Each month our editorial team sifts through hundreds of papers and curates notable findings—for practitioners and informed readers who want to stay current with the evidence. Subscribe to the monthly Research Digest for expert analysis and concise summaries of key papers.
This review describes compounds in medicinal mushrooms and how they work in lab and animal studies. It lists many possible effects, such as immune changes, anti-inflammatory and anticancer actions, and names key molecules like polysaccharides (β-glucans), terpenes, and fungal proteins. Most evidence so far comes from in vitro or animal…
Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) is an inexpensive fungus that grows on birch trees and has a long history of traditional use. A review of about 90 scientific documents (1900–Nov 2022) found Chaga contains chemical groups such as steroids and terpenoids, and studies report antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antitumor activities. The authors…
This is a review of research on two edible fungi, Hericium erinaceus (lion’s mane) and Trametes versicolor (turkey tail). Lab studies and animal studies show their extracts can affect the immune system and have possible anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and nerve-regenerating actions. The authors say these extracts could help support chemotherapy more…
