New Antiviral Drugs from Mushrooms

A new class of anti-viral drugs has been recently discovered in mushrooms. Dr. Frank Piraino, University of Wisconsin Medical School, has found a new antiviral, RC-183, which shows activity inhibiting in vitro the herpes simplex I and II viruses, as well as varicella zoster virus, influenza A virus, and the respiratory syncytial virus. (Piraino & Brandt, 1999). The mushroom yielding this novel antiviral is Rozites caperata, the Gypsy Mushroom, a mycorrhizal species associated with pines and Douglas firs. A resident of Old Growth Forests of Washington and Oregon, this mushroom has thus far resisted cultivation attempts due to its complex interdependence with the host tree. In a more recent article, Brandt & Piraino (2000) have identified a new class of anti-viral drugs from mushrooms.
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