Mushroom nutriceuticals.

There has been a recent upsurge of interest in mushrooms as a source of biological active compounds of medicinal value including anti-cancer, anti-viral, immunopotentiating, hypocholesterolaemic and hepatoprotective agents. This new class of compounds, termed 'mushroom nutriceuticals', are extractable from either the fungal mycelium or fruiting body and represent an important component of the expanding mushroom biotechnology industry.