Reviewing the audacity of elixirs of inflammatory bowel disease from mushroom β-glucans: The solved and unresolved

Background: Mushrooms are known as the elixirs of life, they are packed with various bioactive compounds that make them not only tasty but also healthy. Thus, they not just fall within the category of nutritional foods, but also functional foods. When medicinal bioactive components are sought after from every other available resource, these natural reservoirs are easily accessible therapeutic sources. Of the various bioactive that mushrooms have to offer, β-glucans are the most enriching.

Methods: β-glucans are available in other sources as well, but their relative abundance is higher in mushrooms. Amidst the cascade of biological benefits from β-glucans, anti-inflammatory benefits are highly promising. In this present review, the anti-inflammatory properties of mushroom β-glucans have been discussed and its specific contributions against inflammatory bowel disease have been reviewed.

Discussion: What is known regarding the modulus operandi of β-glucans against inflammatory bowel disease has been summarized and the gaps and lapses in the current understanding highlighted. This is the first state-of-the-art review that presents a comprehensive executive summary and discussion in this subject area.