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The effects of whole mushrooms during inflammation. Yu S, Weaver V, Martin K, Cantorna MT. BMC Immunol. 2009 Feb 20;10:12. PMID: 19232107 doi:10.1186/1471-2172-10-12 In RAW 264.7 cells the induction of TNF-α production was highest in LPS and WB stimulated rather than the crimini, maitake, oyster, or shitake stimulated cells. The differences might be a result of differences in the quantity of the immunomodulatory substance or substances and or differences in solubility of mushrooms in the DMSO used to produce the extracts. However, the direction of the changes (increase versus decrease) were not different among the mushroom treatments. The lack of differential effects on cytokine secretion by the mushroom extracts suggests that the whole mushrooms must share a common component(s) that act to regulate immune function.

Mushrooms could give the immune system a hand in attacking foreign invaders, if the effects in mice translate to humans. What's more, the common white button mushroom had stronger immune-boosting effects than more exotic -- and more expensive -- fungi such as oyster and shiitake mushrooms, Dr. Keith Martin of Arizona State University in Mesa and his colleagues found

Edible mushrooms are a versatile functional food and have been touted as a way to preserve youth, longevity and overall health for centuries. Now nutrition researchers from Arizona State University and Pennsylvania State University are finding that they may even help boost the immune system and reduce inflammation, especially in the colon. Keith R. Martin, ASU assistant professor in nutrition, along with his Penn State colleagues, experimented with various types of mushrooms, from the more common white button to the exotic like shiitake and oyster, to see what sort of effect they had on the immune system. Their paper was published in late February in BMC Immunology, a peer reviewed online journal. "We found that the white button mushroom seemed to be the most effective in boosting the immune system, which is good because they are the most affordable," said Martin.

Ergothioneine is a naturally-occurring amino acid and is a thiourea derivative of histidine, containing a sulfur atom in the imidazole ring. This compound is made in rather few organisms, notably Actinobacteria and filamentous fungi.[1] Ergothioneine was discovered in 1909 and named after the ergot fungus from which it was first purified, with its structure being determined later, in 1911.[2] This amino acid has antioxidant properties, but its chemistry differs from conventional sulfur-containing antioxidants such as glutathione or lipoic acid. Although ergothioneine cannot be made in human cells, it is present in some tissues at high levels as it is absorbed from the diet.[3] In humans ergothioneine is taken up from the gut and concentrated in the tissues by a specific transporter called the novel organic cation transporter. However, even today, one hundred years after its discovery, precisely what ergothioneine does in the human body remains a mystery

Using a new, more sensitive-testing approach they developed for fungi, Penn State food scientists have found that mushrooms are a better natural source of the antioxidant ergothioneine than either of the two dietary sources previously believed to be best. The researchers found that white button mushrooms, the most commonly consumed kind in the U.S., have about 12 times more of the antioxidant than wheat germ and 4 times more than chicken liver, the previous top-rated ergothioneine sources based on available data. Until the Penn State researchers developed their testing approach, known as an assay, there was no method employing the most sensitive modern instrumentation and analytical techniques to quantify the amount of ergothioneine in fungi. The researchers say that their assay can be used for other plants, too, not just mushrooms.