Publication at Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Králové |
2016
Abstract
For centuries, macrofungi are well known for their nutritional and medicinal values. They have been used as components in folk medicine especially in China, Japan, Russia, South America, Africa, etc.
Nowadays, performed scientific investigations have confirmed that mushrooms are rich with many bioactive compounds, the most studied are polysaccharides (beta glucans) that have been proven to stimulate and enhance the immune system functions. These functions possess also FIPs, small proteins with immunomodulatory properties.
This article discusses FIPs and their ability to influence immune system. FIPs strengthen, modulate as well as inhibit in case of hypersensitive and autoimmune disorders the immune system.