Schizophyllum commune as a source of mycochemicals with therapeutic relevance for human health

Natural products, including mushrooms, have been used in traditional medicine for millennia to treat various diseases. Among them, Schizophyllum commune Fr. (Schizophyllaceae) is widely recognised for its pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. Despite its extensive use, no comprehensive review has yet integrated its ethnomycology, pharmacology, and mycochemistry. This review aims to synthesise ethnomycological, pharmacological, and mycochemical findings on S. commune to highlight its therapeutic potential, with the inclusion of recent insights into its nutritional properties and prospective applications. A scoping review was conducted using Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, identifying 5 papers on ethnomycology, 78 papers on pharmacology, and 33 papers on mycochemistry. About 19 mycochemicals have been identified, including polysaccharides, proteins, aldehydes, alkaloids, sesquiterpenes, and phenolic acids. These compounds are associated with antioxidant, antimicrobial, cytotoxic, antidiabetic, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antitumour, and wound-healing effects, as demonstrated in both in vitro and in vivo studies. S. commune also demonstrates notable nutritional properties, supporting its potential for applications within the framework of medicine–food homology, where substances serve both therapeutic and dietary functions. Further investigations are needed to validate traditional uses, elucidate mechanisms of action, and evaluate toxicity and safety profiles, thereby supporting its future development for medical and food applications.