Medicinal preparations based on the Meitake Mushroom (Maitake). Maitake – characteristics of beneficial properties, harm, contraindications; use for treatment and cooking; photo of the mushroom and reviews about it Maitake mushroom medicinal properties

The healing gift of nature - maitake - is known in the scientific world as Grifola frondoza (curly grifola). This is the Latin name under which this natural object is listed in international catalogs and reference books. Maitake remains popular among naturopathic doctors. This name has eastern roots and is translated from Japanese as “dancing mushroom.” The properties of maitake are unique! This is what this article will discuss.

Pantry of the East

The East has long been a supplier of plants with unique properties. Probably, the botanist who discovered maitake in dense forests realized that it was the mushroom that would become the key to the gold reserves of the nature of the East.

After all, the mythological griffins, who gave their name to the mushroom, were the keepers of golden treasures in ancient history. And herbs and spices (black and red pepper, turmeric), the root that stimulates human vitality - ginseng, have always been valued by Western civilization as worth its weight in gold.

Dance of health and longevity

The mushroom most likely reminded our ancestors of the fluffy skirts of skillful oriental dancers. That's why they called him "dancing." There is another version. Remember, in the movie "Avatar" the hunter of the Navi tribe had to thank his prey for her life, which she gives to people, i.e. perform a certain ritual?

Surely the gatherers also had such a ritual of gratitude to the forest and the mushroom. And dance is the most natural and beautiful action, containing a mysterious and mystical meaning, from the point of view of an Eastern person.

Nutritional value of maitake

Like all representatives of the mushroom kingdom, maitake is a source of protein, which can be a good meat substitute for those who are concerned about excess weight. The low fat content (5% per 100 g of product) allows the mushroom to be included in any diet. Fiber will regulate the normal functioning of the digestive system, and carbohydrates will replenish vital energy.
The beneficial properties of maitake are based on its unique composition - the pulp contains the following elements:

1. Vitamin PP(nicotinic acid, or vitamin B3): regulates metabolic processes and is an indispensable element of redox reactions.
2. Vitamin B9(folic acid): is of great importance in the prenatal period for the normal development of the circulatory and immune systems, necessary during periods of formation and restructuring of the body (early childhood and puberty); its quantity in the body determines the functional health of the male reproductive system; A deficiency of this vitamin leads to the appearance of malignant tumors.
3. Vitamin B6: improves neuroplasticity, participates in metabolic processes.
4. Vitamin D: responsible for the formation, stability and strength of the human skeletal system; has a preventive effect, preventing diseases of bone tissue (rickets, osteoporosis).
5. Microelements(phosphorus, sodium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, calcium, selenium).

Medicinal properties of maitake

The basis of the healing power of the maitake mushroom is grifolan, one of the members of the beta-glucan family.

Back in the last century, scientists discovered that maitake cell walls contain a carbohydrate that European and Japanese immunologists classified as chitin-glucan, an insoluble and not digestible by the human body. However, further research has shown that when exposed to heat and digestive juices, chitin glucan can be converted into beta glucan.

Therapeutic mechanisms

The resulting compound, by stimulating and activating lymphocytes and macrophages, actually partially “reboots” and strengthens the entire mechanism of immune cell production in the bone marrow. Activated macrophages and natural killer T cells trigger several cleansing mechanisms in the body:

1. Mechanism of balancing the immune system.
2. The mechanism of production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), the task of which is to block and destroy the blood vessels that feed the tumor.
3. The mechanism of self-destruction (apaptosis) of pathological cells.
4. The mechanism of deactivation of aggressive enzymes secreted by the tumor in order to block the body's immune defense.

Beta-glucan, as an active antioxidant, controls the amount of free radicals, which can become one of the causes of illness or psycho-emotional disorders (apathy, depression).

Uses of maitake mushroom

The main therapeutic effect of maitake is a powerful antitumor effect, which is confirmed by oncologists and their patients. The use of maitake preparations enhances the positive effect of chemotherapy, while simultaneously preventing the destructive consequences of taking large doses of drugs (nausea, hair loss, refusal to eat).

Recent studies have confirmed that mushroom preparations can even destroy HIV cells! Most likely, beta-glucan will become one of the components of the future AIDS vaccine.
The properties of maitake are truly unique and including it in the daily menu will improve the health of the body and cure old ailments.

