What are medicinal mushrooms (also called “medicinal mushrooms”)?

Medicinal mushrooms are those mushroom species that are believed to have medicinal properties and have been thoroughly studied scientifically. Among the approximately 1.5 million known mushroom species, there are currently about a dozen mushrooms that fall into this category.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), medicinal mushrooms have been used for over 5,000 years. But even in conventional medicine in Japan and China, some medicinal mushrooms have been an integral part of medicine for almost 40 years. v.a. as part of cancer therapy.

What substances are contained in medicinal mushrooms?

All medicinal mushrooms contain numerous trace elements, minerals (e.g. potassium, which lowers blood pressure) and fiber (v.a. beta-glucans).

Beta-glucans are responsible for their positive effect on the immune system (see the following section), but also have antibacterial effects, antioxidant effects in many parts of the body, and can close holes like glue, which is relevant, for example, in cases of leaky gut or other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, and which will be discussed in more detail below.

Also of great importance are the triterpenes, the essential oils of medicinal mushrooms. Reishi mushrooms probably contain the highest proportion of triterpenes, although they are found in all medicinal mushrooms. These are messenger and defense substances in the mushrooms that have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-boosting effects in the human body.

Other ingredients include statins, which inhibit excessive cholesterol production, and glycoproteins and lectins, which are among the most powerful immunomodulators found in nature.

Medicinal mushrooms as immunomodulating adaptogens

Fungi have always had the same enemies as humans.

What we know as a fungus is the so-called fruiting body. The actual tree is underground – the so-called mycelium. The mycelium has a huge surface area, sometimes only a single cell layer thick, and thus offers a very large area of ​​attack against pathogens. Therefore, fungi have developed strong defense mechanisms over the course of evolution. When we ingest mushrooms, these substances can have the same effect in the body as in the fungus.

Mushrooms can restore our immune system to its biological optimum, restore balance, and thus have an immunomodulatory effect. Medicinal mushrooms are therefore also called adaptogens: d.hThey do exactly what the body lacks: restore basic immunity when the immune system is weakened. In allergic reactions, autoimmune diseases, etc., they suppress the immune response.

How can this adaptogenic effect of medicinal mushrooms be explained biochemically?

All mushrooms contain branched-chain fiber called beta-glucans. These are high-molecular-weight polysaccharides that the body doesn't know exactly whether they are food or a pathogen, so our body "readies" the immune system and makes it competent. D.hMedicinal mushrooms train the immune system: not too weakly, but also not so strongly that it overreacts in the form of autoimmune reactions or severe inflammation. This small stress stimulus, which ultimately leads to the body being stronger than before, is called "hormesis" and refers to the hypothesis, already formulated by Paracelsus, that small doses of pathogenic substances can have a positive effect on our body.

The positive effect of beta-glucans on the immune system has now been proven by numerous studies.See also https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33322069/ “β-glucans also have immune-modulating effects, leading to their investigation as adjuvant agents for cancers (solid and hematological malignancies), for immune-mediated conditions (e.g., allergic rhinitis, respiratory infections), and to enhance wound healing. The therapeutic potential of β-glucans is evidenced by the fact that two glucan isolates were licensed as drugs in Japan as immune-adjuvant therapy for cancer in 1980.”

Furthermore, this study from 2017, for example, shows the positive influence of beta-glucans on upper respiratory tract diseases in older people: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28606567/

Specifically, the stimulation of the immune system occurs via so-called “Toll-like receptors” (TLR), in which v.aTLR-2 is relevant for beta-glucans from fungi. TLRs are part of our innate immune system and serve to recognize pathogen structures (structures found on or in pathogens), allowing the body to distinguish between self and foreign substances. Once such structures are recognized, the TLRs control the activation and modulation of the antigen-specific (so-called "acquired") immune system.

This function of medicinal mushrooms has also been proven by scientific studies. For example, people who regularly consume medicinal mushrooms have been shown to have higher numbers of leukocytes, and these are also highly differentiated (see, for example, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25866155/For example, after taking a handful of shiitake mushrooms daily for four weeks, a doubling of NK cells (natural killer cells) and 60% more T cells were detected.

