Yun Chi mushroom - new hope for patients with hepatitis B and liver cancer

Yunzhi mushroom has the scientific name of Trametes versicolor (Linnaeus: Fries) Pilat. Previously there were other names such as Coriolus versicolor, Polyporus versicolor. About this fungus classification system belongs to the Polyporaceae family, Aphyllophorales, Hymenomycetes class, Basidiomycota branch. English name is Turkey tails, Japanese is Kawaratake, Chinese is Yun Zhi.

(Photo: pilzfotopage)

This is a precious medicinal mushroom that has been used in China over 2000 years ago and now can successfully grow with simple techniques in Vietnam. The original variety is currently stored at the Museum of Microbiological Standard (VTCC) under the Center for Biotechnology, Hanoi National University.

The Yunzhi mushroom morphology is as follows : Mushroom caps are stubborn, chewy, flat or only slightly curled, almost semi-circular. Mushrooms often grow in clusters, diameter from 1 to 8cm, about 0.1 - 0.3cm thick, have small hairs on the surface, have concentric rings of brown, black ash, milky color. Thin, wavy edges. Mushroom meat is white. Spore-shaped spores, colorless, size 4,5- 7mm x 3- 5mm. In natural Yunzhi mushrooms often grow on wooden items.

Cultivating Yunzhi mushrooms is similar to the way of growing Jupiter (Mushroom) or Oyster mushroom (Abalone mushroom) on thin film bags containing one of the following environments:

* Sawdust - 78%, rice bran - 20%, sand sugar - 1%, gypsum powder - 1%

* Sawdust - 40%, bagasse - 40%, crushed straw - 20%

* Cassava body (cassava) crushed small - 80%, gypsum powder - 20%

Mix these ingredients with water to have a moisture content of about 60%. Grasping just enough water is interstitial. Put into PP thin film bags of about 5mm thickness, size 17 x 33cm or 25 x 35cm. Each bag contains about 250-300g of material. Make a bag with a piece of plastic tube to thread the thin film and button with a cotton button. Before disinfection, cover the cotton button with a newspaper.

Sterilize with boiling steam as when boiled banh chung, usually steamed for 10 hours, then let it cool overnight to get these bags out.

Bringing into the seeding room and using seeds purchased at the seed supply centers for transplanting. In the Northern provinces, it is necessary to set up plans to supply seeds before 3 months (contact phone number 0913523578). In the southern provinces, it is necessary to set up a plan to supply seeds before 2 months (contact 0905543535).

Open the cotton plug and transplant the seed with sterile manipulation with an iron spatula on the flame of the alcohol lamp. The amount of inoculated seed is usually from 0.7-1% compared to the material. In order to allow the transplanted seed to penetrate deep into the bag, prepare a wooden puncher to create a funnel shape when pressing hard on the center of the material from the top down.

Stopper the cotton button and place the bags on the rack or hang them one by one with 3 nylon strings from the bamboo bar (or water pipe) hanging across the ceiling to drop down. below. (same as how to grow Jupiter or Oyster Mushroom).

Wait until the white mushroom mycelium runs out and prepare the bag to make Yun Chi mushroom grow. The best condition for fast growing mycelium is to keep the room temperature in the range 19-25 ⁰ C. In the southern provinces and in the summer in the north, it is necessary to create cool air by means of one end of the room where the exhaust fan is placed. industrial wind, head against the water pumped from the flowing well on a wall made of porous water (visit at industrial pig farms). If possible, use air conditioning equipment as much as possible.

Picking up Yunzhi mushrooms in the whole bunch, remember to cut all the legs to be able to grow to another cluster. Air dry and bag. Domestic market price is about 400,000 VND / kg mushroom. If there are many Yunzhi mushrooms to export to Hong Kong, the price will be several million VND / kg.

Why is China, Japan and many other countries recently very popular with Yunzhi mushrooms? Because the scientists found in Yunzhi mushroom, the polyphenols PSK (polysaccharide type Krestin) and PSP (polysaccharopeptid PSP) have inhibitory effects on cancer cells and enhance the immune activity. of body. So people use Yunzhi mushrooms to cure HBV viral hepatitis and limit the development of liver cancer and many other cancers. PSK (Krestin) was first extracted in Japan in the late 1960s, while PSP was isolated in China in 1983. The composition of the

(Photo: unileon)

PSK and PSP are chemically similar and have a molecular weight of about 100 kDa. Their polypeptide composition contains a large amount of aspartic acid and glutamic acid. The polysaccharide composition is structured by monosaccharide simple sugars that are interconnected by α- (1-4) and β- (1-3) glucosids. PSK and PSP differ mainly because PSK contains sugar fucose and PSP contains rhamnose and arabinose sugar.

