Healing Properties of Mushrooms

If you believe the ancient Chinese medical sciences, specifically those dating back to 2000 years, they specify certain species of mushroom that possess healing properties. These species are also believed to promote physical and mental health and longevity. In ancient times, these rare herbs were available only to the ruling clan of ancient China, but not anymore! There are different varieties of mushrooms such as Reishi, Cordycepts or Shitake, which were available to the highest clan of the society, and were treated as "The Emperor's Secret". In fact, royal families could only afford them due to their scarcity and cost. They believed that mushrooms promote health, vigor, longevity, and immortality. Scientists of today's generation seem to agree with those of ancient times. In recent findings, it is confirmed that mushroom nutrition prevents you from many health diseases such as tumors, cancer, fatigue, viral infection, and Hepatitis B. Other than this, there exist numerous traditional varieties of mushroom that are significantly helpful in boosting immunity, and prevent you from various diseases such as common cold, influenza, inflammation, arthritis, allergy, chronic Bronchitis, and herpes. If you want to improve your overall health and wellbeing, or boost your ability or fight various types of chronic disease including cancer, you must include mushrooms in your daily diet to get essential health benefits. You can use mushrooms in soups, sandwiches and salads to enjoy their health benefits. Mushrooms contain various minerals such as Copper, which has proven ability to fight various health disorders. The Potassium present in mushrooms helps in preventing various cardiac problems including heat strokes. In fact mushrooms contain more potassium than bananas. Apart from adding flavor, taste and variety in your food, mushrooms provide you an essential cover against several diseases. Therefore, it is definitely a good idea to include mushrooms in your diet.

MEDICINAL QUALITIES OF SHIITAKE

The person most responsible for stimulating the current medicinal interest in shiitake was Japan's Kisaku Mori, Ph.D. In 1936, Dr. Mori established the Institute of Mushroom Research in Tokyo. Until his death in 1977, Dr. Mori worked with scientists from around the world to document the medicinal effects of shiitake. Using analytical techniques, Mori found shiitake high in many enzymes and vitamins that were not usually found in plants. His findings, published in Mushrooms as Health Foods, were extensive. Working for years with human subjects, he discovered that shiitake is effective in treating a long list of ailments including high cholesterol, gallstones, hyperacidity, stomach ulcers, diabetes, vitamin deficiency, anemia, and even the common cold. Mori's work gained notoriety, particularly in Japanese medicinal circles, and, beginning in the 1960s, scientists launched an extensive search to uncover the secret of shiitake's legendary healing powers. Their studies - over one hundred in all - have focused on shiitake's ability to rapidly lower serum cholesterol, as well as this mushroom's potent antitumor, antiviral, and antibiotic properties. High levels of cholesterol in the blood has been linked to serious diseases such as arteriosclerosis and strokes, so investigators were excited in 1966 when they isolated a substance from shiitake that dramatically lowered blood cholesterol. This substance, now called eritadenine, was given to rats on a high-cholesterol diet. In just a few days, as reported in The Journal of Nutrition, the blood cholesterol level of the rats dropped 25 to 45 percent. Eritadenine has been associated with the water-soluble fiber of shiitake, but its action is even stronger when the whole mushroom is consumed. Studies with humans have shown that only three ounces of shiitake (5-6 mushrooms) a day can lower cholesterol by twelve percent in a week. "Many of the human diseases currently increasing throughout the world have no specific cures," notes mycologist John Donoghue, co-author of Shiitake Growers Handbook. "Immune system failure or dysfunction is a common element in cancer, viruses, and immune-deficiency diseases," says Donoghue. He and other scientists around the world contend that there is increasing evidence that the health-promoting compounds found in medicinal and edible fungi, including shiitake, stimulate the immune system. Scientists now believe that a polysaccharide called lentinan and virus-like particles found in shiitake trigger the increased production of various serum factors associated with immunity and inflammation. These so-called lymphokines, such as interferon and interleukin, stimulate the defense system, spurring the proliferation of phagocytes, including macrophages and other immune fighters that attack cancer cells, bacteria, and viruses. The most dramatic experiment demonstrating shiitake's antitumor effect was performed on animals. At the National Cancer Research Center in Tokyo, mice suffering from sarcoma, a type of virally-induced cancer, were treated with small doses of shiitake extract over short periods of time. In 1970, the results, published in the journal Cancer Research, showed that six out of ten mice had complete tumor regression. At slightly higher concentrations, shiitake was 100 percent effective - all mice showed tumor regression. In a 1996 study at Drew University, a protein-bound polysaccharide extracted from shiitake was found to have strong anti-tumor properties. In the study ten cancer patients were treated with the compound and all showed significant improvement. Similar studies have shown that shiitake extract helps prevent transplanted tumors from taking hold, and "excellent results" were obtained by Japanese scientists in a four-year follow-up study of patients with advanced and recurrent stomach and colon cancer. Shiitake extract is even being tested for use with modern chemotherapy drugs to lessen their toxic effects on healthy tissue and the immune system. The most recent development in shiitake medical research involves the use of shiitake extract to inhibit the reproduction of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in tissue culture. Researchers working at Japan's Yamaguchi University School of Medicine have reported that shiitake extract has a "protective effect" that inhibits the usual cell-destroying effects of the HIV virus. Researchers have noted that substances such as shiitake, which both enhance the immune response and have anti-viral effects, should be further evaluated for the treatment of AIDS. In addition to fighting cancer, inhibiting the growth of viruses, and lowering cholesterol, shiitake have potent antibiotic effects against other organisms. A substance called cortinelin, a broad-spectrum antibacterial agent, which has been isolated from shiitake, kills a wide range of pathogenic bacteria. A sulfide compound extracted from shiitake has been found to have an effect against the fungus that causes ringworm and other skin diseases.

Healing Mushrooms and Medicinal Mushrooms

Mushrooms are probably the least understood of the healing and medicinal herbs. While herbal studies of ginseng, black cosh, echinacea and green tea number in the thousands, research papers about medicinal uses of mushrooms number under a thousand. Research into medicinal properties of mushrooms has only picked up since the 80s. A difficulty with mushrooms is their innate ability to absorb elements and chemical found in their direct environment. Shiitake mushrooms grown in a greenhouse in Canada, will have significantly different chemical properties from those grown outdoors in California, because temperature, growing medium and climate play their part in the level of medicinal properties of a particular species of mushroom. Research has resulted in diverging results, even using exactly the same strains of a particular mushroom. Over the last 40 years, there has been evidence that certain mushrooms contain protein, trace minerals, polysaccharides, amino-acids and fiber that are essential for overall heath. Compounds found in mushrooms are now believed to boost the immune system, while others may inhibit tumor growth. Some mushrooms may also be adaptogens. Adaptogens increase resistance to environmental stress factors like stress, and fatigue. The adaptogens in mushrooms are often their antioxidant properties, which by helping to reduce cellular damage and removal toxins assist the body in cope with the day-to-day stress induced by our environment. Mushrooms associated medicinal properties include: Reishi Maitaki Chaga Shiitake Cordyceps Lion’s Mane Turkey Tail Agaricus Of these mushrooms, the most studied by far is the Reishi, often called the mushroom of immortality in the Orient.

Paul Stamets and the Healing Power of Mushrooms

Paul Stamets uses a love of mushrooms to drive home the notion that small, individual actions have earthshaking potential. Our hero: Paul Stamets, 55 Where he lives: Kamilche Point, Washington How he helps: Protects the mushroom “My parents told me to stay away from mushrooms, that their spores would blind me,” says Paul Stamets good-naturedly. Nevertheless, Stamets has devoted his life to the humble fungi, studying mycology and in 1980 founding the company Fungi Perfecti, which sells mushroom cultivation kits. Why mushrooms? According to Stamets, many of the estimated 150,000 species of mushrooms have environment-healing properties. For example, the oyster mushroom can break down oil from spills. The King Stropharia mushroom filters bacteria like E. coli before they get into the water supply. And the turkey tail mushroom may help strengthen the immune systems of women with breast cancer, according to government-funded research aided by Stamets and his team. “One of my core beliefs,” Stamets says, “is that humans and habitats have immune systems, and the mushroom’s network of cells is a bridge between the two.” A mushroom’s cells also encourage new growth in old-growth forests. “The mushroom creates soil and fosters other life in the soil. Without healthy soil,” he warns, “we don’t have life.” To demonstrate this, Stamets has invented the Life Box, a cardboard carton embedded with tree seeds and fungi. “Each box can become a forest,” he says. “Get the box, tear it up, plant it, and little trees come up.” (Stamets adds, “My grandson felt like a parent. He asked me why all cardboard boxes aren’t Life Boxes.”) It’s Stamets’s way of driving home the notion that small, individual actions have earthshaking potential.