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), which is a series of diseases of the bone marrow in which too few functional blood cells are produced, There are promising studies that cover u.a. on the immunomodulatory effect of Maitake: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25351719/ "Maitake was well tolerated. Enhanced in vitro neutrophil and monocyte function following treatment demonstrate that Maitake has beneficial immunomodulatory potential in MDS."

There are also numerous studies on the immunomodulatory properties of Agaricus blazei. A very recent in vivo study on humans, for example, suggests improvements in liver function in hepatitis B patients: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18370584/ “The mushroom Agaricus blazei Murill extract normalizes liver function in patients with chronic hepatitis B.”

There are also numerous studies on beta-glucans from yeast, especially for virus defense: Thanks to beta-glucans, the mucous membranes and the immune system around the mucous membranes are particularly active and can fight off viruses well.

Medicinal mushrooms for gastrointestinal diseases

To understand the effect of medicinal mushrooms on the gastrointestinal tract, let's first take a closer look at it:

Toxins and pathogens always first come with the epithelium, d.h. the uppermost layer of the mucosal tissue. The epithelium in the gastrointestinal tract is v.a. in the small intestine is very thin. It must keep pathogens at bay while simultaneously absorbing micronutrients, making it a very sensitive system that can easily become unbalanced.

The epithelium in the gastrointestinal tract is covered with a layer of mucus, the so-called mucus layer, which on the one hand represents a mechanical barrier, but also contains certain substances (antibodies, defensins, immune proteins) that are intended to prevent infection of the epithelium.

Let's start our journey through the gastrointestinal tract at the top of the esophagus. Esophageal inflammation that affects the epithelium usually originates in the stomach.It should be noted that heartburn can be caused by either an over- or under-acidified stomach: In the case of over-acidity, the stomach wants to get rid of the excess acid. In the case of under-acidity (often occurs in people with autoimmune diseases), the effect is as follows: the stomach acid protects us from pathogens. A lack of stomach acid results in about 1,000 times more bacteria in the stomach, which u.aFood components ferment, producing gases that rise from the gastric juice into the lower esophagus, burst, and cause heartburn.

If we travel from the esophagus through the gastrointestinal tract into the stomach, we must talk about a small bacterium that about half of all people have (as small children, we often catch it from our parents or even a cat): Helicobacter pylori. With an intact immune system, this bacterium usually doesn't cause any major problems. But with a weakened immune system, or when the stomach is over- or under-acidic, it nests in the stomach lining and irritates it (gastritis = inflammation of the stomach lining). In doing so, it bores like a corkscrew through our mucus layer into the stomach lining, creating holes in the stomach wall. In the process, it encapsulates itself in a coating of urea, thus protecting itself from stomach acid, as well as from the immune system and antibiotics.

If stomach acid leaks through these holes onto the underlying tissue, it can cause serious ulcers and even stomach cancer. After all, stomach acid is about as acidic as a car battery!

Which medicinal mushrooms should be used for stomach and esophageal diseases?

Reishi and Hericium in combination are the first choice for diseases of the stomach and esophagus:

Reishi increases the production of antibacterial substances in the mucus layer in the esophagus and stomach, v.a. of soluble IgA (immunoglobulin present in mucous membranes that protects the epithelium from pathogens) and defensins. See also: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16798741/ “Reishi polysaccharides induce immunoglobulin production through the TLR4/TLR2-mediated induction of transcription factor Blimp-1”

Hericium contains a number of specific triterpenes that can thicken the mucus layer again by increasing the production of mucins (the structural, protective component of mucus) and carbohydrate structures, thus stimulating the intestinal epithelium to grow (therefore also important for leaky gut) = "patches the hole." See also: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29455967/ “Gastroprotective activity of polysaccharide from Hericium erinaceus against ethanol-induced gastric mucosal lesion and pylorus ligation-induced gastric ulcer, and its antioxidant activities”

