The King Tuber Medicinal Mushroom Pleurotus tuberregium (Agaricomycetes): A Review on Nutritional Composition, Phytochemistry, Pharmacological Activities, and Toxicity Profile

<i>Pleurotus tuberregium</i> is an important economic edible mushroom with remarkable nutritional values and medicinal properties. This present review study aims to provide a broad and up-to-date literature on the nutritional composition, bioactive compounds and health-promoting properties of <i>P. tuberregium. P. tuberregium</i> contains a reasonable number of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, dietary fiber, minerals and vitamins. The bioactive phytochemicals in <i>P. tuberregium </i>include kaempferol, quercetin, epicatechin, apigenin, quercitrin, naringin, rutin, isoquercetin, luteolin, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, <i>p</i>-coumaric acid, catechin and ellagic acid. Biochemical studies by various authors show that the extract of <i>P. tuberregium</i> has antioxidant, anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and hepatorenal protective effects. This review revealed that <i>P. tuberregium</i> could be used for therapeutic purposes against diseases and as a new material to produce functional foods. However, further studies should be conducted to explore the effective and quality-controlled dosages for the use of this mushroom and to investigate the mechanism of action of the identified bioactive compounds for the treatment of various diseases.