ABSTRACT
Mushrooms are cultivated and consumed by humans since ages because of their sensory characteristics and their attractive culinary values. Taxonomically they belong to classes Basidiomycetes and Ascomycetes, but the majority belong to the former. In the last few decades, mushrooms have become increasingly attractive as functional foods for their potential benefcial effects on human health. Mushroom polysaccharides can inhibit tumour growth by stimulating the immune system via effects on the natural killer cells, macrophages via T cells and their cytokine production. Mushroom polysaccharides can inhibit tumour growth by stimulating the immune system via effects on the natural killer cells, macrophages via T cells and their cytokine production.
