Shiitake, (Lentinula edodes), is an immune supporting medicinal mushroom that contains a free radical fighting polysaccharide compound called lentinan that appears to stimulate the immune response to clear the body of tumour cells, It is also a source of selenium, an antioxidant that is said to prevent cancer.
It is an excellent source of iron and extensive research has shown it to be effective in lowering cholesterol. It also appears to be effective against some of the deadly viruses we face today including HIV and Hepatitis B. Not only can shiitake relieve symptoms of these infections, but complete inactivation of the viruses has been documented.
The mushroom is credited with lowering serum cholesterol levels by 12% through Eritadenine. Eritadenine is a compound contained in the mushroom.
Shiitake’s healing properties are also reflected in its anti-viral strengths. It is said that once metabolised, the glucan based compound therein is able to fight the influenza virus, bacterial infection, and other infectious elements like cancerous cells. The Japanese pharmaceutical company, Ajinomoto, is already using Lentinan from Shiitake mushrooms to treat gastric cancers. Other countries are also using it as injectable medication to fight cancer.
The City of Hope National Medical Center is conducting further research to determine if Lentinan from the Shiitake mushroom is capable of preventing lung cancer.
In some other areas, it is being tried as a cure for candida, tuberculosis, and the HIV virus. Generally, the polysaccharides in the Shiitake mushroom are credited with boosting a person’s immune system and hence keeping disease at bay.
Mushroom polysaccharides act by enhancing host defenses rather than directly killing tumor cells. For this reason they are called host defense potentiators (HDP)."
