*4.2. Coriolus Versicolor Biomass Preparation*

*Coriolus versicolor* is found almost worldwide; however, its bioactivity varies depending on the habitat in which it grows. To eliminate these variations, established CV-OH1 strain was used which demonstrates rapid and aggressive colonization. According to the manufacturer procedure (Mycology Research Laboratories Ltd., Luton, UK) *Coriolus versicolor* containing both mycelium and primordia (young fruit body) biomass, obtained cultivating the biomass that is grown on a sterilized (autoclaved) substrate. The production process involves the inoculation of sterile organic edible grain with spawn from the mother culture. The fungus is allowed to completely colonize the growth medium aseptically. At the correct stage of development, corresponding to the maximum bioavailability the living biomass is aseptically air-dried, granulated, tested microbiologically, and reduced in powder for tablet preparation. In comparison to *Coriolus* extracts, biomass has the advantage of preserving all nutraceutical potential which is usually reduced with extracts or concentrates, including lyophilization, and thus the activity of the product corresponds with the source mushroom, while being further intensified by using the entire mycelium. Tablets of 500 mg each of the *Coriolus* biomass containing mycelium and primordia of the respective mushroom, kindly provided by Mycology Research Laboratories Ltd. (MRL, Luton, UK), as the product commercially available, were used for experiments. Optimal dosage (200 mg/kg) was chosen according to the dose used in clinical trials with cancer or Human papilloma virus (HPV) patients (3 g/day) [57], a regimen also confirmed by studies in rat [33].
