Medicinal mushrooms

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Herbs for Health and Healing Kathi Keville See book keywords and concepts

The Mushroom Barley Soup has been adapted from Hobbs's book medicinal mushrooms. Here, too, it is a basic soup made using Chinese herbs. You can find many adaptations of this soup designed to treat different conditions in Between Heaven and Earth: A Guide to Chinese Medicine, by my friends Harriet Beinfield and Efrem Korngold. I love this soup and cannot imagine a tastier way to good health.

The Natural Pharmacy: Complete Home Reference to Natural Medicine Schuyler W. Lininger, Jr. DC See book keywords and concepts

Hobbs C. medicinal mushrooms. Santa Cruz, CA: Botanica Press, 1995, 125-28. Slippery Elm 1. Duke JA. CRC Handbook of Medicinal Herbs. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 1985, 495-96. 2. Wren RC, Williamson EM, Evans FJ. Potter's New Cyclopedia of Botanical Drugs and Preparations. Essex, UK: CW Daniel Company, 1988,252. 3. Foster S. Herbs for Your Health. Loveland, CO: Interweave Press, 1996, 88-89. St. John's Wort 1. Gruenwald J. Standardized St. John's wort clinical monograph. Quart Rev Nat Med 1997; Winter: 289-99. 2. Suzuki O, Katsumata Y, Oya M. Inhibition of monoamine oxidase by hypericin.

Heinerman's Encyclopedia of Healing Juices John Heinerman See book keywords and concepts

During this historic weekend event, I had the good fortune of meeting other colleagues, who like myself, were doing research on fruits, vegetables, herbs, and medicinal mushrooms. Among them was Hsin Sheng Tsay, who shared with me some remarkable things he had been doing with quince fruit. Tsay found that the juice of the quince was wonderful for stopping even the worst kinds of diarrhea. He presented several case studies involving three Oriental women and two men, for whom nothing else had worked except this particular fruit juice.

The Encyclopedia of Popular Herbs Robert S. McCaleb, Evelyn Leigh, and Krista Morien See book keywords and concepts

Often called the "king of mushrooms," shiitake is just one of a number of medicinal mushrooms currently under study at research centers in Germany, the United States, Japan, and China. Shiitake is being used for a wide variety of conditions involving depressed immune function, from frequent colds to cancer. In Japan, physicians prescribe shiitake in two different forms to treat many health conditions, including asthma, hepatitis B, ulcers, high cholesterol, AIDS, kidney inflammation, herpes, and various skin problems.

Ginkgo increases the circulation of blood and oxygen to the brain to help improve and maintain memory and mental function. The medicinal mushrooms, revered as longevity tonics in the Orient, have protective effects against cancer, heart disease, and liver disease, and also stimulate the immune system. Although people have long scoffed at the idea of a longevity pill, today it is less and less far-fetched to think that we may live better and longer lives through the use of natural remedies that protect against so many of our greatest health risks.

Benefits • May help prevent and treat a variety of conditions associated with lowered immunity by boosting the body's own immune response • May prolong the survival time of cancer patients by supporting immunity May help lower cholesterol levels by increasing the rate at which cholesterol is excreted from the body May help normalize liver function in people with hepatitis Scientific Support Scientific research on shiitake and other medicinal mushrooms has been conducted primarily in Japan and other Asian countries.

Hobbs C. Medicinal Mushrooms: An Exploration of Tradition, Healing, and Culture. Santa Cruz, CA: Botanica Press, 1995. Hobbs C. Milk Thistle: The Liver Herb, 2nd ed. Capitola, CA: Botanica Press, 1992. Hobbs C. Reishi Mushroom. Seattle: Sylvan Press, 1995. Hobbs C. Valerian: The Relaxing and Sleep Herb. Capitola, CA: Botanica Press, 1993. Hobbs C. Vitex: The Women's Herb. Capitola, CA: Botanica Press, 1993. Koch HP, Lawson LD, eds. Garlic:The Science and Therapeutic Application of Allium sativum L. and Related Species, 2nd ed. Baltimore: Williams andWilkins, 1996. Lau B.

According to well-known naturopath Don Brown, vitamin C may help enhance absorption of the complex polysaccharides found in medicinal mushrooms.14 For general health maintenance • Fresh shiitake mushrooms: 3 to 4 a day • Capsules: 1 to S a day (400 mg each) • Tincture: 1 dropperful two to three times a day For therapeutic purposes If you are using shiitake for cancer or other serious health conditions, consult a practitioner to determine the right dosage.

