Medicinal fungi may be suitable for identifying novel drugs

Medicinal fungi may be suitable for identifying novel drugs

Subject : Science & Technology

Context : An analytical study of medicinal fungi carried out by researchers from the Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai (IMSc), shows that some chemicals they secrete may find use as novel drugs.

Concept :

• The team used a database, MeFSAT (Medicinal Fungi Secondary Metabolites and Therapeutics), which compiles information on 184 medicinal fungi, including mushrooms.
• Around 1800 secondary metabolites were analyzed by the researchers.
• Researchers from IMSc, found that the secondary metabolites were structurally distant from existing drugs.
• As for the complete chemical structure, the secondary metabolites were quite dissimilar to the approved drugs.
• They also have the molecular properties which are important for drug likeness, similar to approved drugs.

About Medicinal Fungi

• Medicinal fungi are fungi that contain metabolites or can be induced to produce metabolites through biotechnology to develop prescription drugs.
• Secondary metabolites are chemical compounds that fungi produce when they are stressed. They enhance the fungus’ ability to survive.
• For example, Cordycepin, a secondary metabolite produced by Cordyceps species of fungus, is known to have anti – tumor properties.
• Medicinal fungi belongs to two taxonomic divisions namely, basidiomycota and ascomycota.
• Mushrooms belong to the basidiomycota division. An example is Agaricus bisporus, the button mushroom, which can be consumed.
• Compounds successfully developed into drugs or under research include antibiotics, anti-cancer drugs, cholesterol and ergosterol synthesis inhibitors, psychotropic drugs, immunosuppressants and fungicides.