Tell Americans that a dish contains "mushrooms" and their minds automatically jump to button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus), which have been grown commercially in the West since the 1600's. In contrast, individuals from Far East Asia are far more likely to jump to Shiitake as the most logical ingredient. Shiitake, which has only recently become a common household name in the West, has a long history of commercial cultivation in Asia.
Also known as Chinese Mushroom or Black Mushroom, wild Shiitake is strictly an Asian species. It derives its name from one of its hosts, the Shii Tree, but can also be found growing on Asian oaks and beeches. Cultivating Shiitake is a tradition that stretches back approximately 1000 years in China.
Although most westerners are now familiar with Shiitake as a food mushroom, few know that it's also the most researched medicinal mushroom in Asia. As with other medicinal mushrooms, the research has largely focused on applications against cancer, [94] but also on its anti-viral properties. [93]
The benefit of using Shiitake mycelium extract as opposed to the mushroom fruit body is that there are compounds in the mycelium that don't exist in the fruiting body or that may be in much higher concentration in the mycelium.
The most common extract is known as LEM, a protein extract from Lentinula Edodes Mycelia. (Lentinula edodes is Latin for Shiitake.) LEM has been shown to have powerful immune boosting properties, [95, 96, 97] particularly anti-bacterial. [98, 99] LEM has also been found to exhibit anti-cancer properties. [100] One study found it to kill melanoma cells while causing no harm to healthy cells. [101]
A famous polysaccharide isolated from Shiitake is known as Lentinan, deriving its name from Lentinula. Lentinan has been shown to stimulate the natural cancer fighting mechanisms of the human immune system [102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110] and is used in Asia as a cancer-drug, administered intravenously.
Arabinoxylanes, compounds resulting from Shiitake-on-rice fermentation, have also demonstrated significant anti-viral activity. [111, 112, 113]
Two viruses in particular that have been studied with promising results are herpes simplex type 1 [114] and HIV [115, 116, 117]. It should be mentioned, however, that the previously mentioned Lentinan as an isolated compound does not appear to affect HIV replication. [25]
Additional studies have reported positive results with Shiitake extract in conditions of chronic fatigue syndrome [119] and Candida [118], as well as for septic shock prevention. [120]
And last but not least, in his book Mycelium Running, foremost U.S. medicinal mushroom expert Paul Stamets also lists the following areas where Shiitake has been reported as having a therapeutic effect: Blood sugar; blood pressure; kidney support; cholesterol; liver health; stress; sexual dysfunction; breast cancer; prostate cancer; liver cancer. [134]
Note: The statements on this page have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult a licensed medical practitioner before using any herb (or mushroom) for medicinal purposes.
Credits: Thank you, Paul Stamets, for research references.
Also known as Chinese Mushroom or Black Mushroom, wild Shiitake is strictly an Asian species. It derives its name from one of its hosts, the Shii Tree, but can also be found growing on Asian oaks and beeches. Cultivating Shiitake is a tradition that stretches back approximately 1000 years in China.
Although most westerners are now familiar with Shiitake as a food mushroom, few know that it's also the most researched medicinal mushroom in Asia. As with other medicinal mushrooms, the research has largely focused on applications against cancer, [94] but also on its anti-viral properties. [93]
The benefit of using Shiitake mycelium extract as opposed to the mushroom fruit body is that there are compounds in the mycelium that don't exist in the fruiting body or that may be in much higher concentration in the mycelium.
The most common extract is known as LEM, a protein extract from Lentinula Edodes Mycelia. (Lentinula edodes is Latin for Shiitake.) LEM has been shown to have powerful immune boosting properties, [95, 96, 97] particularly anti-bacterial. [98, 99] LEM has also been found to exhibit anti-cancer properties. [100] One study found it to kill melanoma cells while causing no harm to healthy cells. [101]
A famous polysaccharide isolated from Shiitake is known as Lentinan, deriving its name from Lentinula. Lentinan has been shown to stimulate the natural cancer fighting mechanisms of the human immune system [102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110] and is used in Asia as a cancer-drug, administered intravenously.
Arabinoxylanes, compounds resulting from Shiitake-on-rice fermentation, have also demonstrated significant anti-viral activity. [111, 112, 113]
Two viruses in particular that have been studied with promising results are herpes simplex type 1 [114] and HIV [115, 116, 117]. It should be mentioned, however, that the previously mentioned Lentinan as an isolated compound does not appear to affect HIV replication. [25]
Additional studies have reported positive results with Shiitake extract in conditions of chronic fatigue syndrome [119] and Candida [118], as well as for septic shock prevention. [120]
And last but not least, in his book Mycelium Running, foremost U.S. medicinal mushroom expert Paul Stamets also lists the following areas where Shiitake has been reported as having a therapeutic effect: Blood sugar; blood pressure; kidney support; cholesterol; liver health; stress; sexual dysfunction; breast cancer; prostate cancer; liver cancer. [134]
Note: The statements on this page have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always consult a licensed medical practitioner before using any herb (or mushroom) for medicinal purposes.
Credits: Thank you, Paul Stamets, for research references.
About the Author:
Dr. Markho Rafael has devoted his life to natural health since finishing Chiropractic College in 1996. His current focus is to research and write about medicinal mushrooms, including extract of Shiitake. For research references to this article, go to the extract of Shiitake mushroom page. Click on the number indicating a reference.
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