Maitake is an interesting mushroom that has unique medicinal properties. It is valued for its excellent taste properties and the ability to be used in cooking. Maitake mushroom also has a medicinal effect. More details about its properties and rules of use are described in the article.

Appearance

The maitake mushroom is also called the “dancing mushroom” or “ram mushroom”. This is a large plant, the diameter of which can be 50 cm. Some clusters weigh 4 kg.

Wild maitake is harvested from September to October. It has a rich taste and pleasant aroma. It has an original shape, curly. It grows in large colonies.

Where does it grow?

The maitake mushroom is rare and has unusual beneficial properties. It is precisely because of their presence that it is valued, but the places where the fungus grows have always been hidden.

This plant can be found in Japan, China, and Tibet. It was there that the medicinal properties of the maitake mushroom were discovered many centuries ago. But modern science began to study it only 30 years ago. The healing properties have not yet been fully identified, but the mushroom contains useful components that are used in the treatment of serious ailments.

Plants are found in deciduous forests near old oaks, chestnuts, and maples. Chinese maitake mushrooms do not grow in Russia. But some gardeners are making attempts to cultivate the plant.

Storage

If you purchased fresh maitake mushrooms, store them in the refrigerator. Fresh product must be consumed within 2 days. Dried mushrooms are placed in an airtight container. It is important that it is made of plastic or glass.

The container should be placed in a cool place where the temperature does not exceed 15 degrees. Make sure that there are no sources of heat or strong moisture nearby.

Growing

Many people try to grow mushrooms at home. This is done in 2 ways:

• in plant sediments;
• on wood.

In the first case, you need a separate special room, and in the second, a garden. Each method has its pros and cons. The first method involves creating mushroom blocks, using plastic bags.

First, the substrate is processed thermally. The cooled substrate is mixed with mycelium and placed in a plastic bag. The bag is tied and holes are made in it. Then the mushroom block is left in a special room for 3-4 weeks. Fruiting will occur in waves, once every 2-3 weeks.

When growing on wood, it is assumed that only deciduous trees are used. The tree is sawn into pieces, in which shallow holes are made - up to 5 cm deep and 2 cm in diameter. Mycelium is placed in the holes and covered with sawdust. The tree with mycelium is placed in areas designated in the garden for growing mushrooms. Mushrooms will bear fruit for 5-6 years.

Here are a few facts that you might find interesting:

1. The mushroom was first used in the 4th or 5th century AD.
2. It was first used in Japan and China. Maitake was primarily used to strengthen the immune system.
3. In the wild, the mushroom grows in Japan, less often in China.
4. According to the ancestors, the name “dancing mushroom” began to be used for a reason. Previously, when collecting, the mushroom picker performed a ritual dance. It was believed that otherwise the mushroom would not have medicinal properties.
5. In Japan it is called geisha mushroom. Women who use this product have always been slim and beautiful.
6. According to recent studies, maitake destroys the HIV virus. This has been scientifically proven, which is why appropriate medications are being created.

Peculiarities

Maitake is included in the list of legendary mushrooms used in folk medicine in the Middle Kingdom. Here are a few more of its features:

1. Its history begins many centuries ago. Knowledge about the mushroom is as ancient as legends about dragons and elixirs of eternal youth.
2. Although the plant has a long history, it has only recently been studied by modern pharmacology. The beneficial properties of maitake mushroom were identified taking into account scientific data and composition analysis.
3. The mushroom usually grows in hard-to-reach places, in the depths of forests.
4. He chooses dark, warm places under the roots of fruit trees.
5. The mushroom is usually found under peach, apricot, cherry and plum trees, although it sometimes grows under oak. Many people believe that the choice of location creates a pleasant taste and original aroma.
6. It is difficult to search for the mushroom, as it is perfectly camouflaged. Maitake blends perfectly with fallen leaves, and is similar in appearance to ordinary growths characteristic of tree trunks and roots. Therefore, many pass by such a plant.
7. Maitake differs from other leathery, porous mushrooms.

The nutritional value

Judging by the reviews, maitake mushroom is used in preparing delicious dishes. It has high nutritional value. 100 g of product contains:

• proteins - 1.94 g;
• fats - 0.19 g;
• carbohydrates - 4.27 g.