Hericium can also selectively kill the Helicobacter bacterium without affecting other "good" bacteria. Furthermore, Hericum inhibits the adhesion of Helicobacter to the stomach wall. See also: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30806251/ “In Vitro and In Vivo Inhibition of Helicobacter pylori by Ethanolic Extracts of Lion's Mane Medicinal Mushroom, Hericium erinaceus (Agaricomycetes)”

Following the stomach is the small intestine. It is 6-7 meters long, very thin (thinner than a hair), and when unfolded, the size of half a football field. This large surface area is necessary for absorbing nutrients, but—precisely because of its thinness—it represents a large target for pathogens.

A typical small intestinal disorder that medicinal mushrooms can help with is so-called "leaky gut." These are microscopic holes in the intestine. Small intestinal cells only have an average lifespan of about five days, as they are constantly exposed to toxins, pathogens, etc., so they must regenerate quite frequently.Some substances even reduce the lifespan to only about two days. If, for example, the micronutrients required for the regeneration of small intestinal cells are lacking and substances such as gluten disrupt the connection between the cells, undigested food proteins or toxins can enter the body through these microscopic holes, which promotes various chronic diseases, such as autoimmune diseases, diabetes, allergies, and high blood pressure. Autoimmune diseases, in particular, are very often associated with leaky gut.

Similar to the process described above in the gastric mucosa, Hericium can also accelerate the regeneration process in cases of leaky gut by stimulating the growth of the intestinal epithelium. However, in cases of leaky gut, it takes significantly longer than in the stomach, about 6-8 months, for the mucosa to be "patched" and regenerated.

It is always important not to rely solely on the mushrooms, but to always keep an eye on all micronutrients: If, for example, the intestinal cells lack building materials and growth factors due to vitamin D deficiency, the diet or lifestyle should be changed. bzw.in In this case, vitamin D should be supplemented and gluten, for example, should be eliminated from the diet.

Another typical small intestinal disease is fungal infection by Candida albicans, which can cause bloating, abdominal pain, or diarrhea. Small intestinal colonization by bacteria or Candida is usually associated with colon dysbiosis. d.h. an imbalance in the intestinal flora, or with hypoacidity in the stomach, so that pathogens pass through the stomach into the small intestine.

In these cases, shiitake is the first choice because it's a natural antibiotic and can therefore effectively remove pathogens from the small intestine. Incidentally, many people experience a detoxification reaction when consuming shiitake in large quantities or as a concentrated extract, which is often misinterpreted as an intolerance.

For the antimicrobial effect of shiitake, see also https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15773410/ "The juice of this mushroom at a concentration of 5% from the volume of the nutrient medium was found to produce a pronounced antimicrobial effect with respect to C. albicans, S. aureus, E. faecalis, E. coli O-114 and to stimulate the growth of E. coli M-17. Bifidobacteria and lactobacteria exhibited resistance to the action of L. edodes juice."

Let's move on to the end of the gastrointestinal tract, the large intestine. It's not as long as the small intestine, but it's very wide. The intestinal flora there contains a few trillion microorganisms that live in harmony with one another. If the immune system no longer properly monitors what's happening in the large intestine (disrupted communication with the intestinal flora), or if one type of microorganism becomes dominant and displaces others, an imbalance occurs.

Medicinal mushroom extracts can then restore the balance of the intestinal flora. Hericium and Reishi are also first choice for the large intestine, as the mucus layer and epithelium there also need to be constantly regenerated and the immune system needs proper training. It is also known that the polysaccharides in mushrooms can restore the balance of the intestinal flora – see, for example:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32693144/ "Moreover, mushroom polysaccharides also act as prebiotics and modulate the composition of gut microflora; and thus, can reduce insulin resistance. The present review discusses the pathophysiology of diabetes and, elaborates some potential mushroom species that are known to have antihyperglycemic activities. Different mushroom polysaccharides modulating the composition of gut microflora in diabetic animal models have also been discussed.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33322069/ “β-glucans have metabolic and gastrointestinal effects, modulating the gut microbiome, altering lipid and glucose metabolism, reducing cholesterol, leading to their investigation as potential therapies for metabolic syndrome, obesity and diet regulation, gastrointestinal conditions such as irritable bowel, and to reduce cardiovascular and diabetes risk.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28885559/ "Mushrooms act as a prebiotics to stimulate the growth of gut microbiota, conferring health benefits to the host. In the present review, we have summarized the beneficial activities of various mushrooms on gut microbiota via the inhibition of exogenous pathogens and, thus, improving the host health."

