Guest guest Posted July 18, 2006 Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 Fungi represent a very interesting therapeutic modality for the natural physician. The interesting stuff starts with the nature of a fungus itself, which botanists and taxonomists have long puzzled over - is it a plant? is it an animal? In truth, the fungus bears similarities to both types of organisms. All three types of organisms - plants, animals and fungi - are called "eukaryotes", meaning that their cells are comprised of organelles, enclosed in a membrane. This is unlike bacteria, called "prokaryotes" which have a much simpler cellular structure. Fungi were long considered to be a kind of plants rather than an animal, because like plants fungi do not have the capacity for "locomotion" or movement like animals. Fungi (mostly) also have a rigid cell wall like plants, but rather than made up of cellulose it is comprised of chitin, which is another kind of polysaccharide like cellulose. Fungi also have some similarities to animals in that both are "heteroptrophs", meaning that they rely upon other organisms to fix nutrients such as carbon rather than generating them on their own through photosynthesis. In this respect only plants are truly "autotrophs" because they generate all their own energy, requiring water, sunlight and certain nutrients like nitrogen. Some carnivorous plants are partly heterotrophic because they derive their nitrogen from insects, but this is usually only to supplement autrophic functions. Unlike animals, fungi absorb rather than ingest their nutrients, usually (but not always) from dead and decaying matter. On the whole however, fungi bear more similarities to animals than plants, and over the years researchers have identified the genetic similarities between fungi and animals, such as in protein sequencing and fatty acid metabolism. Their genetic similarity to animals is a reason why it can be so difficult to get rid of chronic fungal infections, and why the drugs used to treat them are often very toxic to ourselves. This is why its important to have an ecological understanding of infection, so that we can remove the underlying cause that allows a fungal infection occur. Nonetheless, fungi cannot be truly called animals, which is why they are classified in their own kingdom, separate from plants and animals. In the natural world, fungi play an important role as the "decomposers", taking dying or dead organisms and rendering their nutrients available to other creatures. As we can see, the role of fungi as "decomposers" in nature has important implications in detoxification when we take them internally. Fungi have long been used by people all over the world as a food and medicine. However, it can be seen that some cultures, such as in China and Europe, tend to be "mycophiles" (fungi-loving), and others, such as in India and the British-influenced North America, tend to be "mycophobes" (fungi-hating). It is difficult to determine why this is, but it appears mostly to be a product of social conditioning. For example, in ethnographic studies of traditional peoples all over the world, you can find one group actively consuming fungi and another, adjacent group with very similar customs and beliefs, rejecting fungi. I suspect that all traditional peoples had a very good knowledge of edible and medicinal fungi, but as taboos arose, perhaps as the result of accidental poisoning, this traditional knowledge became lost. While there are many species of fungi that are native to India, it is uncommon to find edible or medicinal fungi mentioned in Ayurveda, compared to China, where there is an extensive knowledge. Perhaps Dr. Bhate or someone else could point us to some literature or information in this regard, or observations among the tribal peoples of India. I found one study here, but I haven't obtained the paper: ARTICLE Traditional Medicinal Mushrooms and Fungi of India ABSTRACT Ayurveda is the oldest system of medicine in India that describes medicinal uses of several plants and very few mushrooms and wood rotting fungi. The obvious one is phansomba (species of Phellinus). Phansomba, known also as phanas-alombe or phanas-alambi, is commonly sold in ayurvedic shops in the western parts of India (Maharashtra, Gujrat, Goa) as a treatment for throat ailments and dental disorders as well as for some ailments of children. The mushroom was discovered in the Pune market in 1985. The present article attempts to describe medicinal uses of phansomba, as well as some other mushrooms and fungi used in folk medicine of India. source: http://www.edata-center.com/journals/ 708ae68d64b17c52,580b7b864183d53b,745e7941798e97ac.html this same species of fungus (Phellinus) has been reported to promote a dramatic reversal of prostate cancer: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi? db=pubmed&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15331908&query_hl=3&itool =pubmed_docsum Medicinal mushrooms represent an important therapeutic possibility for the Ayurvedic practitioner who previously avoided them. Their biochemistry offers a diverse array of immunoactive polysaccharides, as well as triterpenes, sterols, lactones, alkaloids and other chemicals. I remember talking to a mycologist once, who told me that fungi represent one the greatest sources of biomass on land, which is simply a dry weight measurement of all the living organisms. In soil of a forest for example, up to 90% of the biomass is fungi. Much of this biomass cannot be seen with the naked eye, comprised of tiny tendrils called mycelium. When we hike in the forest and see a mushroom, such as woody conk growing on a old tree, its important to realize that this