Calorie content is 31 Kcal. The mushrooms also contain 0.53 g of ash and 90.37 g of water. The product contains fiber, vitamins PP, B, D, polysaccharides, amino acids.

Benefit

Chinese healers knew about the beneficial properties of maiteke mushroom many centuries ago. Previously, many people did not take this amazing plant seriously, so they began to study the benefits of the product only a few decades ago. The benefits of maitake include:

• protection against viruses and bacteria that have a negative effect on hepatitis C and B viruses;
• relieving inflammation, tumors;
• improvement of immunity;
• normalization of the condition during menopause;
• restoration of the nervous system;
• increased mood;
• preventing the degeneration of a malignant tumor;
• fat breakdown;
• decreased blood pressure;
• help with diabetes;
• fight against tumors;
• liver restoration;
• prevention of ARVI, influenza, smallpox and other viral diseases;
• treatment of tuberculosis;
• elimination of chronic fatigue;
• strengthening bones;
• weight loss.

Moreover, it is not necessary to go into the forest to search for maitake. It can be bought at a pharmacy. It is sold in powder and capsules.

Harm and contraindications

The mushroom itself is not harmful. There are only a few contraindications. It should not be used if:

• individual intolerance;
• pregnancy and lactation;
• children under 12 years of age.

In cooking

Due to the properties of the maitake mushroom, its use is in demand in cooking. The aroma of mushrooms has a hint of bready smell. Sometimes there are sweet motives. In America, a packaged drink is produced in which mushroom powder is added to tea leaves.

There are many methods for preparing maitake. The most popular recipes include the following:

• baking with shrimp, adding almonds, spices, cheese;
• preparation of tonic drinks;
• use in sauces, broths, vegetable soups;
• seasoning preparation;
• mushrooms can also be a separate dish.

Mushrooms are used in making pizza:

1. The oven is heated to 220 degrees. If the dough is thick, it is baked in advance.
2. Heat up the frying pan, chop the garlic (4 cloves), chop the onion (1 pc.). Everything is quickly fried in 30 seconds. Garlic and onions should not be allowed to burn.
3. Then add chopped mushroom (450 g) and fry over high heat for 3-5 minutes. If desired, add 50 ml of dry wine.
4. Maitakes should have a brown tint.
5. Gornonzola cheese (30 g) is placed on the dough.
6. Then comes a layer of mushrooms with vegetables, fontina cheese (250 g).
7. The pizza is cooked in the oven, it should take on a golden brown color.

The resulting dish can be the main dish or serve as an appetizer. It is advisable to serve it warm, but not hot. Pizza goes well with red wines.

In medicine

The use of maitake mushroom in medicine is known. This is due to the medicinal properties of the product. Below are several recipes that allow you to treat and prevent serious illnesses.

Tincture

The resulting remedy fights obesity and many ailments that were mentioned earlier. The tincture also stimulates the immune system and is used in the fight against tumors.

You will need dried mushroom (3 tbsp), which must be chopped and poured with vodka. Close the bottle and leave for 14 days in a cool, dark place. No straining required. You should drink it with the resulting sediment.

The product is taken 2-3 times a day 30 minutes before meals. Depending on the degree of illness, a serving is 1-3 tsp. The course is 90-120 days.

Wine

A drink made from a mushroom fights obesity and strengthens the immune system. He also cures various tumors.

You will need 3 tbsp. l. dried product that is crushed. Then the mixture is poured with Cahors, closed and infused for 14 days in a dark and cool place. No need to strain.

Wine is taken as well as tincture. In this case, the same portions and conditions apply. The course of treatment is 90-120 days.

Oil

The product is effective against obesity. The product breaks down fats. It is also combined with other folk and medical remedies that are used in the fight against cancer.

3 tbsp required. l. dried mushroom, which is crushed and poured with olive oil (500 g). The container is closed and infused for 14 days in a cool and dark place. The oil is not strained.

You should take the product 1, 2 or 3 tsp. 3 times a day 30 minutes before meals. The course lasts 90 days. Then you need a break of 10 days, and then the course is repeated again.

Powder

It is used to combat various ailments mentioned above. You should have the powder at home; it is added to dishes for prevention. It is also diluted in water.