Furthermore, there are specific studies on Reishi and Maitake that show that they improve the intestinal flora (u.a. in type 2 diabetes) in animal models:

Reishi:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26102296/ “Our results indicate that G. lucidum and its high weight polysaccharides may be used as prebiotic agents to prevent gut dysbiosis and obesity-related metabolic disorders in obese individuals.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31712153/ “Intake of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides reverses the disturbed gut microbiota and metabolism in type 2 diabetic rats”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30826407/ “Hypoglycemic activity and gut microbiota regulation of a novel polysaccharide from Grifola frondosa in type 2 diabetic mice”

When the intestinal flora is working with us again, rather than against us, it also produces substances needed elsewhere in the body. For example, almost all of the happiness hormones are located in the intestine (99.9% of our total serotonin content), and the large intestine is connected to the brain via the vagus nerve. Vitamins and short-chain fatty acids are also synthesized in the intestine.

This connection could also explain the positive effects of Hericium on depressive moods or sleep quality:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20834180/ "we investigated the clinical effects of H. erinaceus on menopause, depression, sleep quality and indefinite complaints, using the Kupperman Menopausal Index (KMI), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Indefinite Complaints Index (ICI). Thirty females were randomly assigned to either the H. erinaceus (HE) group or the placebo group and took HE cookies or placebo cookies for 4 weeks. Each of the CES-D and the ICI score after the HE intake was significantly lower than that before.

Initial studies also suggest a positive influence on neurodegenerative diseases and improvement of cognitive abilities through Hericium, for example. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31413233/ “In this study, we tested a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-group comparative study to evaluate the improvement of the cognitive functions by taking supplements containing fruiting body of H. erinaceus for 12 weeks. […] showed that oral intake of H. erinaceus significantly improved cognitive functions and prevented from the deterioration.”

Medicinal mushrooms in accompanying cancer therapy

Only about 5% of all cancers have clearly genetic causes (source: https://www.aerzteblatt.de/archiv/61809/Erbliche-Krebserkrankungen The rest is due to lifestyle factors such as stress, lack of micronutrients, environmental toxins such as heavy metals or electromagnetic radiation, obesity, chronic infections such as Ebstein-Barr virus or Lyme disease, alcohol, etc.

This is also confirmed by migration studies, e.g.Residents of a small town in Nigeria, where cancer incidence is approximately 70% lower than in our Western, "modern" societies. It should be noted that medical care in this small town is so good that it can be ruled out that these are simply undetected diseases. If these Nigerians then migrate to the USA, they suddenly have the same cancer risk as the American average. Comparable studies with the same result exist, for example, for Japanese who migrate to Hawaii (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1287741/ ).

How does a healthy cell become a cancer cell?

To turn a healthy cell into a cancer cell, various stages must be passed through - and medicinal mushrooms can effectively intervene in each of these stages:

DNA damage, triggered by infections, inflammation, toxins, radiation, etc., must first trigger certain mutations that prevent the cell from activating its suicide program, known as apoptosis. As the process progresses, the cell's metabolism is altered, and it switches to anaerobic lactic acid metabolism. The cancer cell begins to grow uncontrollably. Normally, the body has built-in "brakes" for this uncontrolled growth, but even these brakes are circumvented. At this point, a small, degenerated tumor cell, about 1 mm in size, is present. Almost everyone has these so-called microtumors from a certain age. And the point at which this microtumor develops into a malignant cancerous tumor is a process called angiogenesis: the tumor releases messenger substances and encourages the body to form blood vessels from pre-existing blood vessels to supply it with oxygen and nutrients. The tumor can then continue to grow and form metastases via the bloodstream in the body.