Scientific evidence suggests that artichoke leaf, medicinal mushrooms, turmeric, and other herbs also have liver-protective promise. Respiratory Protection Most people are surprised to learn that respiratory disease is the third major cause of death in America. In the elderly, as immune function declines, simple colds and flu often progress to life-threatening pneumonia. Especially for highly susceptible people, it is important to use every defense available to keep these "nuisance" diseases from raging out of control.

Herbal Medicine, Healing and Cancer: A Comprehensive Program for Prevention and Treatment Donald R. Yance, j r.,C.N., M.H., A.H.G., with Arlene Valentine See book keywords and concepts

It takes about 15 pounds of reishi mushrooms to produce 1 pound of the powdered concentrate. medicinal mushrooms make a significant contribution to the healing process by enhancing and stimulating the body's own immune system. This is a very important factor in diseases like cancer and HIV, which have components unique to each individual. In my protocols for people with cancer, I always include one or more medicinal mushroom extract products. Descriptions of some of the more frequently used mushrooms follow.

Studies have also shown that, of all the medicinal mushrooms, it promotes the highest degree of cancer inhibition in oral administration. Initial research on the anticancer and antitumor actions is being done primarily in Japan, in independent and university laboratories. Some extensive clinical trials are being conducted at various cancer treatment institutes in the United States. Maitake D-fraction has been shown to complement conventional chemotherapeutic agents. Not only does it seem to improve their positive benefits, it also aids in the amelioration of many of their side effects. Dr.

Reishi mushrooms, as well as all the medicinal mushrooms mentioned in this chapter, need to be taken in either a purified extract form or brewed as a decoction. Reishi and shiitake mushrooms can also be used in soups. Shiitake {Lentinus edodes) Shiitake mushrooms have been the subject of many studies since they were discovered to possess cholesterol-lowering properties. The active component responsible was found to be eritadenine, an alkaloid with very low toxicity, which was shown capable of lowering not only serum cholesterol but also phospholipids and triglycerides.

The Green Pharmacy: New Discoveries in Herbal Remedies for Common Diseases and Conditions from the World's Foremost Authority on Healing Herbs James A. Duke, Ph.D. See book keywords and concepts

And there are a lot of medicinal mushrooms out there that are not green and that do deserve more attention than they'll get in this book. The Green Pkarmacy Challenge Most Americans believe that we have the best health-care system in the world—at least that's what all the doctors and government health experts keep trying to tell us. But anyone who has ever gotten the run-around from a doctor or had to deal with a health insurance company knows that if what we have is the best, then the best still leaves a lot to be desired.

The Natural Pharmacy: Complete Home Reference to Natural Medicine Schuyler W. Lininger, Jr. DC See book keywords and concepts

Hobbs, C. medicinal mushrooms. Santa Cruz, CA: Botanica Press, 1995, 96-107. 35. Harada T, Kanetaka T, Suzuki H, Suzuki K. Therapeutic effect of LEM (extract of cultured Lentinus edodes mycelia) against HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B. Gastroenterol Intl 1988; l(suppl 1): abstract 719. 36. Leung A, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics 2nd ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1996, 469-72. High Cholesterol (Hypercholesterolemia): Dietary and Lifestyle Changes 1. Kromhout D, Menotti A, Bloemberg B, et al.

The Way of Chinese Herbs Michael Tierra, L.Ac, O.M.D. See book keywords and concepts

Various medicinal mushrooms are used by the Chinese, but the most common is the shiitake, called the black mushroom (Lentinula edodes). While it was once available only by wild harvest, it has come to be the second most commonly grown mushroom in the world.* Shiitake has been used both in China and Japan for thousands of years. Recent research has substantiated the immense therapeutic properties of shiitake: antitumor, immune-regulating, antiviral, antibacterial, antiparasitic, and anti-cholesterol.

The One Earth Herbal Sourcebook: Everything You Need to Know About Chinese, Western, and Ayurvedic Herbal Treatments Alan Keith Tillotson, Ph.D., A.H.G., D.Ay. See book keywords and concepts

Reishi is the most calming of the medicinal mushrooms, so I use it when there is immune deficiency with signs of nerve (Vata) weakness. It can also be used in formulas for insomnia and general nervousness. According to medicinal mushroom expert Terry Willard, Ph.D., it combines well with maitake mushroom. Reishi calms the central nervous system, exerting a blood-pressure-lowering effect beneficial to the heart. It is now employed in China for treatment of autoimmune diseases and to calm hypersensitivity.

