Are Medicinal Mushrooms Magic?

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Posted: Fri Sep 12, 2003 9:32 pm

Post subject: Are Medicinal Mushrooms Magic?

 

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-By Terry Willard Ph.D.

 

From the vision-producing mushrooms the shamans used in their

incitation rites to the mushroom hunter of northern Europe,

mushrooms have always held a great fascination for man. Many a fairy

tale has included members of the Fungi kingdom as part of the

backdrop. Yes, mushrooms are members of the Fungi kingdom. People

often shudder when they hear the word fungi. It brings up images of

some life forms taking over a university students refrigerator,

athletes foot, dirty showers or maybe a yeast infection. There are

more than 100,000 different species of fungi, some beneficial to

man, some not. Some are edible, some poisonous, some produce visions

and some have strong medicinal properties.

 

In the Western world, medicinal mushrooms have not played as much a

central role as they have in Asian culture. We can find references

in Western culture for medicinal mushrooms as far back as 455 B.C.

with Hippocrates use of them. Fungi are also mentioned in the works

of Pliny ( 23-78 AD), Dioscorides (55 AD) and Galen (130 - 200 AD),

showing that the ancients were quite familiar with their uses.Even

in present day, after the discovery in 1928 of penicillin (a

fungus), we find them playing a prominent role, making up a whole

class of antibiotic medicines.

 

But for the richness of folklore on medicinal mushrooms, we have to

delve into Asian culture, where there is more than 3,000 years of

recorded fungi use, continuously maintaining a prominent spot in

their medical systems.

 

 

It shouldnt be surprising that some mushrooms have strong medicinal

properties when you consider their basic role is that of transmuting

waste material into good, nutritious material.

 

It is surprising that they are considered panacea, making medicinal

mushrooms almost seem magical.

 

Claims from being tonic and energy enhancing, with beneficial

effects on the immune, respiratory, circulatory, endocrine, nervous,

digestive and skeletal/muscular systems, make one wonder if they are

a little over-stated.

 

The fact that they are used to reduce tumors, blood cholesterol,

blood pressure, bronchial inflamation, nervous tension, viral

infection, insomnia, duodenal ulcers, allergies, diabetes,

hepatitis, progressive muscular dystrophy and high-altitude sickness

makes us wonder how they work.

 

They are also being used to reduce symptoms of AIDS, Chronic

Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Asthma, Cancer and the side effects

of chemo-therapy. At the same time these wondrous medicinal

mushrooms are being used to enhance over- all energy, athletic

feats, intellectual challenges, environmental stresses and are

considered longevity herbs.

 

What make them tick? Besides the myths of their transmuting our

toxic waste material and negative emotions into healthy ones, we can

gain some insight by looking at their biochemistry.

 

There are three basic groups of chemicals that seem to be

responsible for a large amount of the medicinal effects of these

mushrooms.

 

They are branched polysaccharide-protein complexes, triterpenes and

nitrogen-containing compounds, like adenosine.

 

Polysaccharides have been extensively studied in the last several

years for their immune regulating abilities.

 

Many well-known medicinal herbs such as Echinacea, and Astragalus

have polysaccharides as a major part of the immune-enhancing actions.

 

It now appears that the polysaccharide-protein complexes are even

more important than the individual polysaccharides.

 

Most of the medicinal mushrooms are very rich in these complexes,

resulting in many of the immune responses credited to their action.

 

Triterpenes are an interesting group of compounds that have a

steroidal nature, being similar to our own hormonal system. Working

as hormonal communicators, these biochemicals have a profound effect

on subtle actions in our body.

 

The amino acids are known to be building blocks of our basic

cellular material of RNA, also being very important in our energy

system, with adenosine being the core of cAMP and ATP From these

fundamental biochemical roles we can understand why medicinal

mushroom can have such a wide range of therapeutic action.

 

To demonstrate some of these actions, I am going to briefly discuss

five of my favorite medicinal mushrooms: Reishi, Maitake, Shiitake,

Cordyceps and Poria Cocas.

 

By far my favorite of the medicinal mushroom is Reishi (Ganoderma

lucidum, and related species) because it has all of the above

biochemical groups and it holds the prominent position in Asian

medicinal folklore.

 

Reishi has a large range of therapeutic uses, growing around the

world. My favorite description of Reishi is the Chinese by-

line, " . . . to protect an academic from their own mind. " Reishi

will calm the nervous system, reduce insomnia, lessen paranoia and

readjust what the Chinese call disturbed Shen Qi (spiritual mind).

 

One of my patients suggested that by taking Reishi, it was like

getting an additional half hour of meditation a day.

 

Meditation in a bottle; is North America ready for that or what?

 

Reishi is revered for its effect on the heart and respiratory tract

because it relieves tightness in the chest. Reishi also affects the

circulatory system by lowering blood pressure, blood cholesterol,

while balancing LDL/HDL ratios and reducing other blood lipids.

Reishi is also specific for asthma, allergies, bronchitis along with

many other respiratory problems.

 

This herb is considered a longevity tonic because of its antioxidant

effect.

 

Reishis antimicrobial action works against bacteria, fungi and

viruses. Several countries use this mushroom to treat cancer, AIDS,

fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

 

Reishi calms the autonomic nervous system. It also reduces

spasticity, ulcers, colitis and detoxifies the liver.

