5,300 years ago, an injured and starving man from Val Venosta, Italy, fled across an Alpine glacier to escape pursuers. But his enemies caught up with him and with a practiced arrow-shot penetrated his shoulder blade and subclavian artery. Before long, he was dead from blood loss. “Oetzi the Iceman” was found mummified in 1991. On his person were pouches containing mushroom remedies, the oldest known proof in existence of medicinal mushrooms usage.
One of the mushrooms was Birch polypore – Piptoporus betulinus – which it is believed he used as a remedy against intestinal parasites. Eggs of the whipworm parasite (Trichuris trichiura) were found in his intestines. The other mushroom in the possession of Oetzi was Tinder fungus – Fomes fomentarius – which has been traditionally used in Europe to cauterize wounds and stop bleeding.
Both species belong to the group of mushrooms known as polypores, so named because of the many pores underneath. They often grow on trees, and to date no species is known to be poisonous to humans.
With a couple of notable exceptions, most polypores are inedible because they are woody and fibrous. But as natural remedies in the form of tea, extracts and poultices, they have been invaluable to people all across the globe for many millennia.
Oral traditions of Native Americans bear tale of many types of polypores being used to help against the diseases brought by the Europeans, including Birch polypore but also Reishi (Ganoderma resinaceum), Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor), Chaga (Inonotus obliquus) and the now almost vanished species Agarikon (Fomitopsis officinalis).
As it so happens, Agarikon is also the oldest mushroom referenced in European medical literature. It was listed by Dioscorides in the Materia Medica of 65 B.C. as a treatment for tuberculosis. In confirmation of this, Polish researcher K. Grzywnowics published an article in 2001 titled Medicinal mushrooms in Polish Folk Medicine where he states that Agarikon tea was historically used in his country as a remedy for lung conditions, as well as rheumatoid arthritis, open bleeding and infected wounds.
So far, we’ve only covered the history of medicinal mushrooms in Europe and America and have barely even touch upon their use in Asia, where their use has been even more exhaustive. At least three Asian species must be included in any article on the history of mushrooms.
First in this list has to be Reishi, a mushroom so revered throughout Asian history that it’s found in numerous ancient wood-carvings and temple engravings. It also owns the distinction as the oldest medicinal mushroom in Chinese literature, first encountered in Shen Nong’s Herbal Classic, 2,000 B.C. Often referred to as a “panacea, its acclaimed properties are too numerous to list.
Next is Cordyceps, a minute fungus from the Tibetan plateau, parasitising on silk caterpillars. Cordyceps sinensis was first mentioned as a medicinal mushroom in The Classic Herbal of the Divine Plowman from 200 A.D. It is popular with athletes to improve physical stamina. Historically, it’s been used as an aphrodiciac.
Finally there is the Shiitake mushroom, which today is a common household name even in the West. In Asia, however, it is known to have been cultivated as a gourmet mushroom for at least a thousand years. What may surprise is that Shiitake is also one of the most researched medicinal mushrooms in the world. Its potential uses range from energizing tonic to immune-booster and antibiotic with anti-tumor properties.
Scientific research on medicinal mushrooms began in Japan in the late 1960′s. A ground-breaking study by Dr. Ikekawa found that mushroom growers and their families had lower cancer rates then the communities in which they lived. Today, medicinal research into mushrooms has expanded exponentially around the world and is still increasing. Medicinal mushrooms are still making history.
Note: The information in this article is for informational purposes only. Mushrooms have not been aproved for medicinal use by the FDA. Always consult a licensed medical practitioner about the treatment of any medical condition.
Dr. Markho Rafael has worked in the natural health field since 1996 as an author and researcher, now specializing in fungi for health. Click medicinal mushrooms for mushroom articles and products. Material for this article comes from several different sources. However, a significant portion comes from the literature of medicinal fungi expert Paul Stamets, who deserves special credit and thanks.
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