From mycelium to medicine: fungal strategies in the fight against resistance, cancer, and viral infections-insights from egyptian studies.

Abstract

The increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), alongside the global burden of cancer and viral infections, poses a major threat to human health and challenges existing therapeutic options. Multidrug-resistant pathogens, treatment failures in cancer, and emerging viral strains demand the urgent development of safer and more effective alternatives. Natural products, particularly fungal metabolites, have long been recognized as valuable sources of bioactive compounds with diverse pharmacological activities. Mushrooms, in particular, are rich in polysaccharides, terpenoids, flavonoids, phenolics, and other metabolites that exhibit antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and cytotoxic properties. Historical and modern evidence highlights their therapeutic potential against infections and malignancies, offering both preventive and curative benefits. In Egypt, where liver, breast, and colorectal cancers are highly prevalent, and AMR rates continue to rise, the search for novel natural agents is especially critical. Medicinal mushrooms such as Ganoderma lucidum, Lentinula edodes, Pleurotus spp., and Hericium erinaceus have demonstrated promising activities in vitro and in vivo, supporting their role as complementary or alternative therapies. Advances in extraction methods, from conventional hot water and solvent techniques to enzyme-assisted and supercritical fluid extraction, have further enhanced the recovery of potent fungal metabolites. This review summarizes the global and regional burden of AMR, cancer, and viral infections with particular emphasis on the Egyptian context, explores the bioactive potential of mushrooms, highlights key groups of fungal metabolites with therapeutic applications, and presents recent findings from Egyptian studies on locally sourced medicinal mushrooms. Harnessing these natural compounds offers a sustainable strategy for developing next-generation agents to overcome resistance, improve treatment outcomes, and support global health.