In addition, both contain galactose, mannose and xylose. PSK and PSP are able to enhance the immune system by enhancing the specificity of T cells and of antigen cells such as monocytes and macrophages. Biological activity is expressed in the ability to increase the number of white blood cells, the ability to produce IFN-γ and IL-2 and delay hypersensitivity reactions. There have been many studies showing the ability to activate cells and fluid components of the host immune system of PSK and PSP. In addition, both substances also inhibit the growth of cancer cell lines and have anticancer activity in vivo levels (Tzianabos. Clinical Microbiology Reviews. 2000; 13: 523-533). It is worth noting that in 1987, PSK alone accounted for 25% of the total amount of medicinal materials used to combat cancer in Japan.

Successful use of PSK in the treatment of head, neck, rectal and lung cancer as well as breast cancer has been documented through many clinical trials over the last few decades . Most medical tests using PSK were conducted in Japan. PSK has been used as an immunotherapy for many patients with more stomach cancer than for patients with other types of cancer.

In the early 1970s, Kaibara's team conducted a trial of using PSK to treat patients with stage 4 cancer in parallel with chemotherapy. After surgery to remove the cancer, besides the chemotherapy regime Mitomycin C and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), 66 patients received additional treatment of 3 g PSK daily. The survival rate of these patients for 2 years was doubled compared to patients who were not treated with PSK (Kaibara et al. Japanese Journal of Surgery. 1976; 6: 54-59). Later research by Fujimoto et al. In 1979 (Japanese Journal of Surgery. 1979; 3: 190-196) with a larger number of patients (n = 230) also yielded similar results. Further studies by Hattori and colleagues. (Japanese Journal of Surgery. 1979; 9: 110-117) (n = 110) and Kodama and his colleagues (Japanese Journal of Surgery. 1982; 12: 244-248) (n = 450) indicate that PSK has can protect against immunosuppression that is often associated with long-term surgical or chemotherapy. In summary, the use of PSK in combination with conventional chemotherapy regimens significantly improved survival and disease (Nakazato et al. Lancet. 1994; 343: 1122-1126).

Recently, there have been many studies on the use of PSK with regimens such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy to improve the survival rate of patients with esophageal cancer (Ogoshi et al. Cancer Investigation 1995; 13: 363-369) and nasopharyngeal cancer (Go and Chung. Journal of International Research. 1989; 17: 141-149). Sankyo and Kureha companies in Japan have launched Krestin products in the market since 1977 for 1000 yen for a 1g package. The drug is effective in treating all types of gastrointestinal cancer, lung cancer and breast cancer.

While the detection and testing of PSK substances were conducted mainly in Japan, the PSP extracted from Yunzhi mushroom is Chinese product and the safety effectiveness of this product is continuing to be scientists. and cancer researchers investigated and evaluated. Since the first discovery in 1983, there has been a lot of significant progress in clinical trials on the human body. Phase I clinical trials were conducted by Xu (PSP International Symposium Anthology of Theses and Abstracts. 1993; 179-182) and as a result, taking 6 g PSP per day produced good results and did not cause side effects.

(Photo: uco.es)

. The patients found appetite and improved the overall situation along with stabilizing the hematopoietic indicators. Phase II of the PSP study was conducted by the Shanghai team at eight hospitals in Shanghai on patients with stomach cancer, lung cancer and esophageal cancer. More than 300 patients at Shanghai hospital have been treated with radiotherapy or chemotherapy in combination with the use of PSP. The results showed that the clinical manifestations as well as the patient's blood and immune indicators improved markedly. Phase III tested on a large number of patients (600 people). These studies show that PSP works to protect the immune system's functions in patients treated on a regular basis.

Many studies have shown that Yunzhi mushroom has an inhibitory effect on HIV (W.Adriaan Smith; http://www.naturalmedicine.co.za). In vitro studies have shown that PSP may have a beneficial effect against HIV-1 type 1 infection (Collins and Ng. Life Sciences. 1997; 60: PL383-387). Many studies have shown that PSP's ability to block the combination of HIV-1 virus with host cells. PSP also has high inhibitory ability against reverse transcription of HIV-1 virus at in vitro levels. CoriolusVPS products extracted from Yunzhi mushrooms contain 36% beta 1-4,1-3,1-6 glucan (protein-bound polysaccharide) of Mushroomscience (Fax: 541-344-3107) costing each box to 59, 95USD (contains 90 capsules, type 625mg). According to US Patent No. 4 202 969, this drug contains 42-43% soluble carbohydrates (91-93% betaglucan), 28-35% protein (amino acids), 6-7% ash and ash Moisture is 7-7.6%. Bottled products branded Trametes (http:/// www. Oftheearth.co.uk) of the UK (8 oz., About 227g) cost 50 USD. This drug is promoted to stimulate immunity, anti-viral hepatitis, prevent and treat cancer, fight respiratory infections, urinary tract and gastrointestinal tract.

