Pharmaceutical uses

From a pharmaceutical point of view, mushrooms are extremely interesting.
Fungi have recently helped to produce other innovative and important drugs, such as cyclosporin, an anti-rejection substance that has aided the development of organ-transplant surgery over the last few years. Penicillin, the first antibiotic ever, is made from a fungus of the genus Penicillium, a green mildew, belonging to deuteromycetes.
Fungi produce a wide variety of substances that are not only important for the human organism. An ascomycete, Giberella Fujikuroi, can secrete a plant-growth hormone known as gibberellin.

 
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Special reports

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Facts

  • 13 May 2011

    Decomposing organisms

    The ability to destroy organic matter has been used by man...

    Bread and cheese, wine or beer

    Yeast is used to make wine, beer and bread. When mixed with the bread dough...

  • Let’s eat!

    The economic importance of fungi is increased by the “edible” mushrooms...

    Predator mushroom

    <em>Pleutrotus ostreatus</em> mushroom does not have teeth or claws but it is...

  • Who lives well with low oxygen?

    <i><span style="font-style: normal; " class="Apple-style-span"><i><em>Aquandriella fermentas</em> </i>lives in stagnant waters and can stand complete anaerobiosis...</span></i>

    Responsible for fish-plagues

    <em>Sporolegnia parasitica</em> is widely present in estuaries and fish tanks and that...