Like many other medicinal mushrooms, reishi mushroom can be used to treat cancer patients due to its ability to activate NK cells, macrophages, T-lymphocytes, and cytokines, all important immune system components. Kee Chang Huang reports that reishi "exerts a synergistic effect with other anticancer chemothera-peutic agents or radiotherapy, to augment the clinical therapeutic effect in the treatment of cancer patients.

Many herbs, especially medicinal mushrooms like maitake mushroom, ganoderma mushroom, and shiitake mushroom, are known to strongly increase NK cell activity. Other herbs that stimulate NK cell function include celosia seeds, licorice root, garlic bulb, zizi-phus fruit, ginseng root, gymnostemma, Western larch bark, and mistletoe. Neutrophils are short-lived cells stored in the bone marrow and called into action to prevent and treat bacterial infections.

Among the herbs that affect cytokines are several from the immunity/longevity group—ginseng root, mistletoe, cooked rehmannia root, astragalus root, garlic bulb, numerous medicinal mushrooms, marine algae, and echinacea. Interferons are chemicals secreted by cells as a result of viral infection. These chemicals signal the killer T-cells to increase activity and, as their name implies, to interfere with viral replication and help noninfected cells resist viral penetration. There are three primary classes of interferons—"alpha," "beta," and "gamma"—as well as various subsets.

The Natural Pharmacy: Complete Home Reference to Natural Medicine Schuyler W. Lininger, Jr. DC See book keywords and concepts

Hobbs C. medicinal mushrooms. Santa Cruz, CA: Botanica Press, 1995, 110-15. 2. Nanba H, Hamaguchi AM, Kuroda H. The chemical structure of an antitumor polysaccharide in fruit bodies of Grifola frondosa (maitake). Chem Pharm Bull 1987; 35: 1162-68. 3. Yamada Y, Nanba H, Kuroda H. Antitumor effect of orally administered extracts from fruit body of Grifola frondosa (maitake). Chemotherapy 1990; 38: 790-96. 4. Nanba H. Immunostimulant activity in vivo and anti-HIV activity in vitro of 3 branched b-l-6-glucans extracted from maitake mushrooms (Grifola frondosa).

The Way of Chinese Herbs Michael Tierra, L.Ac, O.M.D. See book keywords and concepts

Medicinal Mushrooms. (Botanica Press, Santa Cruz, CA, 1995.) 1 lh tablespoons of miso stirred in for each intended serving. The best tasting miso soups usually do not contain more than 3 vegetables, excluding the basic bouillon that may be used as stock. Often, slices of braised tofu are finely cubed and added, along with a small amount of buckwheat noodles. In Japan, miso, a little brown rice, perhaps some fish or tofu, and tea is a traditional and very satisfying breakfast.

The One Earth Herbal Sourcebook: Everything You Need to Know About Chinese, Western, and Ayurvedic Herbal Treatments Alan Keith Tillotson, Ph.D., A.H.G., D.Ay. See book keywords and concepts

Chaga contains large amounts of betulinic acid in a form that can be ingested orally, and it also contains the full spectrum of immune-stimulating phytochemicals found in other medicinal mushrooms such as maitake mushroom and shiitake mushroom. Currently, chaga is available only from Herbalist & Alchemist (see Resource Guide). Research Highlights • Studies done in Poland have demonstrated chaga's inhibiting effects on tumor growth (Rzymowska, 1998).

The Way of Chinese Herbs Michael Tierra, L.Ac, O.M.D. See book keywords and concepts

Medicinal Mushrooms. (Botanica Press, Santa Cruz, CA, 1995.) rooms are more bitter, hard, and otherwise unpalatable, except brewed as medicine or taken as powder or alcoholic extract. Therefore, they do not lend themselves to food preparations as well as do shiitake mushrooms. According to herbalist Christopher Hobbs, "eritadenine, isolated from shiitake, has been shown to lower blood levels of cholesterol and lipids. . . . Added to the diet of rats, eritadenine (0.005%) caused a 25% decrease in total cholesterol in as little as one week.

