Shiitake

Latin Name: Lentinula edodes
Family: Marasmiaceae

Part used: Fruiting body.
Iris: All types.
Interactions: Please check with your Healthcare Provider.

CONTRA-INDICATIONS

None Known.

ACTIONS

Aphrodisiac
Immune-modulator
Hepato-protective
Hypolipidemic
Anti-viral
Anti-inflammatory
Anti-bacterial
Anti-platelet
Anti-fungal

Main Constituents

Glycoprotein
Nuclic acid derivatives
Ergosterol
Lentinan
Eritadenine
Lentin
Linoleic acid
Polysaccharides
Vitamins B and D2
Amino acids: Lysine, Arginine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Superoxide Dismutase
Minerals: K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe & Zn.

Main Uses

Main: Immune, Cardiovascular system, Liver, Acid-Base balance.
Digestive System: Liver disorders

Infections:
Fungi: Candida
Viruses: HIV/ AIDS, Hepatitis
Parasites: Giardia duodenalis, Malaria, Trichinella spiralis
Circulatory: Lowers homocysteine, Cardiovascular disease, Hypercholesterolemia (as an adjunct to statins), Atherosclerosis, Prevents high blood pressure and reduces plaques.
Immune System: Used prophylactically at the start of the ‘flu season’ to maintain immune competency or at the onset to lessen duration and severity of colds, Activates macrophages and stimulates the production of interleukins, Highly recommended for immunodeficient patients with cancer or other pathologies.

More About Shiitake

Shiitake is an important ingredient in Asian cuisine, with 2 million tons being used each year. Mushrooms can be eaten fresh or dry and contain the major constituents. It is the extracts Lentinan and Eritadenine that have been most studied.
Lentinan is licensed in Japan for the treatment of gastric cancer (stomach) and has been shown to help in Phase Ⅲ patients with colorectal cancer.
Eritadenine, a compound isolated from Lentinan edodes, demonstrated cholesterol-lowering properties. In clinical trials 9g daily of dried mushrooms (90g fresh) led to a decrease in total cholesterol of 9-12% and triglycerides of 6-7%. Eritadenine present in L. edodes works via a different enzymatic pathway from prescription statins and can usefully be combined with them to enhance their impact on cholesterol control.

Recipes:

Shiitake Mushroom Stir-Fry Recipe

Ingredients:

8-10 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari for a gluten-free option)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
1 bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 cup broccoli florets
1 small carrot, thinly sliced
1 cup sugar snap peas, trimmed
59ml of vegetable broth or water
273g of cooked brown rice or noodles of your choice
Optional toppings: sliced green onions, sesame seeds, crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions:

Remove the stems from the shiitake mushrooms and slice the caps. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce and sesame oil. Set aside.
Heat the olive / avocado oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat.
Add minced garlic and ginger to the hot oil and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes until they start to brown and soften.
Add the bell pepper, broccoli, carrot, and sugar snap peas to the frying pan. Stir-fry for an additional 3-4 minutes until the vegetables become tender-crisp.
Pour the sauce mixture and vegetable broth (or water) into the pan. Stir to combine and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Serve the shiitake mushroom stir-fry over cooked brown rice or noodles.
Garnish with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and crushed red pepper flakes if desired.

Note: You can customise this stir-fry with your favourite vegetables or protein sources like tofu or chicken.

Shiitake Mushroom Tincture

Ingredients:

37g of dried shiitake mushrooms
186ml of high-proof alcohol (such as 40% vodka)
Glass jar with a tight-fitting lid
Cheesecloth or fine-mesh strainer
Amber glass tincture bottles with droppers (for storage)

Instructions:

Measure out the dried shiitake mushrooms.
Place the dried shiitake mushrooms in a glass jar.
Pour the high-proof alcohol over the shiitake mushrooms, ensuring they are fully submerged.
Seal the glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Shake the jar gently to mix the ingredients.
Store the jar in a cool, dark place for about 4-6 weeks, shaking it daily to aid in the extraction process.
After the steeping period, strain the tincture through cheesecloth or a fine-mesh strainer into amber glass tincture bottles.
Label the bottles with the contents and date.
Store the Shiitake Mushroom tincture in a cool, dark place. It can last for several years if stored properly.

Usage: Take 3-5ml of the tincture daily or follow the recommended dosage on the label. Shiitake mushroom tinctures are commonly used for potential immune support and overall well-being.

References

Anti-cancer, lentinan, gastric cancer,

Polysaccharide from Lentinus edodes for integrative cancer treatment: immunomodulatory effects on lymphocyte population.
Lentinan, the backbone of beta-(1, 3)-glucan with beta-(1, 6) branches, is the main ingredient purified from Shiitake mushrooms and has been approved as a biological response modifier for the treatment of gastric cancer in Japan. Lentinan may exert a synergistic action with anti-cancer monoclonal antibodies to modulate complement systems activity through the way of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and complement dependent cytotoxicity.
https://www.wcrj.net/article/652

Gastric cancer

Lentinan prolonged survival in patients with gastric cancer receiving S-1-based chemotherapy.
Chemo-immunotherapy with lentinan offers a significant advantage over S-1-based chemotherapy alone in terms of survival in patients with advanced gastric cancer.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21994907/

Chemotherapy, reduced adverse effects, LEM and chemotherapy, cancer

Efficacy of orally administered Lentinula edodes mycelia extract for advanced gastrointestinal cancer patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy: a pilot study
These results suggest that concomitant use of LEM with chemotherapy can decrease the incidence of adverse effects from cancer chemotherapy among patients with advanced cancer.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22126542/

Cholesterol, hypertension, blood pressure

Effect of shiitake (Lentinus edodes) and Maitake (Grifola frondosa) mushrooms on blood pressure and plasma lipids of spontaneously hypertensive rats.
Shiitake feeding resulted in a decrease in VLDL- and HDL-cholesterol. The results suggest that dietary mushrooms prevent blood pressure increase in hypertension.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3443885/

Thrombosis, anti-thrombotic, fibrinolysis, thrombolysis

Influences of a shiitake (Lentinus edodes)-fructo-oligosaccharide mixture (SK-204) on experimental pulmonary thrombosis in rats.
Chronic oral administration (10 weeks) of SK-204 significantly prevented the thrombus formation on this thrombosis model. These results suggest that SK-204 have an anti-thrombotic action, which is due to neither the inhibition of platelet aggregation nor coagulation, but probably due to the promotion of fibrinolysis and thrombolysis.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8717283/