ABSTRACT
Auricularia auricula-judae is a non-toxic and medicinal fungus that belongs to the heterobasidiae of the basidiomycete family. It grows in various ecological conditions and is geographically diverse in distribution, spreading from North America, Europe, and Asia to other tropical and temperate areas. It has waxy and cartilaginous fruiting bodies. Typically, it is a purplish-brown in color, which turns black when dried. It is recorded as the oldest edible mushroom being cultivated by humans. Due to its high fiber content, essential amino acids, polysaccharides, vitamins, trace elements, flavonoids, sterols, melanin polyphenols with antioxidant and probiotic properties, it has gained popularity in culinary practice and in food production. In many folk medicines, the fungus is used as an astringent for treating sore throats, jaundice, sore eyes, tonsillitis, ophthalmia, laryngocele, diabetes, cancer, cardiac problems, renal failure, constipation, hemorrhoids, hemoptysis, angina, diarrhea, and as a blood tonic. The pharmacological studies of its crude extracts and compounds demonstrated antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antifungal, immunomodulatory, anticoagulant, antidiabetic, radio-protective, anticancer, and cytotoxic activities. This chapter discusses the distribution, taxonomy, ethnobotany, pharmacological, and phytochemical profiles of A. auricula-judae.