The Healing Power of Medicinal Mushrooms

Mushrooms are valuable health food – low in calories, high in vegetable proteins, chitin, iron, zinc, fiber, essential amino acids, vitamins & minerals. Mushrooms also have a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Their legendary effects on promoting good health and vitality and increasing your body’s adaptive abilities have been supported by recent studies. These studies suggest that Mushrooms are probiotic – they help our body strengthen itself and fight off illness by maintaining physiological homeostasis – restoring our bodies balance and natural resistance to disease. Agaricus Mushroom Agaricus is the most widely consumed mushroom in many countries, where it is regarded as a health food, due to its medicinal properties. Agaricus is traditionally known as “God’s Mushroom” because of its near miraculous curative benefits to a wide range of disorders. People have used it to overcome numerous diseases and disorders relating to the immune system, cardiovascular system, digestion, and for weight management, diabetes, chronic and acute allergies, cataracts, hearing difficulties, stress syndrome, chronic fatigue, diarrhea, constipation, and disorders of the liver. Cordyceps Mushroom Cordyceps can be a powerful stimulant for macrophage activity, strengthening your immune system’s ability to fight against bacterial and viral infection. Human clinical studies indicate that Cordyceps can be effective for treatment of high cholesterol, poor libido/impotence, arrhythmia, lung cancer, and chronic kidney failure. It is also reported that Cordyceps causes smooth muscle relaxation. This can make it especially helpful for treating chronic coughs, asthma, and other bronchial conditions. Maitake Mushroom Maitake is also known by the name Dancing Mushroom, famous for its taste and health benefits. In Japan, Maitake Mushroom is called “King of Mushroom”. The fruiting body and the mycelium of Maitake are used medicinally. In China and Japan, Maitake Mushrooms have been consumed for 3000 years. Years ago in Japan, the Maitake had monetary value and was worth its weight in silver. Historically, Maitake has been used as a tonic and adaptogen. It was used as a food to help promote wellness and vitality. Traditionally, consumption of the mushroom was thought to prevent high blood pressure and cancer – two applications that have been the focal point of modern research. Clinical research with Maitake Mushroom has increased dramatically in the past several years. Laboratory studies have shown that Maitake Mushroom extract can inhibit the growth of tumors and stimulate the immune system of cancerous mice. Reishi Mushroom Reishi has been called an “immune potentiator.” Recent studies have indicated that Reishi can have a number of other effects: Analgesic, Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Antiviral through inducing interferon production, Lowers blood pressure, Cardiotonic action through lowering serum cholesterol, Expectorant & Antitussive, Liver (Hepatitis)-protecting and detoxifying, protection against ionizing radiation, Antibacterial, and Anti-HIV activity. Reishi contains calcium, iron and phosphorus as well as vitamins C, D, and B – including pantothenic acid, which is essential to nerve function and the adrenal glands. Shiitake Mushroom Shiitake (for centuries called “Elixir of Life” ) has been licensed as a anti-cancer drug by the Japanese FDA. Lentinan has shown some effect on bowel cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, ovarian cancer and lung cancer. Lentinan stimulates the production of T lymphocytes and natural killer cells and can potentiate the effect of AZT in the anti-viral treatment of A.I.D.S. Shiitake is rich in several anti-oxidants (Selenium, Uric acid & Vitamin A, E, & C) as well as Vitamin D. Shiitake mushrooms may also lower blood pressure in those with hypertension, lower serum cholesterol levels, increase libido, stimulate the production of Interferon which has anti-viral effects, and has proven effective against Hepatitis in some cases. Yun Zhi Mushroom Yun Zhi, or the Cloud Mushroom, has been used to dispel dampness, reduce phlegm, treat pulmonary infections, to strengthen the tendons and bones, for vital energy, and to support liver health.

The Healing Power of Mushrooms

Shiitakes, matsutakes, maitakes, and other friendly fungi could fight cancer, cholesterol, and HIV Dawn in Telluride, Colorado, is chilly, even in the dog days of August. But the cold doesn't matter. I'm up to go mushroom hunting, and my excitement is more than the morning can cool. It's my first time heading into the woods to gather wild mushrooms, especially ones I plan to eat. But I'm not here to set off on a vision quest or become a kidney transplant candidate. It's the 18th annual Telluride Mushroom Festival, and guiding my initiation into the world of mycology are a couple hundred biologists, nature photographers, and amateur mushroom fans from around the country. They've come for the weekend to see old friends, swap mushroom news, and enjoy Rocky Mountain earth flavors packaged in the bright orange folds of chanterelles and the musky aroma of matsutakes. The festival is more than foraging through mountain meadows for fungal delights. It hosts a series of workshops on the interplay between mushrooms and human beings. One of the most popular is on medicinal mushrooms, the bridge between natural healing and gourmet cooking. “The line between gourmet and medicinal mushrooms has blurred,” says Paul Stamets, author of several books on mushroom cultivation and one of the pillars of the festival. “All gourmet mushrooms have medicinal benefits.” In Asian cuisine, mushrooms are prized as much for their medicinal benefits as for their taste or texture. This contrasts with the American or Western approach to food; only recently has science confirmed that eating vegetables indeed prevents disease. The fact is that many wild mushrooms from around the world, including North America, contain potent compounds for treating cancer, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and even HIV. Likewise, the biological niche occupied by mushrooms puts them in competition with bacteria, resulting in strong antibiotic defenses that have yet to be fully understood. According to Stamets, pharmaceutical companies have largely ignored these compounds, perceiving mushrooms as foods, and have left the research to scientists in Asia and Europe. The result is a paucity of American studies but an abundance of reports from scientific communities overseas. The potency of these chemicals cannot be ignored. In the November 1996 issue of Nutritional Review, Dr. Raymond Chang of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York wrote: “It is estimated that approximately 50 percent of the annual 5 million metric tons of cultivated edible mushrooms contain functional nutraceutical or medicinal properties.” Perhaps the most studied mushroom is the maitake, or hen of the woods, which resembles a ball of deep shag carpeting. Compounds in maitake called beta-glucans were shown in a 1989 Japanese study to stimulate immune systems in animals to kill cancer cells, stop tumor growth, and accelerate production of natural killer cells. When cancer cells were grown in vitro, the maitake beta-glucans didn't work, but rather were most effective as a catalyst for getting the immune system into high gear. Another 1989 study found that maitake mushrooms, fed to hypertensive rats for eight weeks, reduced high blood pressure. A 1994 study reported success feeding powdered maitake mushrooms to diabetic mice to reduce their blood glucose levels. In 1993, Japanese researchers reported that beta-glucan extracted from maitakes inhibited HIV and restrained breast cancer; they suggested that maitake extracts be used with other AIDS drugs. Broad-capped shiitake mushrooms, another variety familiar to chefs and medical researchers alike, were first recognized as a potential weapon against HIV in Japan in the mid-'80s but did not gain recognition here for almost 10 years. One compound, lentinan, a kind of beta-glucan extracted from shiitakes, has been used by Japanese oncologists for over 20 years to stem the growth of malignant tumors. This same compound got star billing at the Sixth International Conference on AIDS in 1990, when published reports showed lentinan's ability to increase immune system cells. Since then, lentinan has been approved in Japan as a cancer treatment and is being studied in the United States for HIV treatment. Reishi mushrooms, known as Ganoderma lucidum or varnished wood conch, are best reserved for making tea, according to the experts, but are no less potent a medicine than the other two. They're often used in a traditional Chinese medicinal preparation called ling zhi—also the name researchers gave to a protein extracted from the mushroom in a 1995 study documenting its ability to keep the immune system from attacking transplanted tissues. Another 1995 study demonstrated how Ganoderma extracts protected the liver and actively scavenged for free radicals. In 1997 the International Journal of Cancer published a study on the anti-tumor and immune-modulating effects of Ganoderma lucidum. As with the maitake research, extracts of the mushroom stimulated the system to produce a host of defenses and induced apoptosis, or “cell suicide,” among cancer cells. These three mushrooms represent just a sampling of the wide variety of medicinal mushrooms out there. Oyster mushrooms, matsutake, wood ear—varieties you’ll see in upscale grocery stores and on restaurant menus—are also in labs proving their potential for healing. But this is all old hat for the mycophiles—mushroom lovers—at the Telluride Mushroom Festival. They know mushrooms are powerful gifts of nature and are busy picking them by the bushel to send to the festival kitchen, which produces a spectacular array of dishes: roasted matsutakes, hedgehog mushroom stew, penne with shrimp russulas, and, of course, the talk of the festival, Rita’s Famous Chanterelle Strudel. At festival’s end, chatter about medicinals and immunomodulation subsides in favor of a glass of wine and a sampling of the mushroom spread and crostini. “There are a lot more people this year,” says one veteran reveler. “I guess more people are getting turned on to mushrooms.” From Shambhala Sun (Jan. 1999). Subscriptions: $24/yr. (6 issues) from 1345 Spruce St., Boulder, CO 80302-4886.

