CHAPTER 8 ADDITIONAL MEDICINAL PROPERTIES Synopsis Extracts from many medicinal mushrooms have long been used for a wide range of ailments in traditional Chinese medicine. Modern scientific and medical studies are increasingly supporting many of these health claims. The main areas of medical studies include blood pressurelowering, cholesterol lowering, liver protective, antifibrotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and anti-microbial activites. While the role of medicinal mushrooms in immunomodular and anti-cancer activities represents the dominating theme of this report, it is important to recognise that many of these mushrooms also show other quite significant medical properties, such as blood pressure- lowering, cholesterol lowering, liver protective, antifibrotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-viral and other anti-microbial activities (Ooi and Liu, 1999; Ooi; 2000, Wasser and Weis, 1999a, b, Hobbs, 1995; Gunde-Cimerman, 1999). Only a brief resume will be given here of the extensive additional medical properties of certain medicinal mushrooms which have been supported by recent scientific and medical studies. Cardiovascular and hypercholesterolemia effects A highly significant cause of death in most developed countries is coronary artery disease. The main risk factors are hypercholesterolemia and dyslipoproteinemia, disturbance in blood platelet binding, high blood pressure and diabetes. Increased blood levels of total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDO) and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol as well as lowered levels of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol have been identified as major risk factors in the development of coronary artery disease (CAD)(Alberts et al., 1989). As much as 2/3rd of total body cholesterol in most individuals is of endogenous origin.