INDIAN SCIENCE CONGRESS - India Environment Portal

Section XIV : Plant Sciences 3
fungi are varied. The absence of chlorophyll has enforced them to live as
saprophytes or biotrophs. The nutrition, mode of dispersal of reproductive
propagules and phylogeny developed curiosity among mycologists. Fungi living as
extremophiles have a different physiological set up and adoptive characters. Fungi
living in water produce zoospores and conidia of varied shapes and adoptive
features which is of biological significance. Pilobolus and Phycomyces have got
stimulus towards light. Majority of tropical fungi are dematiaceous compared with
temperate fungi. The fruit bodies among the fungi are produced in such a
fascinating manner that they not only exhibit beauty but also varied characters of
adaptability.
Genetically also lot of work has been done on Neurospora, Sordaria,
Aspergillus, yeast and others which have made greater impact on molecular
biologists. The paper will present data about such marvels of curiosity existing in
fungi.
3. Search for Novel Anticancer Agents from Indian Medicinal Mushrooms
K. K. Janardhanan
Amala Cancer Research Centre
Thrissur-680 555
Keywords : Mushrooms, Anticancer, Medicinal, Pharmacology
Mushrooms represent a major as yet largely unexplored source of pharmaceutical
products. Attempts are being made in many parts of the world to use
mushrooms and their products for the treatment of a variety of human ailments.
However the most significant medicinal effect of mushrooms that attracted the
public in recent years is their anticancer properties. Metabolites isolated from
mushrooms namely, Coriolus versicolor, Lentinus edodes and Schizophyllum
commune are now clinically used anticancer drugs in China and Japan. We
investigated several medicinal mushrooms occurring in India for their anticancer
activity. During the course of our investigations we examined the anticancer
activities of Ganoderma lucidum, Phellinus rimosus, Pleurotus florida and
Morchella esculenta and results of our studies revealed that these mushrooms
possessed significant antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antitumor properties.