SkullTheme - Merry X-Mas
| Medicinal Mushroom Used in Korea as Cancer Therapy Adjunct |
| Written by Dr. Markho Rafael |
| Saturday, 14 November 2009 09:13 |
|
A new medicinal mushroom from Korea is gaining reputation around the world at record pace. Most commonly known by its Latin name as Phellinus linteus, it is also sometimes referred to as Mesima (Japanese), and rarely by its English name, Black Hoof Fungus.
A new medicinal mushroom from Korea is gaining reputation around the world at record pace. Most commonly known by its Latin name as Phellinus linteus, it is also sometimes referred to as Mesima (Japanese), and rarely by its English name, Black Hoof Fungus. Phellinus linteus is common in Southeast Asia as well as the southern United States. It grows on hardwood species of oak, mulberries and poplar, and sometimes on pines. [1] Unlike most medicinal mushroom species, which were originally used in China or Japan, Phellinus linteus first became popular in Korea as a complement to traditional cancer therapies such as radiation and chemotherapy. The reputation of Phellinus linteus as a powerful medicinal mushroom has rapidly spread across the world and today it is increasingly popular with medical professionals from the U.S. and Japan to Turkey and Israel as an immune booster [2-11], especially for the prevention of cancer metastasis. [5,10,12-17] Word of Phellinus linteus caught on in'96 when a Korean paper got published, which credited it with the widest range of anti-tumor and immune-enhancing properties of any medicinal mushroom extract. [4] Years later, American world-renown mycologist Paul Stamets helped deepen our understanding of Phellinus linteus when he published a comparative analysis with the most common medicinal mushroom species: Agaricus blazei, Lion's Mane, Chaga, Reishi, Maitake and Cordyceps. [18] Among the seven species of medicinal mushrooms compared in this study, Phellinus linteus had the most powerful effect on enhancing macrophage activity, by 5,700%. Macrophages are an important part of the immune system's cancer fighting arsenal. The amount of Phellinus linteus extract used was equal to 3,750 mg for an adult of average weight (165 lbs). [18] Macrophages as part of the human immune system can be a two-edged sword. They may devour cancer cells, but can also stimulate cancer growth. The published research on Phellinus linteus indicates that it activates the cancer-fighting properties of macrophages, not the cancer-stimulating properties. [8,14,19,20] Additional reports have been published on cases of "spontaneously" regressed cancers, where the patients reported having used Phellinus linteus by their own choice: 1. A Japanese article from 2004 reported a "dramatic remission of hormone refractory prostate cancer achieved with extract of the mushroom, Phellinus linteus." [15] 2. A Korean journal published a paper in 2005 which reported on a "spontaneous regression of a large hepatocellular carcinoma with skull metastasis." The 65-year-old patient had "ingested mushroom called Phellinus linteus for one and a half years." [17] 3. And then one year later, in 2006, another Japanese article was published on "a case of spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma with multiple lung metastases." The 79-year-old patient had been taking an extract of Phellinus linteus Mycelium for a month. When examined by his doctor 6 months later, his tumors had disappeared. [16] Note: The information in this article is not intended to cure, treat, or diagnose any illness. The article is for entertainment and informational purposes only. The fungus Phellinus linteus has not been approved in the United States for use as a pharmaceutical. Always ask a licensed medical practitioner before using any substance as medicine. About the Author: Dr. Markho Rafael currently focuses on research on medicinal mushrooms, having worked in the natural health field since the mid-90's. He partners with Cordyceps Reishi Extract, LLC, a business offering premium grade medicinal mushroom products including Phellinus linteus mushroom extract. For article references, go the Phellinus linteus reference page. |