Turkey Tail Mushroom

While there is an abundance of mushrooms with medicinal properties, one of the most well-known is Trametes versicolor, also known as Coriolus versicolor.

Commonly called turkey tail due to its striking colors, Trametes versicolor has been used around the world for centuries to treat various conditions.

Perhaps the most impressive quality of the turkey tail mushroom is its ability to enhance the health of your immune system.

1. Packed With Antioxidants
Antioxidants are compounds that help inhibit or reduce damage caused by oxidative stress.
Oxidative stress results from an imbalance between antioxidants and unstable molecules known as free radicals. This can result in cellular damage and chronic inflammation.
This imbalance has also been linked to an increased risk of developing health conditions, such as certain cancers and heart disease.
Thankfully, eating foods rich in antioxidants or supplementing with these powerful compounds can reduce oxidative stress and inflammation. Turkey tail contains an impressive array of antioxidants, including phenols and flavonoids. In fact, one study detected over 35 different phenolic compounds in a sample of turkey tail mushroom extract, along with the flavonoid antioxidants quercetin and baicalein. Phenol and flavonoid antioxidants promote immune system health by reducing inflammation and stimulating the release of protective compounds.
For example, quercetin has been shown to promote the release of immunoprotective proteins like interferon-y, while inhibiting the release of the pro-inflammatory enzymes cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX).

2. Contains Immune-Boosting Polysaccharopeptides
Polysaccharopeptides are protein-bound polysaccharides (carbohydrates) that are found in, for example, turkey tail mushroom extract. Krestin (PSK) and Polysaccharide Peptide (PSP) are two types of polysaccharopeptides found in turkey tails.
Both PSK and PSP possess powerful immune-boosting properties. They promote immune response by both activating and inhibiting specific types of immune cells and by suppressing inflammation. For instance, test-tube studies have demonstrated that PSP increases monocytes, which are types of white blood cells that fight infection and boost immunity.
PSK stimulates dendritic cells that promote immunity to toxins and regulate the immune response. In addition, PSK activates specialized white blood cells called macrophages, which protect your body against harmful substances like certain bacteria.
Due to their ability to naturally strengthen the immune system, PSP and PSK are commonly used as anticancer agents in conjunction with surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation in countries like Japan and China.

3. May Improve Immune Function in People With Certain Cancers
Research has demonstrated that turkey tail mushrooms may have antitumor properties, thought to be related to its immune-boosting effects.
One test-tube study found that PSK, the polysaccharopeptide found in turkey tail mushrooms, inhibited the growth and spread of human colon cancer cells.
What’s more, a certain type of polysaccharide found in turkey tail mushrooms called Coriolus versicolor glucan (CVG) may suppress certain tumors.
A study in tumor-bearing mice found that treatment with 45.5 and 90.9 mg per pound (100 and 200 mg per kg) of body weight of CVG extracted from turkey tail mushrooms daily significantly reduced tumor size.
Researchers attributed this development to enhanced immune response.
Another study demonstrated that daily treatment with 45.5 mg per pound (100 mg per kg) of body weight of turkey tail mushroom extract significantly slowed the spread of cancer cells and improved survival times in dogs with highly aggressive cancer (hemangiosarcoma).
However, the most impressive evidence regarding the anticancer benefits of turkey tail mushroom is when it’s used in combination with more traditional treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation.

4. May Enhance the Efficacy of Certain Cancer Treatments
Due to the many beneficial compounds it contains, turkey tail is commonly used in tandem with traditional treatments like chemotherapy as a natural way to fight certain cancers.
A review of 13 studies found that patients given 1–3.6 grams of turkey tail mushroom per day along with conventional treatment had a significant survival advantage.
The study showed that people with breast cancer, gastric cancer or colorectal cancer treated with turkey tail and chemotherapy experienced a 9% reduction in 5-year mortality compared to chemotherapy alone.
Another review of 8 studies in over 8,000 people with stomach cancers demonstrated that those who were given chemotherapy along with PSK lived longer after surgery than individuals given chemotherapy without PSK.
A study in 11 women with breast cancer found that those who were given 6–9 grams of turkey tail powder per day following radiation therapy experienced an increase in cancer-fighting cells in the immune system, such as natural killer cells and lymphocytes.