only the fruiting body of the fungi, the "flower" if you will, and that the network of the mycelium is usually very extensive through the tree and surrounding substrate. For this reason, I consider many fungi to have a "sukshma" property, allowing it to pervade the body (via the most minute srotas) and exert its medicinal, detoxifying activities throughout. This especially important when countering cancer, which itself is often a subtle disease that manifests with a "flower" we call a tumor. In this respect, cancer is never a local disease - it is systemic, running throughout the body, and the medicinal mushrooms that have antitumor properties counter this by their own pervasive, "subtle" influence in the body, all acting to relieve the body of toxins. In the Western herbal tradition, we might call this an example of the "Doctrine of Signatures". Of course not all fungi are safe. As I mentioned, it is easy to mix up species when you don't have the correct skill at identifying them. This skill takes time to obtain, and when it is not honed, it is probably better to avoid gathering your own wild mushrooms instead of taking the chance. Like certain plants, some mushrooms can make you very sick and even kill you, which is probably why some cultures considered mushrooms taboo - why take the chance? That said, some mushrooms are fairly easy to identify, and of course it is now possible to find reputable sources various edible and medicinal species, taking the guesswork out of the equation. Nonetheless, some people would like to gather their own mushrooms, and for North America, David Arora's book "Mushroom's Demystified" is a great field guide. There are a number of antitumor medicinal fungi, including Maitake as well as Shitake, Reishi, Coriolus, Poria, and Chaga, and I cannot get into all of them here. It appears that most medicinal mushrooms have some kind of antitumor effect. For an excellent review of this subject I highly recommend Christopher Hobbs "Medicinal Mushrooms". Maitake is found in the Eastern US, Europe and much of Asia, usually occurring at the base of trees and stumps. Called "Hen of the Woods" in English, the Japanese "Maitake" name means "dancing mushroom", suggesting that the people that found it were made to dance with joy. By a decidedly mycophilic perspective it is considered delicious, and many recipes exist for its preparation. Chemically, Maitake is rich in immunoactive alpha and beta D-glucans, as well as nucleotides, fatty acids, sterols and vitamins. Studies have shown benefit in hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, diabetes, viral infections (e.g. hepatitis) and cancer. It is best used as a tea or food, between 5-10 grams a day, but high potency extracts standardized to the "maitake D fraction" can also be found. Doses for this extract are about 30 drops twice daily. Combined with sub- therapeutic doses of the chemotherapeutic drugs mitomycin-C, Maitake has been shown to shrink tumors by up to 98%. It is difficult to say whether Maitake is sufficient to use for breast cancer. Any treatment of cancer needs to be a comprehensive regimen, addressing not only the diet, but also lifestyle, psychological and spiritual factors. A vegan type diet I think is actually very good for breast cancer, although fish is also good to include to ensure adequate protein and essential fatty acids. On the whole, the primary emphasis upon diet should be a rainbow of vegetables (primarily) and fruits (secondarily), legumes, whole grains, and nuts/seeds, avoiding refined flour products, sugar, dairy, most meat, refined oils, coffee/tea, and alcohol. All foods should be organic, if possible. One should also emphasize cancer "superfoods" in the diet, including sea vegetables, fermented soy products, garlic and onions, as well as sprouted seeds and grains. An excellent book to get is Donald Yance's "Herbal Medicine, Healing and Cancer." Another medicinal mushroom to consider is Chaga (Inonotus obliquus), which is native to temperature regions of Eurasia and North America. It has a long history of use in cancer treatment, and in particular was used for breast cancer until health was restored. It is prepared by breaking the fungus up into a few small pieces and boiling for 10 minutes, and drinking throughout the day. Chaga can be a little difficult to find, but I do know that Herbalist and Alchemist (http:// www.herbalist-alchemist.com ) in the US carry it. In Europe, it should be easy to find from Russian suppliers. best wishes... Caldecott, Dip. Cl.H, RH(AHG) Ayurvedic practitioner, Clinical Herbalist web: http//:www.toddcaldecott.com email: todd (AT) toddcaldecott (DOT) com tel: 778.896.8894 fax: 415-376-6736 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 I love esoteric stuff - my own Master says that the mushroom is life form from other planets and here i add that when we partake of their bodies we allow extension of consciousness into higher spheres - and although I can say this to you I would not cast such pearls in front of Todd love jane - Todd Caldecott ayurveda Wednesday, July 19, 2006 7:41 AM <ayurveda> medicinal mushrooms Fungi represent a very interesting therapeutic modality for the natural physician. The interesting stuff starts with the nature of a fungus itself, which botanists and taxonomists have long puzzled over - is it a plant? is it an animal? In truth, the fungus bears similarities to both types of organisms. All three types of organisms - plants, animals and fungi - are called "eukaryotes", meaning that their cells are comprised of organelles, enclosed in a membrane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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