Production of Stable Enzymes from Mushrooms with Numerous Biomedical Applications

Abstract

Mankind has faced several challenges to the success of metabolic activities in several biochemical systems and most of these challenges have been trounced using biological catalysts known as enzymes. A plethora of mushrooms have for a very long time been acknowledged as good and reliable sources of medicinal and nutritional compounds. Mushrooms are within the fungal class which produces over 50% of global enzymes. Over the years, critical functions have been played by mushroom-secreted enzyme and their catalytic products to solve various biomedical and biotechnological problems as these enzymes are stable, cheap, efficient, extracellular, eco-friendly, and well-suited with confirmed application in various industries. The majority of mushroom enzymes applied in biomedicine and biotechnology are from the oxidoreductase and hydrolase class. Biomedical application of mushroom enzymes or their catalytic products is mostly in the field of antimicrobial therapy, as antioxidants, and in the treatment of cancer and tumors. This chapter therefore highlights the classes/types of mushrooms, the stable enzymes produced by these mushrooms, and the biomedical and biotechnological applications of mushrooms and their catalytic products.