ABSTRACT
Grifola frondosa (commonly known as Maitake) is highly recognized for its nutritional and dramatic health-promoting potential. In addition to being low in calories, maitake is rich in antioxidants, beta-glucans, minerals, vitamins, fiber, and amino acids. A number of bioactive polysaccharides, proteins, glycoproteins, lipids and other small molecules isolated from G. frondosa have shown antitumor, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, and other activities. This chapter summarizes the outlooks and recent advances with reference to the nutraceutical properties, dietary value and purification, characterization, and pharmacological evaluation of pharmaceutically active compounds from the mushroom.