You need to wash the maitake, dry it, and place it in a coffee grinder to obtain a powder. You will need 0.5 g of product, which is poured with boiled water (1 glass). Leave for 8 hours.

The mixture is consumed throughout the day in 3 doses. The powder is consumed 20 minutes before meals, but before this the product is shaken. Treatment lasts 90 days. In case of serious illness, the course increases.

Extract

Maitake mushroom extract is effective. It is sold in the form of capsules and drops. There are powders saturated with zinc and iron. The extract is convenient and can be dosed accurately.

Taking this product gives the following results:

1. Activation of the immune system.
2. Improved metabolism.
3. Normalization of menopausal symptoms.
4. Reducing the manifestations of premenstrual syndrome.
5. Removing bad cholesterol.
6. Reduced pressure.
7. Blocking cirrhosis.

The extract is used for:

• high blood pressure;
• endocrine problems;
• diabetes mellitus;
• liver damage;
• fungal infections;
• acute viral illnesses and infections;
• obesity.

It is advisable to consult a doctor first. It is important to consider not only the benefits, but also the contraindications.

Where can I buy?

It is difficult to buy fresh mushrooms in Russia. Many people note the external similarity of oyster mushrooms. But the latter are grown at home, and maitaki is a mushroom pharmacy, a healer. No plant or mushroom has such properties.

You can buy mushrooms through specialized stores located in large cities. More products can be purchased through online stores. Delivery is carried out throughout the country.

As a rule, countries remote from large continents carefully preserve their identity, culture and traditions. Japan is no exception, which is still perceived by many as an amazing and mysterious corner of the world. For a long time, Buddhism flourished in the Land of the Rising Sun, prohibiting the consumption of meat, so mushrooms became widespread among the local population. But they have become not only a basic ingredient in Japanese cooking. It turned out that many .

Among the huge variety of exotic “forest inhabitants”, the meitake mushroom occupies a special place. The medicinal properties of this bright representative of the Japanese flora have become known to modern science relatively recently - in the last three decades. Meitake is a tree mushroom native to northeastern Japan and some remote areas of China. Finding places where meitake grows is a great success, so at all times these mushrooms were very expensive. The Japanese say that meitake looks like a dancing nymph. For such a bizarre shape they began to call it the “Dancing Mushroom”.

Medicinal properties

In the past, the meitake mushroom was a valuable attribute of Japanese folk medicine. But when scientific research discovered its amazing healing capabilities, the “Dancing Mushroom” began to be used in various medicines. First of all, it was discovered that meitake helps to significantly reduce fat cells in human blood. Excess fat ceases to be deposited in the tissues of the body, so a person with a large body weight quickly loses weight. It is not for nothing that preparations based on the meitake mushroom are an integral part of “Yamakiro” - a popular Japanese weight loss program.

In addition to weight loss, other medicinal properties of this miracle of nature have been scientifically confirmed. “Dancing Mushroom” is a powerful antiviral and antibacterial agent. The active components of meitake activate the immune system and have a detrimental effect on staphylococci, streptococci, tubercle bacilli, acute respiratory viral infections, influenza, etc.

Meitake is successfully used in the fight against. Its active ingredients effectively reduce cholesterol levels in the blood, restore the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels, prevent blood clots, and normalize blood pressure. Of course, drugs that contain this exotic mushroom are expensive, but meitake for hypertensive patients is truly an irreplaceable remedy.

In addition, “Dancing Mushroom” has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the endocrine system. Powder based on this mushroom normalizes the activity of the pituitary gland, adrenal glands, and thyroid gland, and is used to treat diabetes mellitus.

Meitake against cancer

And the most valuable quality of the meitake mushroom is its ability to fight the most terrible disease of mankind - cancer. “Dancing Mushroom” is a miraculous stimulator of so-called macrophages. These are special cells of the body that are designed to protect a person from any pathogenic influence, but they are usually in a sleepy (latent) state. The polysaccharide beta-glucan contained in the mushroom “awakens” macrophages and they begin to actively destroy all foreign cells, including malignant ones. Preparations containing meitake are especially effective in the early stages of cancer of the bladder, prostate, ovaries, uterus, and breast.