Every day, about 20 tumor cells develop in the body, but i.d.R. are recognized and eliminated by our immune system. An intact, strong immune system is therefore a crucial factor in cancer prevention.

How can medicinal mushrooms help in prevention and therapy?

Fungi actively protect cells from environmental toxins, viruses, radiation, etc., but also help the immune system recognize and eliminate malignant cells more quickly. They also influence the powerhouses of our cells, the mitochondria, and can help prevent the metabolism from entering an anaerobic state, where it only ferments and no longer produces sufficient energy.

The effect of medicinal mushrooms on angiogenesis is crucial. They produce certain messenger substances that prevent blood vessels from being recruited, thus preventing tumor growth. Shiitake, for example, plays a relevant role here with its specific beta-glucan "lentinan": https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30373628/ “Lentinan inhibits tumor angiogenesis via interferon γ and in a T cell independent manner”

See also https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15234192/ “Fungal polysaccharopeptide inhibits tumor angiogenesis and tumor growth in mice”

For example, a 2009 study on breast cancer risk in a rural Chinese region showed that women who drank an average of one cup of green tea per day and ate 4 g of dried or 40 g of fresh mushrooms per day had a 60% lower risk of breast cancer than the control group. See: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19048616/ “Dietary intakes of mushrooms and green tea combine to reduce the risk of breast cancer in Chinese women”

In China and Japan, some mushrooms are already approved for conventional cancer therapy, for example, maitake and shiitake extracts as an infusion.

In complementary cancer therapy, the following medicinal mushrooms are also used in the West and are also the best researched: Reishi, almond mushroom, Maitake, Coriolus and Shiitake (v.a. in breast and colon cancer).

According to a scientific study, Reishi, for example, can increase the response rate to chemotherapy by about 40%. See also:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29141563/ : “Evidence from in vitro and in vivo studies has demonstrated that GLP possesses potential anticancer activity through immunomodulatory, anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic, anti-metastatic and anti-angiogenic effects.”

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27045603/ "G. lucidum could be administered as an alternative adjunct to conventional treatment in consideration of its potential of enhancing tumor response and stimulating host immunity. G. lucidum was generally well tolerated by most participants with only a scattered number of minor adverse events. No major toxicity was observed across the studies."

All o.gThanks to their (pentacyclic) triterpenes, mushrooms also have antitumor and chemoprotective effects and strengthen the immune system.

There are numerous studies on Shiitake and Maitake in particular on strengthening basal immune competence during chemotherapy, d.h. Basic immune activity can be maintained with the administration of the medicinal mushrooms mentioned. For example: Maitake: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14977447/ "Maitake D-Fraction hindered metastatic progression, lessened the expression of tumor markers, and increased NK cell activity in all patients examined. Thus maitake D-Fraction appears to repress cancer progression and primarily exerts its effect through stimulation of NK activity."

There are also reviews of almond mushroom (Agaricus blazei) and Maitake that show that chemotherapy-related side effects could be reduced by 70-80%, so that quality of life was somewhat maintained.

The butterfly mushroom (Coriolus) contains two glycoproteins (proteins with sugar content), namely PSP and PSK. Studies have shown that the survival rate increases significantly (up to 40%) when this fungus is administered in parallel with chemotherapy (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32466253/ ).

A very recent review from 2020 focusing on Reishi and Coriolus also shows their positive effects in the context of accompanying cancer therapy: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33685191/

Conclusion

In conclusion, it should be noted that scientific studies in the Western world have already confirmed many of the beneficial effects attributed to medicinal mushrooms – some in humans, many so far only in animals. Due to these promising results, the number of studies has increased dramatically over the past three years, so it can be assumed that the importance and use of medicinal mushrooms will also increase significantly in the West in a few years.

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