[#1994-05] Maitake – The King of Mushrooms, Anthony J. Cichoke

Anthony J. Cichoke, MA, DC, DACBN

For over 3,000 years, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has enjoyed an illustrious history. Today, TCM and Western medicine function side-by-side in Japan, as can be witnessed by the frequent use of maitake mushrooms to deal with conditions which, in the U.S., are usually treated with drugs. In Japan, maitake (pronounced my­tah-keh) mushrooms are highly prized both as food and medicine. People with serious degenerative illnesses travel long distances in search of the maitake mushroom. However, until recently, Western medicine has never viewed mushrooms as a treatment option for illness or disease. But the maitake mushroom has recently received increased clinical and research attention.

In the Orient, several types of mushrooms have been used for centuries to maintain health, preserve youth, and increase longevity. The healing aspects of mushrooms have been passed down through folklore and only recently (within the last 20 years) has the scientific study of mushrooms and their healing properties been initiated.

The maitake mushroom (Grifola frondosa) is native to northeast Japan and has been prized in Japanese herbology for hundreds of years to strengthen the body and improve overall health. Recent research indicates that it is the most potent immunostimulant of all mushrooms. The compounds contained in maitake have the capacity to not only stimulate immune function, but also to inhibit tumor growth. These compounds include polysaccharides (such as beta glucan) and high-molecular weight sugar polymers.’