Novel Edible Mushroom BDM-X as an Immune Modulator: Possible Role in Dietary Self-Protection Against COVID-19 Pandemic |Biomedgrid

Since December 2019, the novel corona virus disease (COVID-19) impacts serious health crisis globally. Obviously, the development of vaccines and treating medicine are urgently desired as social needs, but at the same time, it is important to generalize the daily routine at individual level to keep the physiological condition healthy enough against invading pathogens. The dietary manipulation of immune status will be the most reliable and easy strategy for the purpose even in the pandemic circumstance of COVID-19. In this sense, the edible mushrooms with immune modulating function are the cuisine material to be considered. Basidiomycetes-X (BDM-X), a novel edible mushroom found in Niigata, Japan, will be one of attractive mushrooms because of the high contents of β-glucan, and also the high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential. Besides the β-glucan, several active components were identified such as pyrrol aldehyde analogues having immune cells modulating potential such as NK cell activation. Possible role of Basidiomycetes-X mushroom is being discussed in the self-medication against present corona virus pandemic.