Meitake - female mushroom

In Japan, meitake has another name - “Japanese Geisha Mushroom”. Women of the Land of the Rising Sun have long highly valued the medicinal properties of this mushroom. In addition to the already noted ability to lose weight, meitake eliminates weakness, irritability, fatigue, nagging pain in the lower abdomen, that is, all the unpleasant manifestations of premenstrual syndrome. In addition, “Japanese Geisha Mushroom” helps get rid of rapid heartbeat and hot flashes during menopausal changes in the female body.

Japanese doctors claim that, in terms of the strength of its effect, there is no more effective remedy in nature than the meitake mushroom. The healing properties of this amazing mushroom have been scientifically proven and confirmed by numerous experiments. But nature still conceals many unsolved secrets.

Family: Albatrellaceae Albatrellaceae

Genus: Grifola

Latin name: Grifola frondosa (curly-haired grifola)

English name: maitake

Chinese name: zhu-ling

This is a mushroom that is traditionally used in Chinese and Japanese cooking. It grows wild in Japan and in the wild forests of parts of China. Wild meitake is harvested in September-October. It grows mainly near the roots of large trees such as Mizunara, Quercus crispula, Buna, Fagus crenata, and Shiinoki, Castanopsis cuspidata. plum, Prunus salicina; apricot, Prunus armeniaca var. anzu; peach, Prunus persica var. vulgaris; and oaks, Quercus serrata. Meitake is one of the fungi that invades the heartwood of these trees. At the same time, it destroys lignins, converting them into cellulose. This is the cause of the so-called white rot. Wild meitake has a good taste and excellent aroma.

The scientific name of meitake is “Grifola frondosa”, which comes from the name of a mushroom found in Italy. This name refers to a mythical animal that is half lion and half eagle.

The Japanese name "meitake" refers to its shape, which resembles a dancing nymph. The origin of the name meitake - “dancing mushroom”, still causes debate, but according to one version, people who were lucky enough to find this mushroom danced with joy, since in the feudal era this mushroom was given its weight in silver, and according to another - before picking this mushroom, it was necessary to perform a certain ritual dance, otherwise the mushroom would lose its properties. Meitake sometimes reaches gigantic sizes - over 50 cm in diameter and up to 4 kg in weight. Therefore, it is not surprising that meitake is one of the most valuable and expensive mushrooms in Japan.

Meitake, in Chinese folk medicine called "Zhu-ling", "Keisho" and "Shen Her Ben Kao jing" (Shen - scripture, Her - herb), previously used this mushroom to "reduce anger and stomach diseases, calm the nerves and cure hemorrhoids."

Meitake has a beneficial effect on diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic hepatitis, obesity, and high blood pressure. Meitake mushroom helps the body adapt to stress and normalizes body functions. According to research, this mushroom is more effective when taken simultaneously with other oriental mushrooms (shiitake).

Through the joint efforts of mushroom specialists - mycologists and pharmacologists, the valuable medical properties of meitake were discovered: in addition to strong antitumor properties, these mushrooms help with diseases such as arterial hypertension, diabetes, atherosclerosis, obesity, and hepatitis B and C, its antiviral activity against the HIV virus (AIDS) was also confirmed by the American National Cancer Institute back in 1992.

In addition to the above, meitake has the amazing ability to reduce weight by normalizing metabolic and hormonal processes, which is why the drug from this mushroom is included in the famous Japanese weight loss system “Yamakiro”.

Information for specialists

The therapeutic effect of meitake is mainly due to the high content of polysaccharides: beta-1,6-glycans. Experimental studies have found that these substances inhibit the growth and prevent the occurrence of many cancers, destroy human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV), and stimulate the activity of T lymphocytes and CD4 cells. Meitake has a beneficial effect on diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic hepatitis, obesity, and high blood pressure.

A recent study showed that two polysaccharides exhibit particular activity: the so-called D-fraction, which is superior in its effectiveness to previously created anti-carcinogenic drugs and Grifolan. These same fractions exhibit higher immunomodulatory properties. The D-fraction of meitake mushrooms consists of B-1,6-linked glycans with B-1,3 branches or B-1,3 glycans linked to B-1,6 glycosides and has a molecular weight of -1 x 106 daltons.