The nutritional benefits of mushrooms

An analysis of previously uncharted chemical contents, mostly carbohydrates, in U.S.-consumed mushrooms shows that these fruity edible bodies of fungi could be tailored into dietary plans to help fill various nutritional needs. Using modern analytic tools, scientists at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that the six mushroom varieties tested -- in raw and cooked forms and at various harvest times and maturity levels -- are rich in total dietary fibers, including those associated with cholesterol-lowering (chitin) and healthy hearts (beta-glutan). The findings appear online in advance of regular publication by the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. The same researchers last year reported in the same journal the carbohydrate profile of selected plum and prune products. The findings will become part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Nutrient Database. "What we've reported in these papers are the complete carbohydrate profiles of these two lines of popular foods," said George C. Fahey Jr., a professor of nutritional sciences in the department of animal sciences at Illinois. "These profiles include the digestible carbohydrates, the starches and the fermentable fibers that reach the large bowel. This work was important to the two commodity organizations that funded this research, because they had little information on these components." It was already known that mushrooms offer high-quality protein, vitamins, unsaturated fatty acids and fiber, but a precise carbohydrate breakdown had been elusive. The mushrooms studied were white button, crimini and portabella, all of which represent different maturity levels of Agaricus bisporus, and maitake (Grifola frondosa), shiitake (Lentinus edodes) and enoki (Flammulina velutipes). The latter two mushrooms were analyzed only in their consumed cooked form. "The maitakes and shiitakes tended to be very similar in their nutrient concentrations, and quite a bit different than the others," said Cheryl L. Dikeman, a doctoral student in Fahey's lab and lead author on both papers. "Portabellas were off on their own in terms of their contents of oligosaccharides, beta-glucans and chitin." Chitin concentrations were 8 percent in raw, mature portabellas and 6 percent in raw, immature ones. When cooked, chitin content fell to 2.7 percent in both forms, but their levels of total dietary fibers went up significantly. Also showing the same pattern were raw enokis, which had a 7.7 percent chitin content; cooking also lowered it to 2.7 percent but total dietary fibers jumped from 29.3 percent in raw to 41.6 percent in cooked. Raw, mature white buttons and cooked, mature shiitakes boasted chitin levels of 3 percent and 3.6 percent, respectively. Raw, mature portabellas also had the highest level of beta-glucan (0.2 percent), while most of the other mushrooms had 0.1 percent. Enokis and maitakes had none. Relatively small amounts are required to provide cardiovascular benefits, Fahey said. Cooking tended to increase starch, total dietary fibers and fat contents and to decrease chitin concentrations in all of the mushrooms. "Some nutrients went up after cooking, while some went down," Dikeman said. "Part of that you'd expect to happen as water is cooked out." Also measured were oligosaccharide levels. These sugar molecules are only partially digestible, but the undigested components are considered prebiotics in that they elicit growth of healthful bacteria in the colon. Raw, immature portabellas had a total oligosaccharide concentration of 5,272 micrograms per gram (ug/g). Also found to have more than 1,000 ug/g were raw, mature portabellas and cooked, immature crimini. None were detected in enokis, maitakes or shiitakes. Most of the total oligosaccharides were in the form of glucooligosaccharides, but fructooligosaccharides (FOS) accounted for the total concentrations in cooked, immature white buttons. FOS did not appear in other samples. In other findings: White buttons had the highest levels of ash; starch was highest in maitakes and shiitakes; and crude protein and acid-hydrolyzed fats were highest in crimini, white buttons and maitakes. For plums and prunes, which are known to be good sources of dietary fiber, the researchers analyzed individual carbohydrate components that are in the various forms used by consumers: powders, juices, purees and fruits. They also looked at the waste byproducts, including dried plum pits. All of the prune/plum products were found to have high total concentrations of oligosaccharides and free sugars. High in total dietary fibers as a percentage of total dry-matter were generally the various powder and fruit products. The research primarily involved the use of high-performance liquid chromatography, which was adapted by Laura L. Bauer, a research specialist in animal sciences and a co-author on both papers, to quantify chitin concentrations in each mushroom. A spectrophotometer was used to analyze beta-glucan levels and sort out uronic acids that are associated with total dietary fibers. The information obtained in the two studies, Fahey said, will allow people to choose the mushrooms and forms of plums and prunes that provide the dietary punch they may be needing. It also should allow food scientists to search for optimum preparation strategies for using the various products. ------------------ The Mushroom Council of Dublin, Calif., funded the mushroom study and provided the samples. The plum/prune study was done with samples and funding provided by the California Dried Plum Board. Elizabeth A. Flickinger, a former postdoctoral researcher in Fahey's lab, also was a co-author on the plum/prune study.

Stress Relief*

Balancing the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis (HPA Axis) - Cordyceps Cs-4 Cordyceps extracts provide immuno-modulating beta glucans that support immune health. Cordyceps extracts also contain other actives including adenosine, cordycepic acid, cordycepin and other related compounds. It is the adenosine and the other related compounds that may help to balance the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis), acting primarily through the adrenal glands, and by doing so, can be helpful to people suffering from prolonged exposure to stress. The HPA Axis (or HTPA axis), is a complex set of direct influences and feedback interactions among the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland and the adrenal glands. The interactions among these organs constitute the HPA axis, a major part of the neuroendocrine system that controls reactions to stress, and regulates many of the body’s processes including digestion, the immune system, mood and emotions, sexuality and energy storage and expenditure. The ability to respond to stress is essential and a normal part of human physiology. Stress can be psychological stress, or physiological stressors such as such as hypoglycemia, illness, fever, trauma, surgery, fear, pain, physical exertion, or temperature extremes. However, whether from a charging lion, or a pending deadline, the body's response to stress can be both helpful and harmful. The stress response gives us the strength and speed to ward off or flee from an impending threat. But when it persists, stress can put us at risk for a number of health problems. Prolonged exposure to stress can also lead to a persistent feeling of fatigue, and can affect everything from mood to sleep, the immune function and the digestion of food and the absorption of nutrients from the diet. This prolonged exposure to stress can also create an imbalance in the HPA Axis that becomes self-reinforcing, causing the negative symptoms to persist and get worse. Regular use of Cordyceps, by replenishing the adrenals, may help to break this self-reinforcing imbalance, leading to a balanced HPA Axis and better health by reducing the negative effects of prolonged exposure to stress. Cordyceps Cs-4

Memory and Concentration*

Along with supporting immune health, the other unique health benefits attributed to Lion’s Mane extracts are what some researchers are calling “Neural Nourishment”. Extracts of the Lion’s Mane mushrooms, and the mycelium grown in liquid (not rice), may enhance cognitive functions such as memory and concentration, promote or accelerate the growth of the myelin sheath (also called myelination), and enhance and promote the production of Nerve Growth Factor. The myelin sheath surrounds and promotes the normal function of nerve cells. This is essential to the health and normal functioning of the nervous system. Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) is a small secreted protein that is important for the growth, maintenance and survival of certain neurons (nerve cells), and also functions as a signaling molecule. NGF is part of a family or group of similar proteins, also referred to as a neurotrophins, that serve to promote the health and normal function of the brain and nervous system.

Liver Health*

Reishi - In addition to the immuno-modulating beta glucans Reishi also contains active compounds called triterpenes. The triterpenes specific to Reishi are called ganoderic acids. Triterpenes can improve liver function by helping the liver to clear out accumulated toxins. This is especially important for those people that may have impaired liver function. Shiitake - In addition to the beta glucans Shiitake contains various enzymes that may improve liver function. Both Reishi and Shiitake are considered to be “tonics” for the liver in Traditional East Asian Medicine.

Increased Energy*

Cordyceps extracts provide immuno-modulating beta glucans that support immune health. Cordyceps extracts also contain adenosine, cordycepic acid, cordycepin and other related compounds. It is the adenosine and these other related compounds that help with adrenal fatigue and adrenal depletion, and by doing so, can increase energy levels and stamina and endurance. Continued stress on the body can lead the adrenal glands to produce too much cortisol, too much cortisol in the system over time causes adrenal fatigue or exhaustion. By stress we mean a high stress life style or excessive physical activity. This also applies to athletes that are constantly stressing the body through repeated and intensive physical training and activity. Cortisol is an important hormone in the body and is involved in many important bodily functions. However, continued excessive levels of cortisol in the system can cause adrenal fatigue or depletion, causing low energy levels, adrenal exhaustion and poor sleep. Cordyceps can break this cycle by replenishing the adrenals and lowering cortisol levels, leading to increased energy, stamina and endurance. Cordyceps Cs-4

Immune Support*

Mushrooms defined as “medicinal” are those mushrooms that contain immune activating beta glucans and other polysaccharides within their indigestible cell walls. When properly extracted with hot water these polysaccharides are used in supplemental form to maintain, protect and support immune health. Any of the mushroom extracts can be used for immune support, and the best choice for any individual may rest on some of the additional, non-immune health benefits the various mushroom extracts may provide.

Immune Support*

Mushrooms defined as “medicinal” are those mushrooms that contain immune activating beta glucans and other polysaccharides within their indigestible cell walls. When properly extracted with hot water these polysaccharides are used in supplemental form to maintain, protect and support immune health. Any of the mushroom extracts can be used for immune support, and the best choice for any individual may rest on some of the additional, non-immune health benefits the various mushroom extracts may provide. Agaricus blazei Chaga Cordyceps Cs-4 Coriolus PSP Coriolus Super Strength - PSK Formula Immune Builder® Lion's Mane Mushroom Maitake Maitake Gold 404® Reishi Super Strength Shiitake

Healthy Skin*

The ability of Tremella to improve the health and complexion of the skin is attributed to the fact that some of the polysaccharides in Tremella can help the body maintain the production of hyaluronic acid, the production of which normally declines as the body ages. The function of hyaluronic acid in the body is, amongst other things, to bind water and to lubricate moveable parts in the body such as joints and muscles, and to help keep the skin pliable, firm and moist from within. Hyaluronic acid is a carbohydrate, more specifically a mucopolysaccharide occurring naturally throughout the body Through extensive research over the years, hyaluronic acid has yielded amazing results in various applications and locations throughout the body. Joint cushioning and support, connective tissues, scalp tissue, hair follicles, eyes, gum tissues and skin have all been known to benefit by hyaluronic acid supplementation. However, Tremella is thought to support the body’s ability to maintain the production of hyaluronic acid from within, without the drop off in production that normally comes with aging. This is a much better option than trying to add hyaluronic acid later, through supplementation, as the body’s production of hyaluronic declines with age.

Anti-Oxidant*

Chaga is unique among medicinal mushrooms. In addition to its potent immune stimulating properties Chaga is also a powerful antioxidant. The MushroomScience Chaga extract was tested for its anti-oxidant properties by Brunswick Labs. They performed a test that assigns supplements an “ORAC” score, allowing the comparison of anti-oxidant properties between different types of supplements. The ORAC value of the MushroomScience Chaga extract was higher than green or black tea extracts and was similar to that of blueberry extracts. These anti-oxidant properties are attributed to an active compound unique to Chaga mushrooms, a triterpene called “betulinic acid”. The Wikipedia entry for betulinic acid contains interesting information on this active compound.

Enokitake Health properties

Enokitake mushrooms contain antioxidants, like ergothioneine. Animal testing has indicated possible applications in the development of vaccines and cancer immunotherapy. Research at the National University of Singapore, first published in 2005, stated that the stalk of the golden needle mushroom contains a large quantity of a protein, named "Five" by the researchers, that helps in the regulation of the immune system. The mushroom also contains flammutoxin, a cytolytic and cardiotoxic protein that has proven to be non-toxic when absorbed orally.

Enokitake Names

The names, enokitake (榎茸、エノキタケ), enokidake (榎茸、エノキダケ) and enoki (榎、エノキ) are derived from the Japanese language. In Chinese, the mushroom is called "jīnzhēngū" 金針菇 or "jīngū" 金菇. In Korean, it is called "paengi beoseot" (팽이버섯), and "kim châm" or "trâm vàng" are the terms used in Vietnamese.

