Geaster mammosum: a bactericidal fungus used in Himalayan folklore

The discovery is described of the high bactericidal and healing properties of basidiospores of a "star fungus" identified as Geaster mammosum Chev. (family: Geastraceae) growing saprophytically in pine forests. It is used in folk medicine for burns by the inhabitants of Kumaon. This drug was clinically tried on 25 patients with karnasrava (otorrhoea), 8 with karnasula (earache), 7 with vrana (wounds) and 2 with nabhipaka (umbilical sepsis) showing an improvement/cure in almost all cases. The drug offers potential for development as a therapeutic agent.