The medicinal benefits of mushrooms have long been praised within the field of complementary health. With the dietary and wellbeing benefits well beyond dispute, several varieties of mushrooms are thought to have anti-cancer properties to boot. Traditional Chinese Medicine has used reishi, shiitake and maitake mushrooms to successfully complement cancer treatment. The recent discovery of a new medicinal mushroom in the most unlikely of places ensures that ongoing scientific research into this field continues.
The Chinese-Danish physician Dr. Ming Chen of Denmark’s Sonderborg Hospital recently identified a species of Danish mushroom with promising cancer-fighting qualities. Dr. Chen has demonstrated that the mushrooms contain special compounds with particular application to cancer. After extensive studies into this poisonous mushroom, he isolated its active ingredients in the lab. Colleagues at the University of Copenhagen praise the discovery and have commented that this represents a completely new class of compounds – a discovery we can quite rightly call unique.
The new species contains various phytochemicals and polysaccharides, just like other mushrooms of its class. It has a toxic effect aimed at human cancer cells ignoring healthy cells. Research continues to uncover its range of benefits, which may include antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the research team in Copenhagen comments that the current discoveries will be hard to synthesise in a commercially viable method, as their chemical structure is just too complex. It is likely that for the moment their use will be restricted to medical labs and expert complementary healers.
Mushrooms have been important pharmaceutical tools for millennia. Their use was prevalent in China and Japan, and even contributed to the advanced wellness knowledge of the ancient Egyptians. Now, it is perfectly fitting that we start to incorporate this ancient intuitive knowledge of natural healing elements into scientific research. Though it is difficult for scientists to produce chemical analogues for such mushrooms until their structure is more deeply recognised, the goal is to synthesise, refine and pharmaceutically produce a medicine based on this discovery.
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