Enokitake - Enoki

Enokitake (榎茸, エノキタケ, Japanese pronunciation: [enokitake], /ɨˌnoʊkiˈtɑːkiː/), also Enokidake (榎茸, エノキダケ, Japanese pronunciation: [enokidake], /ɨˌnoʊkiˈdɑːkiː/) or Enoki (榎, エノキ, Japanese pronunciation: [enoki], /ɨˈnoʊki/)is a long, thin white mushroom used in East Asian cuisine (such as that of China, Japan and Korea). These mushrooms are cultivars of Flammulina velutipes, also known by the name, "golden needle mushroom". Wild forms differing in color, texture, and sliminess are called winter mushrooms, velvet foot or velvet stem, amongst other names. This mushroom is available fresh or canned, with experts recommending fresh enoki specimens with firm, white, shiny caps, rather than those with slimy or brownish stalks that are best avoided. It is traditionally used for soups, but can also be used for salads and other dishes. The mushroom has a crisp texture and can be refrigerated for approximately one week. Features The mushroom naturally grows on the stumps of the Chinese Hackberry tree ("enoki" in Japanese), but also on other trees, such as mulberry and persimmon trees. There is a significant difference in appearance between the wild and cultivated types of the mushroom. Cultivated mushrooms have not been exposed to light, resulting in a white color, whereas wild mushrooms usually display a dark brown color. Cultivated mushrooms are grown in a carbon dioxide (CO2)-rich environment to nurture the development of long thin stems, whilst wild mushrooms produce a much shorter and thicker stem.

Lingzhi Preparation

Due to its bitter taste, Lingzhi is traditionally prepared as a hot water extract product. Thinly sliced or pulverized lingzhi (either fresh or dried) is added to a pot of boiling water, the water is then brought to a simmer, and the pot is covered; the lingzhi is then simmered for two hours. The resulting liquid is fairly bitter in taste and dark, with the more active red lingzhi more bitter than the black. The process is sometimes repeated for additional concentration. Alternatively, it can be used as an ingredient in a formula decoction or used to make an extract (in liquid, capsule, or powder form). The more active red forms of lingzhi are far too bitter to be consumed in a soup. While hot water extraction seems to be effective to target the polysaccharides, alcohol extraction is another method used to extract the triterpenes element of the Reishi.

Lingzhi Research and therapeutic usage

Lingzhi may possess anti-tumor, immunomodulatory and immunotherapeutic activities, supported by studies on polysaccharides, terpenes, and other bioactive compounds isolated from fruiting bodies and mycelia of this fungus (reviewed by R. R. Paterson and Lindequist et al.). It has also been found to inhibit platelet aggregation, and to lower blood pressure (via inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme), cholesterol, and blood sugar. Laboratory studies have shown anti-neoplastic effects of fungal extracts or isolated compounds against some types of cancer, including epithelial ovarian cancer. In an animal model, Ganoderma has been reported to prevent cancer metastasis, with potency comparable to Lentinan from Shiitake mushrooms. The mechanisms by which Ganoderma lucidum may affect cancer are unknown and they may target different stages of cancer development: inhibition of angiogenesis (formation of new, tumor-induced blood vessels, created to supply nutrients to the tumor) mediated by cytokines, cytoxicity, inhibiting migration of the cancer cells and metastasis, and inducing and enhancing apoptosis of tumor cells.Nevertheless, Ganoderma lucidum extracts are already used in commercial pharmaceuticals such as MC-S for suppressing cancer cell proliferation and migration. Additional studies indicate that ganoderic acid has some protective effects against liver injury by viruses and other toxic agents in mice, suggesting a potential benefit of this compound in the treatment of liver diseases in humans, and Ganoderma-derived sterols inhibit lanosterol 14α-demethylase activity in the biosynthesis of cholesterol . Ganoderma lucidum compounds inhibit 5-alpha reductase activity in the biosynthesis of dihydrotestosterone. Besides effects on mammalian physiology, Ganoderma lucidum is reported to have anti-bacterial and anti-viral activities. Ganoderma lucidum is reported to exhibit direct anti-viral with the following viruses; HSV-1, HSV-2, influenza virus, vesicular stomatitis. Ganoderma lucidum mushrooms are reported to exhibit direct anti-microbial properties with the following organisms; Aspergillus niger, Bacillus cereus, Candida albicans, and Escherichia coli. Other benefits were studied such as the effect of lowering hypertension, cholesterol, and anti-inflammatory benefits through the ganoderic acid properties. Its genome, with about 12,600 genes on 13 chromosomes, was sequenced in 2012.

Lingzhi History

The Chinese classics first used zhi during the Warring States Period (475–221 BCE) and lingzhi during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE). The word zhi 芝 occurs approximately 100 times in classical texts.Occurrences in early Chinese histories, such as the (91 BCE) Shiji "Records of the Grand Historian" and (82 CE) Hanshu "Book of Han", predominantly refer to the "Mushroom of Immortality; elixir of life". They record that fangshi "masters of esoterica; alchemists; magicians", supposedly followers of Zou Yan (305–240 BCE), claimed to know secret locations like Mount Penglai where the magic zhi mushroom grew. Some sinologists propose that the mythical zhi 芝 derived from Indian legends about soma that reached China around the 3rd century BCE. Fangshi courtiers convinced Qin and Han emperors, most notably Qin Shi Huang (r. 221–210 BCE) and Emperor Wu of Han (r. 141–87 BCE), to dispatch large expeditions (e.g., Xu Fu in 219 BCE) seeking the zhi Plant of Immortality, but none produced tangible results. Zhi occurrences in other classical texts often refer to an edible fungi. The Liji "Record of Ritual" lists zhi "lichens" as a type of condiment. The Chuci "Song of the South" metaphorically mentions, "The holy herb is weeded out". The Huainanzi "Philosophers of Huainan" records a zizhi 紫芝 "Purple Mushroom" Aphorism, "The zhi fungus grows on mountains, but it cannot grow on barren boulders."

The word lingzhi 靈芝 was first recorded in a fu 賦 "rhapsody; prose-poem" by the Han dynasty polymath Zhang Heng (CE 78–139). His Xijing fu 西京賦 "Western Metropolis Rhapsody" description of Emperor Wu of Han's (104 BCE) Jianzhang Palace parallels lingzhi with shijun 石菌 "Rock Mushroom": "Raising huge breakers, lifting waves, That drenched the stone mushrooms on the high bank, And soaked the magic fungus on vermeil boughs." The commentary by Xue Zong notes these fungi were eaten as drugs of immortality. The (ca. 1st–2nd century CE) Shennong bencao jing "Divine Farmer's Classic of Pharmaceutics" classifies zhi into six color categories, each of which is believed to benefit the qi "Life Force" in a different part of the body: qingzhi 青芝 "Green Mushroom" for Liver, chizhi 赤芝 "Red Mushroom" for heart, huangzhi 黃芝 "Yellow Mushroom" for spleen, baizhi 白芝 "White Mushroom" for Lung, heizhi "Black Mushroom" 黑芝 for kidney, and zizhi 紫芝 "Purple Mushroom" for Essence. Commentators identify this red chizhi (or danzhi 丹芝 "cinnabar mushroom") as the lingzhi. Chi Zhi (Ganoderma rubra) is bitter and balanced. It mainly treats binding in the chest, boosts the heart qi, supplements the center, sharpens the wits, and [causes people] not to forget [i.e., improves the memory]. Protracted taking may make the body light, prevent senility, and prolong life so as to make one an immortal. Its other name is Dan Zhi (Cinnabar Ganoderma). It grows in mountains and valleys. While Chinese texts have recorded medicinal uses of lingzhi for more than 2,000 years, a few sources erroneously claim more than 4,000 years. Modern scholarship neither accepts the historicity of Shennong "Divine Farmer" (legendary inventor of agriculture, traditionally r. 2737–2697 BCE) nor that he wrote the Shennong bencao jing. The (ca. 320 CE) Baopuzi, written by the Jin Dynasty Daoist scholar Ge Hong, has the first classical discussion of Zhi.[30] Based upon no-longer extant texts, Ge distinguishes five categories of zhi, each with 120 varieties: Shizhi 石芝 "stone Zhi", Muzhi 木芝 "wood Zhi", Caozhi 草芝 "Plant Zhi", Rouzhi 肉芝 "flesh zhi", and junzhi 菌芝 "mushroom zhi. For example, the "mushroom zhi". Tiny excresences. These grow deep in the mountains, at the base of large trees or beside springs. They may resemble buildings, palanquins and horses, dragon and tigers, human beings, or flying birds. They may be any of the five colors. They too number 120 for which there exist illustrations. All are to be sought and gathered while using Yu's Pace [a Daoist ritual walk], and they are to be cut with a bone knife. When dried in the shade, powdered, and taken by the inch-square spoonful, they produce geniehood. Those of the intermediate class confer several thousands of years, and those of the lowest type a thousand years of life. Pregadio concludes, "While there may be no better term than "mushrooms" or "excresences" to refer to them, and even though Ge Hong states that they "are not different from natural mushrooms (ziran zhi 自然芝) (Baopuzi 16.287)", the Zhi pertain to an intermediate dimension between mundane and transcendent reality." The (1596) Bencao Gangmu ("Compendium of Materia Medica") has a zhi 芝 category that includes six types of Zhi (calling the green, red, yellow, white, black, and purple ones from the Shennong bencao jing the liuzhi 六芝 "six mushrooms") and sixteen other fungi, mushrooms, and lichens (e.g., mu'er 木耳 "wood ear" "Cloud ear fungus; Auricularia auricula-judae"). The author Li Shizhen classified these six differently colored Zhi as Xiancao 仙草 "immortality herbs", and described the effects of Chizhi "red mushroom": It positively affects the life-energy, or Qi of the heart, repairing the chest area and benefiting those with a knotted and tight chest. Taken over a long period of time, agility of the body will not cease, and the years are lengthened to those of the Immortal Fairies. Stuart and Smith's classical study of Chinese herbology describes the zhi. 芝 (Chih) is defined in the classics as the plant of immortality, and it is therefore always considered to be a felicitous one. It is said to absorb the earthy vapors and to leave a heavenly atmosphere. For this reason it is called 靈芝 (Ling-chih.) It is large and of a branched form, and probably represents Clavaria or Sparassis. Its form is likened to that of coral. The Bencao Gangmu does not list lingzhi as a variety of zhi, but as an alternate name for the shi'er 石耳 "stone ear" "Umbilicaria esculenta" lichen. According to Stuart and Smith, [The 石耳 Shih-erh is] edible, and has all of the good qualities of the 芝 (Chih), being also used in the treatment of gravel, and said to benefit virility. It is specially used in hemorrhage from the bowels and prolapse of the rectum. While the name of this would indicate that it was one of the Auriculariales, the fact that the name 靈芝 (Ling-chih) is also given to it might place it among the Clavariaceae. Chinese pharmaceutical handbooks on Zhi mushrooms were the first illustrated publications in the history of mycology. The historian of Chinese science Joseph Needham discussed a no-longer extant Liang Dynasty (502–587) illustrated text called Zhong Shenzhi 種神芝 "On the Planting and Cultivation of Magic Mushrooms". The pictures of mushrooms in particular must have been an extremely early landmark in the history of mycology, which was a late-developing science in the West. The title of [this book] shows that fungi of some kind were being regularly cultivated – hardly as food, with that special designation, more probably medicinal, conceivably hallucinogenic." The (1444) Ming Dynasty edition Daozang "Daoist canon" contains the Taishang lingbao zhicao pin 太上靈寶芝草品 "Classifications of the Most High Divine Treasure Mushroom Plant", which categorizes 127 varieties of Zhi. A (1598) Ming reprint includes woodblock pictures. In Chinese art, the lingzhi symbolizes great health and longevity, as depicted in the imperial Forbidden City and Summer Palace. It was a talisman for luck in the traditional culture of China, and the goddess of healing Guanyin is sometimes depicted holding a reishi mushroom.

