INTRODUCTION THE USE OF MUSHROOMS in traditional ancient therapies dates back to at least the Neolithic Age (in China, 10,000 B.C. – 2,000 B.C). For millennia, mushrooms have been regarded and revered by humans as edible and medicinal agents. Ancient Asian traditions have stressed the importance of several mushroom species, most notably the lingzhi or reishi, lion’s mane, cordyceps, and shitake mushroom. The history of mushroom consumption is rich in Tibetan shamanism and Buddhism, as well as in spiritual cultures of Mesoamerica, Mexico, and Guatemala with the use of hallucinogenic mushroom species. Use of medicinal mushrooms has a long history in Russia, Europe, and some parts of Africa, including Nigeria, Algeria, and Egypt.
Medicinal Mushrooms in the 21st Century 1
