Backyard Mushroom Coriolus a Powerful Medicinal
Known in English as Turkey Tail, Coriolus versicolor is a contender for the title "World's Most Common Mushroom." You can find it from tropical rain forests to the Siberian taiga, feasting on dead wood.
So considering these vastly different environments and all the other fungi and bacteria it has to compete with for survival, it's a qualified guess the Coriolus has a strong immune system, with an array of potential medicinal compounds.
In traditional Chinese medicine, Coriolus versicolor extract is used to treat liver cancer and some types of jaundice. [160] In modern medicine, the best known and most researched medicinal extract of Turkey Tail Mushroom is called PSK. It is used in Asia as an anti-cancer drug under the brand name Krestin. [188]
Two Japanese studies in the 1990's encompassing a total of 486 patients showed an increased survival rate from gastric cancer when PSK was added to conventional chemotherapy treatment. [161, 162, 163] It's also been found that PSK reduces cancer metastasis and recurrence. [161, 162, 164]
Two polysaccharides from Coriolus known as CVP and SPCV have shown an inhibitory effect on leukemia. CVP was reported to reduce leukemia cell proliferation with no harm to healthy lymphocytes. [165, 166, 167, 168]
The compounds of Coriolus versicolor extract appear to work in two ways to combat cancer:
1) By a direct inhibitory effect on the proliferation of cancer cells.
2) By stimulating the activity of NK (Natural Killer) cells in the patient. [169, 170, 171] NK cells are an important part of the immune response to fight cancer.
Though the effectiveness against different forms of cancer varies, PSK is currently used to treat cervical cancer in conjunction with radiation. Studies have linked it to increased survival rate from cervical cancer. [134] It also decreases tumor cell regeneration in hormone responsive prostate cancer, as demonstrated in a 2001 study at New York Medical College. [172]
PSK has also been tested with promising results against colon, lung and breast cancer. [25, 173] It appears to have no effect on Sarcoma 180. [174]
In addition to its anti-cancer properties, PSK is also a potent antibiotic against Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Listeria monocytogenes and Cryptococcus neoformans. [175, 176, 177, 178, 179]
Petri dish trials of a different compound (PSP) isolated from Coriolus versicolor has even been shown to inhibit replication [180] and infection [181] of HIV. It has not yet been tested on live subjects.
In 1995, a study on rheumatoid arthritis and PSK reported normalization of immune function. [182]
Paul Stamets mentions in his book Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms that he's aware of several individuals with Hepatitis C benefitting from a medicinal mushroom tea. He relates a story of a man whose HCV (Hepatitis C Virus) value decreased from 1.3 million to 140,000 after two weeks of drinking a tea made from Coriolus versicolor (Turkey Tail Mushroom) and Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi). [183]
Coriolus extract also is rich in antioxidants [184, 185, 186, 187] and has been shown to help the spleen recover after radiation therapy. [189]
In his book Mycelium Running, medicinal mushroom expert Paul Stamets also lists the following areas where research has shown Coriolus versicolor extract to have a beneficial effect: Kidney tonic; uterine 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. Never use any medicinal mushroom or herb without prior approval by medical doctor.
Credit to Paul Stamets for research and source material.
So considering these vastly different environments and all the other fungi and bacteria it has to compete with for survival, it's a qualified guess the Coriolus has a strong immune system, with an array of potential medicinal compounds.
In traditional Chinese medicine, Coriolus versicolor extract is used to treat liver cancer and some types of jaundice. [160] In modern medicine, the best known and most researched medicinal extract of Turkey Tail Mushroom is called PSK. It is used in Asia as an anti-cancer drug under the brand name Krestin. [188]
Two Japanese studies in the 1990's encompassing a total of 486 patients showed an increased survival rate from gastric cancer when PSK was added to conventional chemotherapy treatment. [161, 162, 163] It's also been found that PSK reduces cancer metastasis and recurrence. [161, 162, 164]
Two polysaccharides from Coriolus known as CVP and SPCV have shown an inhibitory effect on leukemia. CVP was reported to reduce leukemia cell proliferation with no harm to healthy lymphocytes. [165, 166, 167, 168]
The compounds of Coriolus versicolor extract appear to work in two ways to combat cancer:
1) By a direct inhibitory effect on the proliferation of cancer cells.
2) By stimulating the activity of NK (Natural Killer) cells in the patient. [169, 170, 171] NK cells are an important part of the immune response to fight cancer.
Though the effectiveness against different forms of cancer varies, PSK is currently used to treat cervical cancer in conjunction with radiation. Studies have linked it to increased survival rate from cervical cancer. [134] It also decreases tumor cell regeneration in hormone responsive prostate cancer, as demonstrated in a 2001 study at New York Medical College. [172]
PSK has also been tested with promising results against colon, lung and breast cancer. [25, 173] It appears to have no effect on Sarcoma 180. [174]
In addition to its anti-cancer properties, PSK is also a potent antibiotic against Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Listeria monocytogenes and Cryptococcus neoformans. [175, 176, 177, 178, 179]
Petri dish trials of a different compound (PSP) isolated from Coriolus versicolor has even been shown to inhibit replication [180] and infection [181] of HIV. It has not yet been tested on live subjects.
In 1995, a study on rheumatoid arthritis and PSK reported normalization of immune function. [182]
Paul Stamets mentions in his book Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms that he's aware of several individuals with Hepatitis C benefitting from a medicinal mushroom tea. He relates a story of a man whose HCV (Hepatitis C Virus) value decreased from 1.3 million to 140,000 after two weeks of drinking a tea made from Coriolus versicolor (Turkey Tail Mushroom) and Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi). [183]
Coriolus extract also is rich in antioxidants [184, 185, 186, 187] and has been shown to help the spleen recover after radiation therapy. [189]
In his book Mycelium Running, medicinal mushroom expert Paul Stamets also lists the following areas where research has shown Coriolus versicolor extract to have a beneficial effect: Kidney tonic; uterine 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. Never use any medicinal mushroom or herb without prior approval by medical doctor.
Credit to Paul Stamets for research and source material.
About the Author:
Dr. Rafael currently focuses on writing and researching about medicinal fungi in partnership with Cordyceps Reishi Extracts, LLC, an NC business offering Coriolus extract (Stamets') and other medicinal mushrooms. For article references, please go to Coriolus versicolor extract and click on any number indicating a reference.
You like it? Share it!
posted by SolveItQuick at
7:37 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home