Lingzhi Habitat

Ganoderma lucidum, and its close relative Ganoderma tsugae, grow in the northern Eastern Hemlock forests. These two species of bracket fungus have a worldwide distribution in both tropical and temperate geographical regions, growing as a parasite or saprotroph on a wide variety of trees. Similar species of Ganoderma have been found growing in the Amazon. In nature, Lingzhi grows at the base and stumps of deciduous trees, especially maple. Only two or three out of 10,000 such aged trees will have Lingzhi growth, and therefore its wild form is extremely rare. Today, Lingzhi is effectively cultivated both indoors under sterile conditions and outdoors on either logs or woodchip beds.

Lingzhi Biochemistry

Ganoderic acid A, a compound isolated from Lingzhi. Ganoderma lucidum produces a group of triterpenes, called ganoderic acids, which have a molecular structure similar to steroid hormones. It also contains other compounds often found in fungal materials, including polysaccharides (such as beta-glucan), coumarin, mannitol, and alkaloids

Lingzhi Varieties

Ganoderma lucidum generally occurs in two growth forms, one, found in North America, is sessile and rather large with only a small or no stalk, while the other is smaller and has a long, narrow stalk, and is found mainly in the tropics. However, many growth forms exist that are intermediate to the two types, or even exhibit very unusual morphologies, raising the possibility that they are separate species. Environmental conditions also play a substantial role in the different morphological characteristics Lingzhi can exhibit. For example, elevated carbon dioxide levels result in stem elongation in Lingzhi. Other forms show "antlers', without a cap and these may be affected by carbon dioxide levels as well. The species can also be differentiated by their colors in which the red reishi is the most researched kind.

Lingzhi mushroom Description

Lingzhi is a polypore mushroom that is soft (when fresh), corky, and flat, with a conspicuous red-varnished, kidney-shaped cap and, depending on specimen age, white to dull brown pores underneath. It lacks gills on its underside and releases its spores through fine pores, leading to its morphological classification as a polypore.

Lingzhi mushroom - Reishi

The lingzhi mushroom or reishi mushroom (traditional Chinese: 靈芝; pinyin: língzhī; Japanese: reishi; Vietnamese: linh chi; literally: "supernatural mushroom") encompasses several fungal species of the genus Ganoderma, and most commonly refers to the closely related species, Ganoderma lucidum and Ganoderma tsugae. G. lucidum enjoys special veneration in East Asia, where it has been used as a medicinal mushroom in traditional Chinese medicine for more than 2,000 years,making it one of the oldest mushrooms known to have been used medicinally. Because of lingzhi's presumed health value and apparent absence of side-effects, it has attained a reputation in the East as the ultimate herbal substance.Lingzhi is listed in the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia and Therapeutic Compendium. Taxonomy and naming Names for the lingzhi fungus have a two thousand year history. The Chinese term lingzhi 靈芝 was first recorded in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25–220 CE). Petter Adolf Karsten named the genus Ganoderma in 1881. Botanical names The lingzhi's botanical names have Greek and Latin roots. The generic name Ganoderma derives from the Greek ganos γανος "brightness; sheen", hence "shining" and derma δερμα "skin". The specific epithet Lucidum is Latin for "shining" and tsugae for "hemlock" (from Japanese tsuga 栂). There are multiple species of Lingzhi, scientifically known to be within the Ganoderma lucidum species complex and mycologists are still researching the differences among species within this complex. Chinese names Chinese language lingzhi compounds ling 靈 "spirit, spiritual; soul; miraculous; sacred; divine; mysterious; efficacious; effective" (cf. Lingyan Temple) and zhi 芝 "(traditional) plant of longevity; fungus; seed; branch; mushroom; excrescence". Fabrizio Pregadio explains, "The term zhi, which has no equivalent in Western languages, refers to a variety of supermundane substances often described as plants, fungi, or "excresences"."Zhi occurs in other Chinese plant names such as zhima 芝麻 "sesame" or "seed", and was anciently used a phonetic loan character for zhi 芷 "Angelica iris". Chinese differentiates Ganoderma species between chizhi 赤芝 "red mushroom" G. lucidum and zizhi 紫芝 "purple mushroom" G. japonicum. Lingzhi 靈芝has several synonyms. Ruicao 瑞草 "auspicious plant" (with rui 瑞 "auspicious; felicitous omen" and the suffix cao "plant; herb") is the oldest; the (ca. 3rd century BCE) Erya dictionary defines qiu 苬 (interpreted as a miscopy of jun 菌 "mushroom") as zhi 芝 "mushroom" and the commentary of Guo Pu (276–324) says, "The [zhi] flowers three times in one year. It is a [ruicao] felicitous plant." Other Chinese names for Ganoderma include ruizhi 瑞芝 "auspicious mushroom", shenzhi 神芝 "divine mushroom" (with shen "spirit; god' supernatural; divine"), mulingzhi 木靈芝 (with "tree; wood"), xiancao 仙草 "immortality plant" (with xian "(Daoism) transcendent; immortal; wizard"), and lingzhicao 靈芝草 or zhicao 芝草 "mushroom plant". Since both Chinese Ling and Zhi have multiple meanings, Lingzhi has diverse English translations. Renditions include "[zhi] possessed of soul power", "Herb of Spiritual Potency" or "Mushroom of Immortality", "Numinous Mushroom", "divine mushroom", "divine fungus","Magic Fungus", and "Marvelous Fungus Korean names Korean language Yeong Ji or Yung Gee (영지,靈芝) is a word from hanja of lingzhi. It is also called Seon-cho (선초,仙草), Gil-sang-beo-seot (길상버섯,吉祥茸), Yeong ji cho (영지초,靈芝草) or Jeok ji (적지,赤芝). It can be classified by its color such as Ja-ji (자지,紫芝) for purple one, Heuk-ji (흑지,黑芝) for black, Cheong-ji (청지,靑芝) for blue or green, Baek-ji (백지,白芝) for white, Hwang-ji (황지,黃芝) for yellow. Vietnamese names Vietnamese language linh chi is a word from tiếng Việt. It is often used with (nấm Linh Chi) which is the equivalent of Ganoderma Lucidum or Reishi Mushroom. English names English Lingzhi or ling chih (sometimes misspelled "ling chi" from French EFEO Chinese transcription) is a Chinese loanword. The Oxford English Dictionary gives Chinese "líng divine + zhī fungus" as the origin of ling chih or Lingzhi, and defines, "The fungus Ganoderma lucidum, believed in China to confer longevity and used as a symbol of this on Chinese ceramic ware." The OED notes the earliest recorded usage of the Wade-Giles romanization ling chih in 1904, and of the Pinyin lingzhi in 1980. In addition to the transliterated loanword, English names include "Glossy Ganoderma" and "shiny polyporus".

Shiitake research

Preliminary laboratory research has indicated shiitake mushroom may stimulate the immune system, possess antibacterial properties, reduce platelet aggregation, and possess antiviral properties, possibly through proteinase inhibitors. Shiitake dermatitis Consumption of raw or slightly cooked shiitake mushrooms can cause "an erythematous, micro-papular, streaky, extremely pruriginous rash" that occurs all over the body including face and scalp, which appears about 48 hours after consumption and disappears after 10 days. This effect, caused by the toxin lentinan, is well known in Asia, but can be unfamiliar to European physicians. It occurs in roughly 1 in 50 people, and thorough cooking eliminates the effect. Shiitake isolate AHCC Active hexose correlated compound (AHCC) is an α-glucan-rich compound isolated from shiitake. In Japan, AHCC is the second most popular complementary and alternative medicine usedShiitake lentinan Lentinan, a compound isolated from shiitake, is used as an intravenous anticancer agent in some countries. Laboratory studies showed that lentinan may have antitumor properties, whereas preliminary clinical studies indicated lentinan may affect survival rate, quality of life, and cancer recurrence. by cancer patients. and is metabolized via the CYP450 2D6 pathway. Research using animal models has shown that AHCC may increase the body's resistance to pathogens as shown in experiments with the influenza virus, West Nile encephalitis virus, and bacterial infection.Animal research and limited clinical trials suggest that AHCC may enhance immune function. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 21 people provided preliminary evidence that AHCC may enhance immune function.Other basic research has shown that AHCC may affect hepatocellular carcinoma and prostate cancer.