 

Reishis anti-allergenic effect works for air bound and food bound

allergens.

 

Instead of taking Reishi completely alone for long periods of time,

take Reishi with other supplements.

 

Vitamin C and ginger are particularly good companions for it. A

useful formula for the above is:

Reishi solid extract 1:15, Echinacea root, Ginger root, and Barberry

root. This is one of the most prominent formulas we use in our

clinics.

 

Maitake (Grifola frondosa), also known as the dancing mushroom, is a

prized medicinal mushroom from Japan. Its strongest effects are on

the immune system. Some studies suggest it has even stronger immune

action than Reishi, while other studies dispute that data. It does

definitely have an advantage in the fact that it is a great edible

mushroom, while Reishi is not.

 

A special preparation called the D-fraction is a polysaccharide-

protein complex that seems to be responsible for much of its immune

modulating effect.

 

Maitake has been successfully employed in AIDS patients, reducing

symptoms and slowing down its progression. As an anti-cancer agent

it has reduced tumors as well as the side effects of chemotherapy.

 

It has also been shown to reduce blood pressure, help recovery from

hepatitis B, and reduce blood sugar in diabetics. As a weight

management herb, it has slow, but consistent results to aid in

weight loss.

 

As with some of the other fungi, Maitake can aid in reducing uterine

fibroids. However I have found that Cordyceps is better in our

clinical experience.

 

Shiitake (Lentinus edodes) is beneficial in reducing dermatitis,

liver cirrhosis, vascular sclerosis, high blood pressure, high blood

cholesterol.

 

It has been used for preventing toxicity from acid foods, inhibit

growths of sarcoma 180 (97.5%) and Ehrich carcinoma (80%), and used

successfully for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

 

LEM (Lentinis edodes mycelium) is often the form used in medicine

these days. This delicious mushroom can be found as a popular

addition to both Japanese and Chinese cuisine.

 

Cordyceps Sinensis (Dong chong xia cao) is also known as the

Caterpillar fungus because it grows on insect caterpillars. It has

been getting quite a lot of attention due to it ability to enhance

athletic performance, being heavily consumed by Asian athletes in

the last few Olympics.

 

Besides its strong tonic effect, it can be used to increase oxygen

uptake in the lungs, while reducing bronchial inflammation and

working as an expectorant.

 

It is well known to relieve exhaustion, night sweats, sexual

impotency and as a sedative. It benefits the kidneys, lungs and

gonadal function, increasing sperm count.

 

It is specific for reducing uterine fibroids.

 

Cordyceps stimulates immune function (due to CS-1) by activating T-

cells and B-cells, while increasing interleukin-1 and Gama-

interferon. It is still one of the most expensive of Chinese herbs.

 

Poria cocas (Fu ling) is one of the most used fungi in the Orient,

being incorporated into many formulas. It has been shown to have a

relaxing effect on the nervous system and smooth muscles.

 

Poria cocas will also lower blood glucose, reduce diarrhea and

edema, working as a good diuretic. Its tonic effect aids in

digestion and absorption of food, while having a quieting effect on

the spirit, strengthening the heart and reducing insomnia and

forgetfulness.

 

I often combine all of the above medicinal mushrooms together in a

formula to get the full effect of medicinal mushroom power. We use

this formula in the clinic for a variety of things including a

calming tonic that enhances the immune system, while reducing some

of North America worse health issues.

 

As you can see with the huge amount of both folklore and scientific

information, these medicinal mushrooms can play an important role in

almost anyones health program.

 

Even though it is true that several mushrooms should not be consumed

by people with Candida Yeast infections, all of these mushrooms are

not only safe in these patients, they can often reduce the symptoms

and underlaying causes of this problem.

 

There are many myths around these mushrooms, but my favorite is the

one I learned from one of my teachers, an Amazon Shaman. In trying

to understand more about the personality of a medicinal mushroom, I

asked him to explain it to me. I wanted to know more about his use

of Reishi (G.lucidum) that grew in his area.

 

He stated that the part we use is its fruit. The actual plant lives

underground, often covering several acres and even up to a couple

miles under the Amazon jungle.

 

He explained that these fungi are very old Beings, living in earth

(Gaia) energy for 1,000s of years. This has created a calming, wise

energy to these mushrooms an energy that we might consider a wise

sage of possessing.

 

By using its fruit as medicines, we take on some of the calming

wise energy, helping to ground us. A thing that many in western

society could use.

 

References:

 

1. Hobbs, C; Medicinal Mushrooms; Bontanica Press, Santa Cruz CA;

1995 p7-19.

 

2. Benjamin D; Mushrooms poisons and panaceas; W.H. Freeman & Co;

New York, 1995.

 

3. Ying J, Mao H; Icons of Medicinal Funfi From China; Bejing; 1987.

 

4. Chihara G, et al Antitumor polysaccharide derives chemically from

natural glucan; Nature 225;943-944 1970.

 

5. Willard T.; Reishi Mushroom; Herb of spiritual Potency and

Medical Wonder; Sylvan Press Issaquah Was; 1990.

 

6. Townsend Letter for Doctors, May 1994, pp. 432-434;

 

7. Explore! For the Professional, Vol. 4, No. 5, 1993, pp. 17-19.

 

8. Willard T.; Textbook of Advance Herbology; Wild Rose College;

Calgary AB Canada; 1991.

 

 

 

 

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