The treatment effect of lung cancer is also demonstrated in the recent publication of KWTsang and colleagues (Respir. Med.2003; 97: 618-624). Drugs branded I'm-Yunity of Winsor Health Products Company (http://www.shen-nong.com) contain capsules of 60 or 100 capsules (400mg) bearing products of Yun Chi mycelium extract. determined to be effective in enhancing the body's immune capacity. Hepatic lesions and mortality in mice infected with influenza virus were significantly reduced when they were treated with intracellular polysaccharopeptides extracted from Yunzhi mushrooms (Chen et al. Kangshengsu. 1986; 11 : 390-395). In 1996 Dong and his colleagues observed that Yunzhi polysaccharides have the ability to inhibit the proliferation of liver cancer cell lines (HEPG2) in humans, but are not inhibited in embryonic liver cells. human pregnancy (Dong et al. Res Commun Mol Pathol Pharmacol. 1996; 92: 140). Many previous studies have shown that in addition to the anti-PSP effect, it is effective in protecting the liver from liver toxins in laboratory animals and reducing toxins. Several mechanisms have been proposed for effective liver protection, including direct attachment of PSP to toxin agents. PSP can also trigger the formation of hematopoietic functions in irradiated mice. At Seoul University (South Korea), the effectiveness of Van Chi extract for liver cancer was well studied with the group of scientists of GS. Byong Kak Kim (http:// begellhouse.com/journals). Studies on the application of Van Chi medicinal mushrooms not less than 400 works have been published in international journals (http://www.mushroomscience.com).

Some pharmaceuticals made from yunzhi mushrooms

In China there are many studies proving that Yunzhi mushroom extract has a 40-95% inhibitory effect on cancer cell growth, while there are no significant side effects ( Linyi Money Editor, China Pharmaceutical Biomass Production Project Launch, China Agricultural Publishing House, 2001). In the years 1975-1979, the research work of biologists at the Northeastern University of Education demonstrated that Van Chi Can Thai of Truong Xuan Pharmaceutical Enterprise has a clear effect on the treatment of hepatitis. Chronic viral infection with HBV.

In 1981 Sichuan Antibiotics Research Institute used the Yunzhi mushroom submerged culture product to extract intracellular and extracellular polysaccharide and coordinate with Chongqing Pharmaceutical Enterprise to produce Van Tinh medicine for treatment. HBV viral hepatitis and primary liver cancer have achieved good results. The Lao Son Pharmaceutical Factory in Nanjing extracted Yunzhi polysaccharide to produce Van Chi capsule with multi-sugar used to treat chronic hepatitis B and liver cancer. Shanghai Oriental Medicinal Plant cultivates Yunzhi mushroom from bagasse and polysaccharide extract to form Yunzhi medicine used to treat chronic hepatitis B.

The Department of Mushroom Research of Shanghai Agricultural Science Institute extracted polysaccharide of Yunzhi mushroom and collaborated with the pharmaceutical factory to produce Van Chi drug CVP multi-pathway to treat hepatitis B patients. Biologist at Shanghai Normal University used submerged culture method to acquire Yunzhi mycelia and collaborated with Tan Khang Pharmaceutical Enterprise to produce Polysaccharopeptid PSP for clinical application, in collaboration with Surgical or chemotherapy measures for the treatment of lung cancer, gastrointestinal cancer and breast cancer.

In addition to the two substances PSK and PSP, Yang and his colleagues (Am J. Chin. Md. 1992; 20: 221-232) extracted another peptide from the crude extract of polysaccharopeptide from Yunzhi mushroom. This peptide has a higher anti-cancer activity than PSK and PSP and has a potential effect on the immune system (increasing the number of white blood cells and IgG in mice). This peptide is toxic to cancer cell lines in in vivo experiments in mice (Jang and Chen. US Patent 5,824,648. 1998).

The Center for Biotechnology Research in Hanoi National University is building a fermentation workshop with automatic fermentation pots to deploy the research direction of extracting pharmaceuticals from Van Chi mushroom biomass. Hope to receive the cooperation of Pharmaceutical Enterprises in the near future.