Shiitake Culinary use

Fresh and dried shiitake have many uses in the cuisines of East Asia. In Chinese cuisine, they are often sauteed in vegetarian dishes such as Buddha's delight. In Japan, they are served in miso soup, used as the basis for a kind of vegetarian dashi, and also as an ingredient in many steamed and simmered dishes. In Thailand, they may be served either fried or steamed.[citation needed] Shiitake are often dried and sold as preserved food in packages. These must be rehydrated by soaking in water before using. Many people prefer dried shiitake to fresh, considering that the sun-drying process draws out the umami flavour from the dried mushrooms by breaking down proteins into amino acids and transforms ergosterol to vitamin D. The stems of shiitake are rarely used in Japanese and other cuisines, primarily because the stems are harder and take longer to cook than the soft fleshy caps. The highest grade of shiitake are called donko in Japanese. Today, shiitake mushrooms have become popular in many other countries as well. Russia produces and also consumes large amounts of them, mostly sold pickled; and the shiitake is slowly making its way into western cuisine as well. There is a global industry in shiitake production, with local farms in most western countries in addition to large scale importation from China, Japan, Korea and elsewhere.[citation needed] Because they can now be grown world wide, their availability is widespread and their price has decreased.[citation needed] Like all mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms can produce high amounts of vitamin D upon exposure to sunlight or UV light.

Shiitake Cultivation history

Shiitake are native to Japan, China and Korea and have been grown in all three countries since prehistoric times. They have been cultivated for over 1,000 years. The oldest record regarding the shiitake mushroom dates back to CE 199 at the time of Emperor Chūai in Japan. However, the first written record of shiitake cultivation can be traced to Wu Sang Kwuang in China, born during the Sung Dynasty (AD 960–1127). During the Ming Dynasty (AD 1368–1644), physician Wu Juei wrote that the mushroom could be used not only as a food but as a medicinal mushroom, taken as a remedy for upper respiratory diseases, poor blood circulation, liver trouble, exhaustion and weakness, and to boost qi, or life energy. It was also believed to prevent premature aging. The Japanese cultivated the mushroom by cutting shii trees with axes and placing the logs by trees that were already growing shiitake or contained shiitake spores. Before 1982, the Japanese variety of these mushrooms could only be grown in traditional locations using ancient methods. In 1982, Gary F. Leatham published an academic paper based on his research on the budding and growth of the Japan Islands variety; the work helped make commercial cultivation possible in the United States.

Shiitake

The Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) (from Japanese 椎茸, シイタケ (Shiitake)) is an edible mushroom native to East Asia, which is cultivated and consumed in many Asian countries, as well as being dried and exported to many countries around the world. It is a feature of many Asian cuisines including Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Korean and Thai. In the East, the shiitake mushroom has long been considered a delicacy as well as a medicinal mushroom. Taxonomy and naming Shiitake comes from its Japanese name, shiitake. About this sound listen (help·info) (kanji: 椎茸; literally "shii mushroom", from "shii" the Japanese name of the tree Castanopsis cuspidata that provides the dead logs on which it is typically cultivated). In Chinese, it is called xiānggū (香菇, literally "fragrant mushroom"). Two Chinese variant names for high grades of shiitake are dōnggū (Chinese: 冬菇, "winter mushroom") and huāgū (花菇, "flower mushroom", which has a flower-like cracking pattern on the mushroom's upper surface); both are produced at lower temperatures. Other common names by which the mushroom is known in English include "Chinese black mushroom", "black forest mushroom", "black mushroom", "golden oak mushroom", or "oakwood mushroom". In Korean it is called pyogo (hangul: 표고), in Thai they are called het hom (เห็ดหอม, "fragrant mushroom"), and in Vietnamese they are called nấm hương ("fragrant mushroom"). The species was formerly known as Lentinus edodes and Agaricus edodes. The latter name was first applied by the English botanist Miles Joseph Berkeley in 1878.

Maitake research

In 2009, a phase I/II human trial, conducted by Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center, showed Maitake could stimulate the immune systems of breast cancer patients. Small experiments with human cancer patients, have shown Maitake can stimulate immune system cells, like NK cells. In vitro research has also shown Maitake can stimulate immune system cells. An in vivo experiment showed that Maitake could stimulate both the innate immune system and adaptive immune system. In vitro research has shown Maitake can induce apoptosis in cancer cell lines (human prostatic cancer cells, Hep 3B cells, SGC-7901 cells, murine skin carcinoma cells) as well as inhibit the growth of various types of cancer cells (canine cancer cells, bladder cancer cells). Small studies with human cancer patients, revealed a portion of the Maitake mushroom, known as the "Maitake D-fraction", possess anti-cancer activity. In vitro research demonstrated the mushroom has potential anti-metastatic properties. In 1997, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an Investigational New Drug Application for a portion of the mushroom. Research has shown Maitake has a hypoglycemic effect, and may be beneficial for the management of diabetes. The reason Maitake lowers blood sugar is due to the fact the mushroom naturally contains an alpha glucosidase inhibitor. Maitake contains antioxidants and may partially inhibit the enzyme cyclooxygenase. An experiment showed that an extract of Maitake inhibited angiogenesis via inhibition of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Lys-N is a unique protease found in Maitake.[27] Lys-N is used for proteomics experiments due to its protein cleavage specificity.[28]

Grifola frondosa Use in traditional Eastern medicine

The sclerotia from which hen of the woods arises have been used in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine to enhance the immune system. Researchers have also indicated that whole maitake has the ability to regulate blood pressure, glucose, insulin, and both serum and liver lipids, such as cholesterol, triglycerides, and phospholipids, and may also be useful for weight loss. Maitake is rich in minerals (such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium), various vitamins (B2, D2 and niacin), fibers and amino acids. One active constituent in Maitake for enhancing the immune activity was identified in the late 1980s as a protein-bound beta-glucan compound.

Grifola frondosa - Maitake

Grifola frondosa is a polypore mushroom that grows in clusters at the base of trees, particularly oaks. The mushroom is commonly known among English speakers as hen-of-the-woods, ram's head and sheep's head. In the United States' supplement market, as well as in Asian grocery stores, the mushroom is known by its Japanese name maitake (舞茸), which means "dancing mushroom". Throughout Italian American communities in the northeastern United States, it is commonly known as the signorina mushroom. G. frondosa should not be confused with Laetiporus sulphureus, another edible bracket fungus that is commonly called chicken of the woods or "sulphur shelf". The fungus becomes inedible like all polypores when they are older, because it is too tough to eat. The fungus is native to the northeastern part of Japan and North America, and is prized in traditional Chinese and Japanese herbology as a medicinal mushroom, an aid to balance out altered body systems to a normal level. Due to the taste and texture of the mushroom, it is widely eaten in Japan, although the mushroom has been alleged to cause allergic reactions in rare cases. Description Like the sulphur shelf mushroom, G. frondosa is a perennial fungus that often grows in the same place for a number of years in succession. It occurs most prolifically in the northeastern regions of the United States, but has been found as far west as Idaho. G. frondosa grows from an underground tuber-like structure known as a sclerotium, about the size of a potato. The fruiting body, occurring as large as 100 cm, is a cluster consisting of multiple grayish-brown caps which are often curled or spoon-shaped, with wavy margins and 2–7 cm broad. The undersurface of each cap bears approximately one to three pores per millimeter, with the tubes rarely deeper than 3 mm. The milky-white stipe (stalk) has a branchy structure and becomes tough as the mushroom matures. In Japan, the Maitake can grow to more than 50 pounds (20 kilograms), earning this giant mushroom the title "King of Mushrooms". Maitake is one of the major culinary mushrooms used in Japan, the others being shiitake, shimeji and enoki. They are used in a wide variety of dishes, often being a key ingredient in nabemono or cooked in foil with butter.

Value

According to Daniel Winkler, the price of Cordyceps sinensis has risen dramatically on the Tibetan Plateau, basically 900% between 1998 and 2008, an annual average of over 20%. However, the value of big-sized caterpillar fungus has increased more dramatically than smaller size Cordyceps, regarded as lower quality. Year % Price increase Price/kg (Yuan) 1980s 1,800 1997 467% (incl. inflation) 8,400 2004 429% (incl. inflation) 36,000 10,000–60,000

Ma Junren case

Ma Junren, the coach of a group of female Chinese athletes who broke five world records in distance running in 1993 at the National Games in Beijing, China, told reporters that the runners were taking Cordyceps at his request. The number of new world records being set at a single track event caused much attention and suspicion of drug use, and the records are still widely regarded as dubious, as the athletes failed to match these performances outside of China at independently drug tested events where illicit substances other than cordyceps would be detected.

The Cordyceps Potential pharmacology

he Cordyceps mushrooms have a long history as medicinal fungi. The earliest clear record is a Tibetan medical text authored by Zurkhar Nyamnyi Dorje in the 15th Century outlining the tonic propensities of Yartsa gunbu (Cordyceps sinensis renamed now to Ophiocordyceps sinensis), especially as an aphrodisiac. Although there are often-repeated claims of thousands of years of use in traditional Chinese medicine, so far no clear textual source has surfaced. Although in vitro and animal models provide preliminary support for some of the traditional medicinal uses, there are no clinical studies demonstrating health benefits in humans. Some polysaccharide components and cordycepin, which have some anticancer activity in preliminary in vitro and animal studies,have been isolated from C. sinensis and C. militaris. Some work has been published in which Cordyceps sinensis has been used to protect the bone marrow and digestive systems of mice from whole body irradiation. An experiment noted a chemical compound isolated from Cordyceps sinensis may protect the liver from damage. An experiment with mice noted that Cordyceps sinensis may have an anti-depressant effect.[14] Researchers have noted that a polysaccharide isolated from Cordyceps sinensis has a hypoglycemic effect and may be beneficial for people with insulin resistance.

