Antifungal proteins with antiproliferative activity on cancer cells and HIV-1 enzyme inhibitory activity from medicinal plants and medicinal fungi.

A variety of fungi, plants, and their different tissues are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to improve health, and some of them are recommended for dietary therapy. Many of these plants and fungi contain antifungal proteins and peptides which suppress spore germination and hyphal growth in phytopathogenic fungi. The aim of this article is to review antifungal proteins produced by medicinal plants and fungi used in Chinese medicine which also possess anticancer and Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1) enzyme inhibitory activities.