Sulfur contributes greatly to the chemical richness of nature and, due to its
unique properties, enables essential biological interactions that no other element can.
Sulfur-containing compounds are bioactive/nutraceuticals substances from different sources, including fungi. They comprise sulfur atoms that are cyclically or
noncyclically bonded to a cyanate group or a carbon atom. Sulfur-containing
compounds, already identified in various mushrooms species, include compounds
such as ergothioneine (EGT), glutathione (GSH), and lenthionine (LT). These
compounds exhibit important therapeutic properties such as antioxidant, antiinflammatory,
anti-neurodegenerative, and antiplatelet characteristics potentially
useful in the treatment of a variety of disorders and diseases, including neurodegenerative
and cardiovascular diseases and even diabetes. The purpose of this chapter is
to explain the generally recognized sulfur-containing compounds from fungi covering
the distribution in species, and genera, as well as the extraction and identification
by contemporary analytical techniques. The biosynthetic elements of fungal sulfur
compounds, as well as the state of art concerning their biological activities, are also
discussed.
