The Medicinal Magic of Functional Mushrooms for Veterinarians

Mushrooms are neither animal nor plant. They are part of the Kingdom of Fungi, which play an important role in the decomposition of organic matter, nutrient (re)cycling and exchange in the environment. Fungi have chitin in their cell walls, do not photosynthesize and gain nourishment by secreting digestive enzymes into the environment and then absorbing the dissolved molecules. Fungi are major decomposers in ecological systems. Mushrooms have a life cycle that alternates between vegetative and reproductive cycles, producing spores, which then germinate into hyphae and mycelium in their vegetative state, and then develop fruiting bodies (the mushroom itself) in their reproductive state that then produce spores and the cycle repeats. Mushrooms can be poisonous, psychotropic, inedible or edible, and many of the edible and inedible mushrooms themselves have potential medicinal properties. This class will cover in-depth, the life cycle of the mushroom, and how those influences cultivation practices which in turn dictates mushroom potency. The two classes of mushrooms and their important members will be discussed in detail. Several of the more important and better-known mushrooms will be discussed, and the scientific evidence that supports their use medicinally will be covered. This class will conclude with a brief discussion of the current interest in the psilocybin mushroom for its ability to address depression in humans, and whether that is something we need to look at for our veterinary species.