One of life’s most potent therapeutic agents is actually fungi. You can find many edible forms of mushrooms that can actually be used in the kitchen for cooking within recipe’s.
There are also many other mushroom’s present in nature that are not all necessarily safe. Some have phytochemicals and agents within them that are used in extracts for their medicinal potential, meanwhile others have toxins that can be deadly if they are ingested and broken down in the liver.
Mushrooms are currently being used for medical research and drug development for people with all sorts of diseases and illnesses.
This excitement within the field of mycology has funneled into other areas of study including immunology and oncology.
Some of the most promising research most recently has come up through immunomodulation. Herbal medicine which has been in practice for centuries in Chinese eastern medicine assists with balancing out the body when endocrine systems are out of whack.
Medicinal mushrooms can be defined as macroscopic fungi, mostly higher Basidiomycetes, which are used in the form of extracts or powder for prevention, alleviation, or healing of diseases and/or for nutritional reasons.
It is well-established that mushrooms are adept at immune modulation and affect hematopoietic stem cells, lymphocytes, macrophages, T cells, dendritic cells (DCs), and natural killer (NK) cells.1 Extensive research over the last 40 years has demonstrated that mushrooms have potent antineoplastic properties that slow growth of tumors, regulate tumor genes, decrease tumoral angioneogenesis, and increase malignant-cell phagocytosis. Additionally, evidence suggests that medicinal mushrooms may safely boost chemotherapeutic efficacy and simultaneously protect against bone marrow suppression.
Mushrooms represent a unique branch of botanical medicine and are classified in the kingdom of Fungi. They reproduce as spores.
Moradali MF, Mostafavi H, Ghods S, Hedjaroude GA. Immunomodulating and anticancer agents in the realm of macromycetes fungi (macrofungi) Int Immunopharmacol. 2007;7(6):701–724.
Medicinal mushrooms have been proposed as a novel therapy that may improve cancer treatment and patients’ survival. They have been used medicinally since at least 3000 bce. Mushrooms are reported to have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, cardiovascular-protective, antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, and anticancer properties.
Presently medicinal mushrooms are mainly used as dietary supplements or functional food. Nevertheless they have the potential to become real drugs of traditional and/or evidence-based medicine.
To explore this potential high quality products, preclinical and clinical trials according to the regulations, and legal authorization are necessary.
The specific benefits of medical mushrooms include antimicrobial activity and antioxidant potential.
Mushrooms possess medicinal properties because of the presence of different types of secondary metabolites. These secondary metabolites are bioactive, low molecular weight compounds which are produced in response to stress that help in its survival by signalling and defense but are generally not required by the fungi for their normal growth and reproduction. The most important secondary metabolite in medicinal mushrooms are polysaccharides, which belong to 1,3-β-glucans family, having antitumor activities which are achieved by enhancing and blocking cellular immunity pathway. These polysaccharides exhibit antitumor and immunostimulating properties and generally, glucans with high molecular weight seem to be more effective as compared to low molecular weight. Biologically active polysaccharides have unique structures and they vary from strain to strain and species to species. Generally, the hot-water-soluble fractions from medicinal mushrooms are used to extract these polysaccharides to find out their pharmacological activity.
There are other secondary metabolites as well that confer different pharmacological activities, which include lectins, lactones, terpenoids, alkaloids, antibiotics, and metal-chelating agents.
Chaturvedi, Vivek Kumar et al. “Medicinal mushroom: boon for therapeutic applications.” 3 Biotech vol. 8,8 (2018): 334. doi:10.1007/s13205-018-1358-0
The mushrooms with medicinal values are often termed as ‘mushroom nutraceuticals’. This mushroom nutraceutical is consumed in the form of capsules or tablets as dietary supplements which is derived from the extract or dried biomass of mycelium or the fruiting body of a mushroom that has potential therapeutic applications.
It has been reported that with regular intake of these nutraceuticals, there may be enhancement in the immune response of the human body which helps in increasing resistance to disease and at times improving the condition of the disease state.