In experiments on laboratory animals, it was shown that the d-fraction has a pronounced antitumor effect, which is associated with increased production of interleukin 1, and Grifolan increases the cytotoxic activity of macrophages. These results suggest that d-fraction exerts its effects not only through targeted activation of various immune effectors (macrophages, CTLs, natural killer cells, etc.) that suppress tumor cells, but through potentiation of various lymphokines.

Another high molecular weight meitake polysaccharide, X-fraction, has been shown in laboratory and clinical studies to normalize blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity in type II diabetes.

Meitake researchers have identified four distinct pathways that fight cancer:

• protects healthy cells;
• prevent metastasis;
• slows down or stops the growth of tumors;
• Works in conjunction with chemotherapy to reduce its side effects such as hair loss, pain, nausea and enhance its beneficial effects.

Protection against malignancy. In studies that show how meitake protects healthy cells from malignancy (malignancy), an experiment was conducted in which twenty-five-week-old mice were injected with the carcinogen 3-MCA (methylcholanthrene). On the fifteenth day after administration, ten of the mice were fed 0.2 mg meitake D-fraction for 15 subsequent days. The other ten mice in the control group were not given meitake. At the end of these thirty days, the number of mice with cancer was 30.7 percent in the maitake group and 93.2 percent in the control group.

Growth arrest and subsequent regression of tumors

In another study, mice were treated with a known bladder carcinogen, N-butyl-N-butanolnitrosoamine, also known as BBN, every day for eight weeks, after which all mice had advanced bladder cancer. Then the mice were given preparations from medicinal mushrooms - meitake and shiitake. All mushrooms significantly reduced the number of bladder cancers, with meitake and shiitake showing 46.7 and 52.9 percent tumor clearance rates, respectively.

Prevention of metastasis

In studies that show how meitake prevents cancer metastasis, researchers injected tumor cells into the gallbladder of mice. The gallbladder was cut off 48 hours later. The mice were divided into three groups. The control group received normal food, while the other two groups received: the second - meitake powder as 20 percent of their diet, the third - 1 mg/kg of D-fraction. After 30 days, mice were examined for liver metastases. In the control group, 100% of the animals showed metastasis. In comparison, D-fraction prevented 91.3% of the total, and meitake powder as a dietary supplement prevented 81.3%.

Synergism with chemotherapy drugs

Another interesting study was devoted to the increase in antitumor activity when combining the D-fraction and drugs used in chemotherapy. In experiments on mice with artificially induced tumors, the d-fraction showed higher tumor suppressive properties compared to chemotherapy (approximately 70% versus 30%). When D-fraction and chemo drugs were given together (with each dose reduced by half), tumor suppression was observed at almost 98%.

Maitake (Grifola frondosa) is a member of the Meripilaceae family. Its also "dancing mushroom" literally translated from Japanese. This name comes from ancient times because the people who found it danced with joy. It is believed that even during feudal Japan, Mitake was extremely valuable due to its healing properties. Emperors paid for this type of mushroom in silver equal to its weight.

Device

The wild fungus grows in the roots or decaying logs of hardwoods such as oak, beech, Japanese oak and others. Maitake begins to grow from a potato-sized tuberous structure. Its body measures about 60 centimeters and consists of many grayish-brown caps, strongly folded or wavy. The fan-shaped fruiting bodies of the maitake overlap to form a large structure. Sometimes the mushroom can reach enormous sizes - more than 50 centimeters in diameter.

Spreading

The mushroom is wild in parts of Japan, China and North America. It is rarely cultivated because strictly specific cultivation conditions are required. Typically, this type of mushroom ripens during the fall months. Although maitake has been traditional in Japan and China for thousands of years, its natural habitats have increased significantly today in the United States.

Useful part

All parts are used.

Chemical composition

The chemical composition is rich in minerals - potassium, calcium and magnesium, vitamins - B2, D2 and niacin (vitamin PP). The main active ingredient in mushrooms is beta-D-glucan, which is a glucose polymer—protein-linked beta-D-glucose. The content of amino acids - glutamine, alanine and lysine in the bodies of young mushrooms is quite rich.

