombs dating from
2,400 BC document beer making in Egypt. Egyptians were also probably the first
to bake leavened bread (Young 2013). From the 1940s fungi have permanently
been used as a source of antibiotics, which has been considered a crucial factor that
dramatically increased human longevity. More recently, they have also been used
as a source of enzymes with industrial application. Members of the Association of
Manufacturers and Formulators of Enzyme Products have commercialized more
than 160 enzymes produced by 25 fungal genera (Ostergaard and Olsen 2010).
152
J. Pérez-Moreno and M. Martínez-Reyes