Cordyceps mushrooms

Cordyceps is a genus of ascomycete fungi (sac fungi) that includes about 400 identified species and many yet to be described. All Cordyceps species are endoparasitoids, mainly on insects and other arthropods (they are thus entomopathogenic fungi); a few are parasitic on other fungi. The best known species of the genus is Cordyceps sinensis, first recorded as yartsa gunbu in Tibet in the 15th Century. It is known as yarsha gumba in Nepal. The Latin etymology describes cord as club, ceps as head, and sinensis as Chinese. Cordyceps sinensis, known in English commonly as caterpillar fungus, is considered a medicinal mushroom in oriental medicines, such as traditional Chinese medicines[unreliable source?] and traditional Tibetan medicine When a Cordyceps fungus attacks a host, the mycelium invades and eventually replaces the host tissue, while the elongated fruiting body (ascocarp) may be cylindrical, branched, or of complex shape. The ascocarp bears many small, flask-shaped perithecia containing asci. These in turn contain thread-like ascospores, which usually break into fragments and are presumably infective. Some Cordyceps species are able to affect the behavior of their insect host: Cordyceps unilateralis causes ants to climb a plant and attach there before they die. This ensures the parasite's environment is at an optimal temperature and humidity, and that maximal distribution of the spores from the fruiting body that sprouts out of the dead insect is achieved. Marks have been found on fossilised leaves which suggest this ability to modify the host's behaviour evolved more than 48 million years ago. The genus has a worldwide distribution and most of the approximately 400 species have been described from Asia (notably Nepal, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Thailand). Cordyceps species are particularly abundant and diverse in humid temperate and tropical forests. The genus has many anamorphs (asexual states), of which Beauveria (possibly including Beauveria bassiana, Metarhizium, and Isaria) are the better known, since these have been used in biological control of insect pests. Some Cordyceps species are sources of biochemicals with interesting biological and pharmacological properties, like cordycepin; the anamorph of Cordyceps subsessilis (Tolypocladium inflatum) was the source of ciclosporin—a drug helpful in human organ transplants, as it suppresses the immune system (Immunosuppressive drug).

Medicinal Mushrooms

Mushrooms have been valued as both food and medicine throughout the world for thousands of years, but until recently, many in the West associated all mushrooms with poison. The recent surge of Western interest in medicinal mushrooms shows that this attitude may be changing, however. Japanese products containing LEM, a polysaccharide-rich extract from the shiitake mushroom, and similar extracts from maitake are currently undergoing trials in Japan and the United States to see whether they are effective treatments for various cancers and AIDS. Currently, the total world worth of the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products derived from mushrooms is estimated at more than $1.2 billion. Reishi and maitake are medicinal mushrooms that recently have become popular in the United States; they are described below. Should you have an inclination to incorporate these or other mushrooms into your diet, preparation suggestions are included. If you choose to gather your mushrooms from the wild, a healthy respect for the possibility of eating a poisonous one is good. Be an informed gatherer. It is best for beginners to learn how to identify edible mushrooms from local experts; community colleges often offer good mushroom-hunting classes. Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) The Latin word lucidum means ``shiny'' or ``brilliant'' and refers to the varnished surface of reishi's cap, which is reddish orange to black. The stalk usually is attached to the cap at the side. In Japan, 99 percent of reishi growing in the wild are found on old plum trees, although wild reishi are rare. Medical uses: For 4,000 years, the Chinese and Japanese have called upon reishi to treat liver disorders, hypertension, arthritis, and other ailments. Recent test-tube and human studies have demonstrated antiallergic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant effects. When more than 2,000 Chinese patients with chronic bronchitis were given reishi syrup in tablet form during the 1970s, 60 to 90 percent showed a marked improvement in health, including increased appetite, within two weeks. Precautions: Although reishi extracts have shown very low toxicity in animal experiments, the long-term effects of reishi and its derivatives are still virtually unknown. Taking reishi: Reishi may be taken in syrups, soups, teas, tinctures, and tablets, and by injection. The form and dosage should be worked out in consultation with your health-care provider. Maitake (Grifola frondosa) Maitake means "dancing mushroom'' in Japanese; in ancient times, people who found the mushroom were said to dance with joy because it could be exchanged for its weight in silver. Alternatively, the name may derive from the way in which the small, fan-shaped fruiting bodies overlap like butterflies in a wild dance. In the United States, they also are known as hen-of-the-woods because the mass of mushrooms looks like fluffed-up feathers. The stalks are often fused, massed at the base of stumps and on roots. They are common in eastern North America, Europe, and Asia. Maitake collectors always forage alone and never divulge the location of their treasure, even to their own families. In Japan, they traditionally mark their hunting grounds with hatch marks on trees bordering the trove and keep others out of their hunting areas. Until cultivation techniques were devised in 1979, maitake was harvested from the wild. In 1990, Japanese cultivators produced nearly 8,000 tons of maitake, and production is expected to increase with expanding exports to the West. Medical uses: Laboratory studies have shown that maitake extract can inhibit the growth of tumors and stimulate the immune system of cancerous mice. Human clinical studies of patients with breast and colorectal cancers are under way in the United States. In China, sixty-three patients with lung, stomach, or liver cancers or leukemia who took four capsules of maitake extract three times daily before meals for one to three months showed an ``anticancer'' effect. Reports that maitake extracts may help AIDS patients fight Kaposi's sarcoma and other symptoms are preliminary and require further studies. Precautions: Little information has been collected concerning the toxicity of maitake, although some cases of allergic reaction have been reported. Taking maitake: Maitake can be found in gourmet restaurants, dried and packaged in gourmet grocery stores, and increasingly in prepared products in the United States, Asia, and Europe. As a general health supplement, I recommend taking 3 to 7 g a day in tea or in soups and other dishes. Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) In the wild, this light amber fungus is found on fallen hardwood trees. The caps have nearly ragged gills and an inrolled margin when young, and they are covered with a delicate white flocking. The stem may be central or off center. Indigenous to temperate Asia, they are not found in the wild in the United States but are widely cultivated. A similar species occurs wild in Costa Rica. Medical uses: A vast amount of research into shiitake's medicinal properties has been completed and shows that it has the ability to fight tumors and viruses and enhance the immune system. For more details, refer to the accompanying story. Precautions: Shiitake is nonpoisonous, but researchers have observed cases of shiitake-induced skin rashes, and some people who work indoors cultivating shiitake experience ``mushroom worker's lung'', an immune reaction to shiitake spores. A watery extract of the whole mushroom is reported to hinder blood coagulation, so people who bleed easily or who are taking blood thinners should check with their health-care provider before using shiitake or its derivatives for a long period. LEM has shown no evidence of acute toxicity in more than seventeen years of use in Japan, even in massive doses (more than 50 mg a day for one week), though mild side effects such as diarrhea and skin rashes have been reported. Likewise, lentinan has no known serious side effects. People with allergies may experience adverse reactions due to its histamine-sensitizing properties. Taking shiitake: The traditional dose is 1 or 2 fresh shiitake mushrooms daily for preventive care or 6 to 16 g of dried shiitake in tea, soup, or other dishes. Commercial preparations (extracts in capsule form) of shiitake are available in the United States in health-food stores but may be expensive. Dried shiitake mushrooms are available in Asian food stores in the United States, usually at more affordable prices. To avert possible digestive upset from eating large quantities of fresh shiitake, LEM, which is concentrated and easily absorbed, is preferred as medicine. Recipe: Stuffed Shiitake The rich taste of shiitake makes this recipe a perfect one to serve as an appetizer or offer as a light evening meal. 1 dozen fresh shiitake 1 onion, finely chopped 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 teaspoon tamari 1/2 dozen wild mushrooms, such as oyster, chopped 1 cup bread crumbs 1/3 to 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese Chopped parsley to taste Paprika to taste Cut the stems off the shiitakes and chop them finely. Reserve the caps. Sauté the onion, celery, and garlic in the olive oil. When the onion is transparent, add the shiitake stems, tamari, oyster mushrooms, bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese, and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes longer. Stuff the shiitake caps with the filling, sprinkle them with chopped parsley and paprika, and place them on a cookie sheet. Bake the shiitakes at 375° F for 15 minutes, broil for a minute longer to brown the cheese and serve. Preparations Powdered extracts and capsules: Because the scientific literature indicates that whole mushrooms are especially active antitumor agents and immune-system enhancers, I recommend taking dried and powdered mushrooms by the teaspoon, either in a cup of ginger tea or sprinkled into soup or on stir-fry and rice. Mushrooms that are too tough and fibrous to powder can be sliced thinly and dried for use in teas and tinctures. Softer and thinner mushrooms can be easily powdered and put into capsules. A size 00 capsule holds about 400 mg of powdered mushroom. For mild to moderate immune-system support, I recommend taking two capsules morning and evening and, for specific immune-suppressed conditions, two to three capsules three times daily. Teas and soups: Teas of medicinal mushrooms should be simmered for 40 minutes to an hour, or until they are dark and taste strong. You may add one part ginger to every eight parts mushrooms and one part licorice to every sixteen parts mushrooms to mask any bitterness. To make a soup, begin with the mushroom tea, to which you may add broccoli, carrots, potatoes, beets, greens, garlic, onions, and/or a little seaweed. Thicken it with a little barley. Fish, chicken, or a little red meat can be added. Simmer for about fifteen minutes. Drink 1 to 3 cups of the soup a day. Tender, fleshy fungi, such as shiitake and oyster mushrooms, can be eaten with enthusiasm, but push fibrous chunks of reishi aside--the essence has already permeated the broth, and they are far too tough to chew, even after boiling.