The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants: Ethnopharmacology and Its Applications Christian Ratsch See book keywords and concepts

Medicinal mushrooms you can grow. Sechelt, British Columbia: Cariaga. Harris, Bob. 1989. Growing wild mushrooms. A complete guide to cultivating edible and hallucinogenic mushrooms. Rev. ed. Seattle: Homestead Book Co. Meixner, Axel. 1989. Pilze selber zuchten. Aarau: AT Verlag. Oss, O. T., and O. N. Oeric (= Terence McKenna and Dennis McKenna). 1976. Psilocybin: Magic mushroom grower's guide. Berkeley, Calif.: And/Or Press. Pollock, Steven Hayden. 1977. Magic mushroom cultivation. San Antonio: Herbal Medicine Research Foundation. Stamets, Paul. 1995.

Gardening with gourmet and medicinal mushrooms. Berkeley, Calif.: Ten Speed Press. Stamets, Paul, and J. S. Chilton. 1983. The mushroom cultivar. Olympia, Wash.: Agarikon Press. Stevens, Rile, and Rich Gee. 1977. How to identify and grow psilocybin mushrooms. Rev. ed. Seattle: Sun Magic Publishing. Mushrooms and the Law Psilocybin and psilocin, the active compounds in many psychoactive mushrooms (but not the mushrooms themselves!

Medicinal mushrooms: An exploration of tradition, healing, and culture. 2nd ed. Santa Cruz, Calif.: Botanica Press. Hofmann, Albert. 1964. Die Erforschung der mexi-kanischen Zauberpilze und das Problem ihrer Wirkstoffe. Busier Stadtbuch 1964:141-56. --. 1965. Pilzgifte als Halluzinogene. Selecta 7, 2146 (no. 49). --. 1969. Investigaciones sobre los hongos alucinogenos mexicanos y la importancia que tienen en la medicina sus substancias activas. Artes de Mexico 16 (124): 23-31. -. 1971. Teonanacatl and ololiuqui, two ancient magic drugs of Mexico. Bulletin on Narcotics 23 (1): 3-14.

The Natural Pharmacy: Complete Home Reference to Natural Medicine Schuyler W. Lininger, Jr. DC See book keywords and concepts

Hobbs C. medicinal mushrooms. Santa Cruz, CA: Botanica Press, 1995, 96-107. 7. McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 1997, 55. Rosemary 1. Castleman M. The Healing Herbs. New York: Bantam Books, 1991, 452-56. 2. Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Foods, Drugs, and Cosmetics, 2d ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1996, 446-48. 3. Huhtanen C. Inhibition of Clostridium botulinum by spice extract and aliphatic alcohols. / Food Protect 1980; 43: 195-96. 4.

The One Earth Herbal Sourcebook: Everything You Need to Know About Chinese, Western, and Ayurvedic Herbal Treatments Alan Keith Tillotson, Ph.D., A.H.G., D.Ay. See book keywords and concepts

There have been 150 species of medicinal mushrooms found to inhibit the growth of different kinds of tumors, especially cancers of the stomach, esophagus, and lungs, but chaga seems to stand out from the rest. I learned about this mushroom from herbalist David Winston, who told me it has been used traditionally to treat different forms of cancer in Siberia, Canada, Scandinavia, the United States, and Russia. Chaga is a fungal parasite that draws its nutrients out of living trees, rather than from the ground.

Healing Pets With Nature's Miracle Cures Henry Pasternak, D.V.M., C.V.A. See book keywords and concepts

I have had great success with its immunomodulating ability. I have used it in the treatment of such diseases as cancer, allergies, chronic infections, asthma, and generalized weakness. One of the most interesting aspects of this herb is that it allows the body to assimilate more oxygen. A study in China for altitude sickness found that it prevented the symptoms in 97.5 percent of 238 soldiers. In the control group, 80.31 percent experienced altitude sickness.66 This may be a reason I've seen debilitated pets heal quickly. Reishi is a good adjunct to most chronic diseases and is quite safe.

The Natural Pharmacy: Complete Home Reference to Natural Medicine Schuyler W. Lininger, Jr. DC See book keywords and concepts

Maitake (p. 443) mushrooms contain polysaccharides, including beta-D-glucan, which is currently under review as a supportive tool for HIV infection.28,2' Bitter melon (p. 397) contains two proteins—alpha-and beta-momorcharin—that inhibit the AIDS virus in test tubes. Very early reports indicate bitter melon juice or enemas may be beneficial for people infected with HIV,30 but much more research is necessary before the effect of bitter melon is known for certain. An open trial of a combination naturopathic protocol (consisting of multiple nutrients, licorice [p. 440], lomatium [p.

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