Medicinal properties and uses

Due to its distinctive taste, crispy texture and pleasant aroma, maitake is considered a delicious delicacy in the culinary industry. In addition to its taste, the mushroom also has medicinal properties due to its varied chemical composition. It has a beneficial effect on the digestive system - improves liver function, regulates the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates. Maitake finds very wide use in traditional eastern medicine, which applies it to diabetes, stomach diseases, hypertension, chronic fatigue, chronic hepatitis and nervous tension. Laboratory tests have shown that the jelly extract is particularly effective against leukemia and stomach and bone cancer. Extracts from Maitake have a much stronger antitumor effect than other mushrooms. In 1992. The United States National Cancer Institute believes that maitake also has potent anti-HIV activity because the beta-glucan stimulates the production of white blood cells in the bone marrow.

Mechanism of action

Over the decades, various experiments have been conducted to reveal the mechanism of action of maitake. Thanks to them he is now famous. The target cells that are affected by the active ingredients of the mushroom are dendritic cells. These are the most numerous cells located just below the outer surfaces of the body - the skin and mucous membranes. In the skin they are described as Langerhans cells. Their function is related to the recognition of exogenous or endogenous invaders and the mobilization of an appropriate immune response. Given their widespread localization in tissues, dendritic cells are the first line of immune defense. These are the first cells that come into contact with the glucan when using the mushroom.

Initially, polysaccharides enter the oral cavity, where there are Langerhans cells of the oral mucosa, and later they are recognized by dendritic cells in the stomach and intestines. After glucagon is absorbed, it circulates in the liver where Kupffer cells (dendritic cells) are targeted. Glucans that reach the lymphatic ganglia are phagocytosed by dendritic cells of these ganglia. Glucans and proteoglycans activate dendritic cells because they act as antigenic stimuli. The close chemical structure of these substances in relation to the membrane of lymphocytes leads to activation and increase in their effect, which reach the lymphatic ganglia and are phagocytosed by dendritic cells of these ganglia.

Extract

In the late eighties, Professor Dr. Hiroaki Nanba created an extract from the mushroom. It contains a particularly active polysaccharide, beta-glucan, which stimulates the immune system and activates certain cells and proteins (macrophages, T cells, interleukin-1 and -2, etc.),

Properties

• immunostimulating - 1,6 beta-glucan is recognized as one of the most effective means for stimulating the cellular immune response. This compound, which activates the body's immune defense, stimulates the production of macrophages, T cells and lymphocytes. Maitake improves the immunological efficiency of these cells by increasing the production of cytotoxic agents by macrophages - interleukin-1 (IL1), interleukin-2 (IL2) and lymphokines, which activate lymphocytes and superoxide anions. It eliminates invaders in the body and prevents infectious diseases;
• The antitumor beta-glucan in this type of mushroom activates the production of macrophages. In the body, they ingest and destroy tumor cells. Studies have shown that taking maitake during chemotherapy significantly increases its effectiveness while reducing side effects such as nausea, vomiting and hair loss;
• Weight control – eating mushrooms helps lower blood pressure and lower blood cholesterol levels. This type of mushroom has been found to be low in calories but high in fiber, which promotes a feeling of fullness. Yokota's study of 30 overweight people who were forced to consume maitake every day without changing other aspects of their diet shows up to 13kg lost at the end of the two-month study;
• regulates blood sugar levels - research by Japanese physician Nanba studying the composition and effects of maitake suggests they are effective for high blood glucose levels. He is experimenting with laboratory rats to demonstrate that insulin resistance significantly influences insulin resistance by increasing the sensitivity of cells to insulin. The decrease in blood sugar levels is due to the fact that the mushroom contains natural alpha-glucosidase inhibitors;
• Improves female reproductive performance - Studies have shown that maitake may improve ovulation in women with menstrual disorders caused by polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The action of the mushroom is more effectively compared to the action of clomiphene (a synthetic drug that is used to stimulate ovulation);
• antioxidant;
• antibacterial;
• antiviral.

Diseases and conditions

• cancerous conditions;
• flu conditions;
• cardiac ischemia;
• obesity;
• diabetes;
• polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS);
• high cholesterol;
• rheumatoid arthritis;
• hepatitis;
• acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).

Forms of use

• extract;
• pills;
• capsules;
• powder

Interaction

The mushroom has the ability to naturally lower blood sugar levels. Its consumption in any form, together with drugs prescribed for the treatment of diabetes, is contraindicated. Concomitant consumption may cause a hypoglycemic crisis.