Medicinal Mushrooms Support Cancer Treatment

A major study of medicinal mushrooms by Cancer Research UK is the most comprehensive ever undertaken and was very positive. The popular and wide spread use of medicinal mushrooms in Asia left the researchers wondering why we are not making better use of them in the West. They note, "The huge world wide sales of such products, can testify to the beliefs of many, of their efficacy." The Cancer Research UK team were impressed by "the remarkable ability of many of these non toxic compatible compounds to reduce the debilitating effects of traditional chemo-therapeutic drugs.' Mushrooms have been treasured as remedies for disease and as natural health supports for thousands of years and are an incredibly popular food in most countries. Actually, world trade in mushrooms is as big as the trade in coffee. The Cancer Research UK report continues, "These compounds have been shown to be safe when taken over long periods of treatment and significantly, these compounds appear to reduce the adverse effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. These results are in marked contrast to the well documented adverse side effects associated with most chemo therapeutic compounds and also to a lesser extent, certain immuno therapeutics." More remarkable still they found, "There are also many examples where the use of these compounds allows the reduction in dose level of the toxic chemo therapeutic compound without reduced efficacy." Recent studies in New Zealand show that a combination of Reishi and Cordyceps extracts had beneficial effects on the quality of life for some advanced cancer patients. Researchers believe that a mixture of the active ingredients from different mushrooms maximizes the immune response by providing multiple stimuli to the body's natural defenses. A fully functional immune response is critical to the recognition and elimination of tumor cells. The increased incidence of spontaneous tumors in immunosuppressed individuals indicates that the immune system provides a significant mechanism for resistance against cancer. Several major immune stimulating substances have been isolated from Reishi that have extraordinary effects on the maturation, differentiation and proliferation of many kinds of immune cells. Reishi is a proven potent activator of interferon, interleukins, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), natural killer cells (NK), T lymphocytes, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL's) and lymphokine activated killer cells (LAK). The spontaneous regression of some tumors is usually explained as a phenomenon of the individual's own immune system attacking the tumor burden. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy invariably damage or weaken the patient's immunological defenses which may also have been damaged by the cancer itself. Although responding favorably, cancer patients are in danger of opportunistic infections that can invade their systems because unfortunately the therapy designed to kill the pathogenic cells also kills their protective immune cells. Cancer Research UK confirm that the active compounds in Reishi cause a marked increase in the action of macrophages, thus there is a heightened response to foreign cells, whether bacteria, viruses or tumor cells. The study points out, 'It was evident from clinical trials that Reishi extract significantly enhanced the immune systems of the elderly people taking it'. Fungi affect humans so profoundly and are such good sources of medicinally useful products because on a cellular level fungi and animals have more in common with each other than they have with higher plants. The potent ability of medicinal mushroom bioactive compounds to modulate so many important immune cells may be due to their structural diversity and variability. Polysaccharides from medicinal mushrooms have the greatest potential for structural variability and the highest capacity for carrying biological information, e.g. the number of possible permutations for four different polysaccharides is 35,560 unique tetrasaccharides, whereas four amino acids can only form 24 different permutations. Reishi has been rated the top medicinal herb in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for over 2000 years with Ginseng in second place and so highly treasured it was traded for its own weight in gold and only available to Emperors. It is still the most important herb in the Orient and the most thoroughly researched. The results of many hundreds of scientific and medical studies are supporting traditional health claims. It contains over 200 active ingredients and unique compounds that are the most biologically active obtainable from any plant source. In order to obtain maximum benefit Reishi is best taken as an extract because it is a very tough, woody mushroom and the raw biomass is very difficult to digest. Its dynamic antioxidant action and immune stimulating effects are why Reishi is so highly valued as a longevity herb and called 'The Long Life Herb', 'The Great Protector' and even 'God's Herb'. Cordyceps is not as well researched as Reishi but Cancer Research UK suggests that, 'Cordyceps may be useful for cancer patients due to its enhancement of cell-mediated immunity, oxygen free radical scavenging and support for cellular bioenergy systems'. Medicinal mushrooms have latent cancer preventative properties. Studies in Japan and Brazil strongly suggest that regular consumption over prolonged periods significantly reduce the levels of cancer incidence. Cancer Research UK also found increasing experimental evidence that medicinal mushrooms can have a cancer preventative effect, demonstrating both high anti-tumor activity and restriction of tumor metastasis. A 14-year survey in Japan revealed cancer rates of workers at medicinal mushroom farms were 1 in 1000 compared to 1 in 600 for the general population.

Scientists Study Mystical Effects of Mushrooms

July 11 -- This may come as no surprise to the flower children of the 1960s, but in one of the few controlled human studies of a known illegal hallucinogen, the active ingredient in "sacred mushrooms" created what researchers are describing as deep mystical experiences that left many of the study participants with a long lasting sense of well-being. The controversial study, conducted by Johns Hopkins University of Medicine, looked at whether a pill containing psilocybin, derived from the psilocybe mushroom, would induce mystical experiences among 36 healthy adult study participants. All had religious backgrounds, and all were also given the active drug ingredient in the attention-deficit disorder drug, Ritalin, at a separate time as a comparison. The results were clear: Sixty percent of the psilocybin group elicited behaviors consistent with a "full mystical experience" as measured by psychological scales. Two months later, about 79 percent of the group reported "moderately to greatly increased" well-being or life satisfaction. During the experiment, the participants were informed they could be receiving a hallucinogen, and they were closely watched in a comfortable room to make sure they didn't experience what is commonly known as a "bad trip," researchers said. However, researchers were not releasing much information about what exactly the participants did experience, other than this statement from the study author that was released in a press statement: "Many of the volunteers in our study reported, in one way or another, a direct, personal experience of the 'Beyond,' " said study leader Roland Griffiths, a professor with Hopkins' departments of Neuroscience and Psychiatry and Behavioral Biology. According to Johns Hopkins, psilocybin is one of a class of serotonin receptors compounds (similar to the chemical used in many antidepressants) whose effects include changes in perception and cognition. Some call them "hallucinogenic," while other researchers are more inclined to call them "spirit-facilitating," the hospital's press release said. Because it is illegal to possess psilocybin in all states but Florida and New Mexico, the study is attracting the attention of many ethicists and doctors and even the scientists at the federal National Institute on Drug Abuse, one of the funding entities for the study. Yesterday, NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow released this statement critical of the study. "Although there is no evidence that psilocybin is addictive, its adverse effects are well known. Similar to the more commonly known hallucinogen LSD (acid), psilocybin acts on serotonin receptors in the brain to profoundly distort a person's perceptions of reality," the statement said. "Psilocybin can trigger psychosis in susceptible individuals and cause other deleterious psychological effects, such as paranoia and extreme anxiety. However, Griffiths, the study author, said extremely rigorous ethical standards were maintained throughout the research process, and that the value of learning the potential medical and psychological benefits of hallucinogens should not be ignored. "[The study] shows that, under carefully controlled conditions, psilocybin can be administered safely and that it can occasion a mystical-type experience, which scientific measures say are very similar to spontaneously occurring mystical experiences" Griffiths said in an e-mail to ABC News. "The results suggest that such events may have lastingly beneficial consequences." Other scientists familiar with hallucinogens and pharmaceuticals also praised the possible benefits of studying such chemicals. "I was most impressed by the large percentage of individuals reported a much more positive effect afterwards. That to me is very significant. They are thinking of taking this to cancer patients and difficult substance abusers," said James A. Smith, chairman of the Physiology and Pharmacology Department at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. The work is similar to the "Good Friday" experiment conducted in1962 by a minister and doctor said Rick Doblin, president of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies. In that study, psilocybin also produced mystical experiences in most of the participants. "This kind of work should be a top priority of our society. People have some of the most profound experiences of their lives after taking psilocybin. This mystical experience they talk about from the Good Friday experiment is something that tends to have people become more tolerant and compassionate," Doblin said. "We're talking about how psilocybin is a tool that helps people have these remarkable experiences." Just because the active ingredient is illegal doesn't mean it should not be studied, noted Dr. Jeffrey Kahn, the director of the Center for Bioethics at University of Minnesota. "If you step back and ask: Have we ever used illegal drugs in other medical research? There is probably a long list of drugs that started off illegal but had very useful purposes in medicine, such as marijuana," Kahn said. "This study seems less unusual now than in the 1960s since many more people take medications or drugs now compared to the 60s." However, the study raises important safety questions, said Laurie Zoloth, a professor of Medical Ethics and Humanities at Northwestern University in Chicago. "There is no known antagonist for this drug, unlike others - if someone's peak moment turns out to be& being eaten by a terrifying sea creature, there is no way to rescue them from the thing we used to call 'a bad trip,'" Zoloth said. "The long-term side effects are not known." She also wasn't that impressed by the drug's effects on mood. "If such an experience meant that you suddenly became aware of injustice, poverty and inequality in the world, and became devoted to caring for the vulnerable in a selfless manner, I might be more impressed," she said. Dr. Rosamond Rhodes, a professor of Medical Education at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and director of Bioethics Education, questioned some elements of the study's design. Not only was the study limited to people with religious backgrounds, but religious experiences could have been subtly or unduly promoted by the research administrators. "After each administration of the drug, they gave people the same set of questionnaires. As you ask people these questions each time, you are also directing them to focus that way, so it is suggesting," Rhodes said. "You are encouraging people to close their eyes, to concentrate, and you are not just doing this to regular people but to people who are religiously inclined. They are suggesting that this is what you are going to get from the drug, so they find a great deal of that sort of response, particularly to the drug psilocybin." However, these things shouldn't necessarily limit the further study of previously shunned illegal drugs, said Dr. Scott Basinger, a drug researcher, and associate dean of the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. "I am in a city where Andrea Yates is being retried. All of the [psychiatric] testimony says that she has been in a profound depression for many years that she could not get out of," he said. "I am not saying that psilocybin would have helped Andrea Yates and she would not have killed her kids& I am saying that it is sad that in an age where we have so much pharmacological advancement we still have people that we cannot help."