5. May Enhance Gut Health
Keeping a healthy balance of beneficial bacteria in your gut is critical for maintaining a strong immune system.
Your gut bacteria interact with immune cells and directly impact your immune response.
Turkey tail contains prebiotics, which help nourish these helpful bacteria.
An 8-week study in 24 healthy people found that consuming 3,600 mg of PSP extracted from turkey tail mushrooms per day led to beneficial changes in gut bacteria and suppressed the growth of the possibly problematic E. coli and Shigella bacteria.
A test-tube study found that turkey tail extract modified gut bacteria composition by increasing populations of beneficial bacteria like Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus while reducing potentially harmful bacteria, such as Clostridium and Staphylococcus.
Having healthy levels of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium bacteria has been linked to improved intestinal symptoms like diarrhea, enhanced immune system, reduced cholesterol levels, lower risks of certain cancers and improved digestion.

Other Benefits
1. Combat HPV
2. Reduce inflammation
3. Antibacterial qualities
4. Improve athletic performance
5. Improve insulin resistance

운지버섯은 죽은 참나무에 난 버섯을 약용으로 하며 독성이 없습니다. 운지버섯은 민주름버섯목 구멍장이버섯과의 버섯입니다. 마치 구름처럼 뭉쳐서 난다고 하여 한자로 구름운, 버섯지 즉 운지라고 부릅니다. 또는 "구름버섯"이라고 부릅니다. 색깔은 흑색에서 남흑생이고 구름무늬는 회색, 황갈색, 암갈색, 흑갈색, 흑생 등이 있습니다. 봄부터 가을에 걸쳐 침엽수, 활엽수의 고목 또는 그루터기 등에 수십 내지 수백개가 무리지어 자랍니다. 한국, 일본, 중국 등 전세계에 골고루 분포되어 있습니다.

맛은 약간 달고 찹니다. 항종양 억제율 100%를 나타냅니다. B형간염, 천연성 간염, 만성활동성 간염, 만성 기관지염, 간암의 예방 및 치료, 소화기계 암, 유방암, 폐암에 잘 듣습니다. 운지의 다당체인 PSK가 대식세포활성화 등의 작용을 통해 인체면역력을 증가시킵니다.

거의 모든 산에 다 있어 발견하기가 쉽소 채취하여 말렸다가 10-20그램을 물로 달여서 보리차처럼 음용할 수 있습니다. 너무 흔하게 발견되어 대부분 그 중요성을 외면하고 있지만 항암의 효능과 약효는 결코 뒤지지 않습니다. 운지는 항암효과와 간세포 손상을 억제시키는 작용이 있고 만성 간질환 환자에게 효과가 있습니다.

1. 항암효과
운지버섯의 다당성분은 주로 위암, 식도암, 간암, 결장직장암, 폐암, 및 유방암 등의 고형암에 효과가 있습니다.
또한 이 항암성분의 중요한 장점은 독성이나 부작용이 거의 없다는 점입니다.

2. 면역효과, 콜레스테롤 저하
면역효과를 높여주는 운지버섯은 만성기관지염, 관상 순환장애, 위궤양, 만성간장염, 관절염, 고혈압 등에도 효과가 있습니다. 운지버섯의 성분중 PSK라는 성분은 정상세포에 대한 독성은 거의 없으면서 면역체계에 도움을 준다고 합니다.

3. 만성간질환
어느산에서든 쉽게 볼 수 있는 운지버섯은 주로 간에 작용하여 B형간염, 만성활동성 간염, 천연성 간염등의 간질환과 만성간질환에 효능이 있습니다. 또한 운지버섯에는 간의 손상을 막아주는 효과가 있어서 간질환 환자들에게 도움이 됩니다.

4. 혈당조절
운지버섯이 혈당이 증가하는 것을 막아주기 때문에 당뇨병의 개선에 도움이 됩니다. 혈당량을 낮추고 당뇨의 관리를 위해 꾸준히 복용하면 효과를 볼 수 있습니다.

5. 동맥경화 예방
운지버섯은 혈관안에 있는 나쁜 콜레스테롤의 분해를 도와줍니다. 이로인해 혈액의 흐름이 좋아지게 되며 피를 맑게 하여 고혈압과 동맥경화와 같은 생활습관병 예방에 효과가 좋습니다.

6. 만성기관지염
운지버섯은 항바이러스와 항염증, 항박테리아 효능이 있습니다. 우리 몸의 면역체계에 도움을 주기 때문에 만성기관지염에 진해와 거담 작용 효과가 있습니다.