Here below is a list of some of the more noteworthy medicinal mushrooms and some of their properties:
Agaricus –
This mushroom originates from Brazil and has an extract that is used as a nutraceutical. It contains a substance known as Beta glucans which is used for insulin resistance for people with type 2 diabetes. Agaricus is also used for cancer, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, “hardening of the arteries” (arteriosclerosis), ongoing liver disease, bloodstream disorders, and digestive problems.
Cordyceps –
This specifc fungi is grown on the larvae of caterpillars in China. It is composed of many amazing properties that can help boost energy and immunity. In addition there are antioxidants present that can assist with anti-aging by neutralizing free radicals that could damage and contribute to aging and disease.
Maitake –
This mushroom is known as a dancing mushroom in Japan. It has properties that are helpful for healing including antioxidants, amino acids, Beta glucans, B-vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Maitake may assist with ailments such as cancer, cholesterol, and type II diabetes.
Reishi –
Reishi mushroom is a fungus that holds an important place in the traditional medical systems of China, Japan, Korea and other Asian countries for its health-promoting effects. It is used as an immunostimulant by patients with HIV and cancer.
The active constituents include both beta-glucan polysaccharides and triterpenes (46) (47).
Extracts of reishi were shown to have immunomodulatory, renoprotective (9), anti-inflammatory (36), and hepatoprotective (37) properties both in vitro and in vivo. Clinical studies indicate its benefits in improving lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in men, and in exerting mild antidiabetic effects and improving dyslipidemia (29). However, randomized controlled trials do not support the use of reishi to address cardiovascular risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes . A pilot study of reishi spore powder did not find it helpful in treating patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) (1).
Reishi has also been studied for its anticancer potential. In vitro and animal studies indicate that it has immunomodulatory (45) and chemopreventive effects , alleviates chemotherapy-induced nausea (13), enhances the efficacy of radiotherapy (22), and increases sensitivity of ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin (27). It may also help prevent cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity (28).
Turkey Tail –
This fungi is very unique with it’s variation in colors and packed full of antioxidants. It contains many useful properties to help assist with immune boosting. The properties include Polysaccharopeptides which are protein-bound polysaccharides (carbohydrates) that are found in, for example, turkey tail mushroom extract.
Krestin (PSK) and Polysaccharide Peptide (PSP) are two types of polysaccharopeptides found in turkey tails (8Trusted Source).
Other important notes in regard to Turkey tail are its ability to positively affect certain types of cancer cells including colon cancer, improve endurance during exercise, aid gut health, and provide insulin resistance with type II diabetes.
The bottom line is that there is a lot of medical potential hidden within mushrooms. They have many properties that can help your body during its natural healing journey. Be sure to do your research and figure out which fungi may be right for you!
Disclaimer Note:
The regimen’s I provide are recommendations, not prescriptions, and are not intended as medical advice. Before starting any program, check with your physician or a nutritionally oriented doctor, especially if you have a specific physical problem or are taking any medications. My opinions expressed are not to be a substitute for qualified medical advice from a personal physician.
References:
- Chaturvedi, Vivek Kumar et al. “Medicinal mushroom: boon for therapeutic applications.” 3 Biotech vol. 8,8 (2018): 334. doi:10.1007/s13205-018-1358-0
- Guggenheim, Alena G et al. “Immune Modulation From Five Major Mushrooms: Application to Integrative Oncology.” Integrative medicine (Encinitas, Calif.) vol. 13,1 (2014): 32-44.
- Lindequist, Ulrike et al. “Medicinal mushrooms.” Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM vol. 2014 (2014): 806180. doi:10.1155/2014/806180
- Moradali MF, Mostafavi H, Ghods S, Hedjaroude GA. Immunomodulating and anticancer agents in the realm of macromycetes fungi (macrofungi) Int Immunopharmacol. 2007;7(6):701–724.
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