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| Family | Important genera | Therapeutic properties | Bioactive components | Mode of action | References |
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| Hymenochaetaceae | Inonotus Phellinus | I. obliquus (chaga mushroom) is used for cancer, gastritis, ulcer and tuberculosis of bones, treatment of breast, liver, uterine, and gastric cancer, hypertension, and diabetes. | Phenolic compounds, melanin and lanostane-type terpenoids, and betulinic acid (pentacyclic triterpenoids) | Stimulates body to produce natural killer cells to battle infection and tumor growth | M. Blackwell, “unpublished data,”, 1994 |
| I. dryadeus possess antibacterial activity. | Nonlinear, complex (1–3) and (1–6) β-D-glucans, a type of polysaccharide |
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Ganodermataceae | Ganoderma | Ganoderma lucidum (also known as Reishi) shows antitumor, immune-modulating activities for treatment of hypoglycemosis, hepatoprotection, and the effect on blood vessel system. This mushroom has been used in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicines.
Reishi is commonly prescribed for a host of conditions such as anxiety, high blood pressure, bronchitis, insomnia, and asthma but is particularly renowned for its use in hepatitis and other diseases of liver. It also prevents “fatty-liver” and cirrhosis due to alcohol abuse. | Mucopolysaccharides and polysaccharide-protein complexes | Activates the immune response of the host and leads to the induction of cell differentiation and metabolizing enzymes, the inhibition of angiogenesis, and the expression of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and the uPA receptor in cancer cells |
[26] |
| Ganoderma applanatum have been reported to show immunostimulating properties, fight cancer, stop pain, eliminate indigestion, and reduce phlegm, antibiotic and antiviral. | β-D-glucans and their protein complexes, for example, xyloglucans and acidic β-D-glucan containing uronic acid, dietary fibres, lectins, and terpenoids |
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| Cantharellaceae | Cantharellus | The edible species C. cibarius, commonly known as chanterelles, have antimicrobial activity against some Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria, yeasts, filamentous fungi, and actinomycetes. They are also known for their antitumor, antioxidant activity and antigenotoxic potential. | Ethyl alcohol, chloroform, and ethanol | | [27, 28] |
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| Schizophyllaceae | Schizophyllum | Pharmacologically, S. commune is very important because it produces polysaccharide which shows anticancer activity in xenography and clinical practice. | Schizophyllan (β-D-glucan) | Immunomodulation | [29] |
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| Sparassidaceae | Sparassis | Sparassis crispa (cauliflower fungus), its fruiting bodies have antitumor properties and also contain chemicals which may stimulate immune system and inhibit growth of superbug MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). | Bioactive β-D-glucan, phenyl derivatives, chalcones, and sesquiterpenoids | Exhibits various biological activities, including enhancement of the hematopoietic response and induction of cytokine production | [30, 31] |
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| Polyporaceae | Polyporus | Polyporus umbellatus have anticancer and diuretic properties. From Polyporus alveolaris, a polypeptide with antifungal properties has been isolated from the fresh fruit bodies of this species named alveolarin. | Nucleotides, nucleosides, proteins, amino acids, vitamins, polysaccharides, and triterpenoids | Their diuretic property has been used to get rid of the toxins that are responsible for causing infections in the urinary tract and is also found to be very effective against urethral blockages | [32] |
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