Known in English as Turkey Tail, Trametes versicolor is a contender for the title “World’s Most Common Mushroom.” You can find it from tropical rain forests to the Siberian taiga, feasting on dead wood.
When one considers Trametes competing against so many different fungi and bacteria in such diverse environments, its obvious that it must have a powerful immune system, with the potential for powerful medicinal compounds.
Traditional Chinese physicians frequently prescribe Trametes for hepatoma and some types of jaundice. [160] Modern medicine is best acquainted with it through Krestin, an Asian cancer drug based on the Trametes extracted compound PSK. [188]
Two studies out of Japan reported increased rate of survival from gastric cancer, among 486 patients, when PSK was added to the standard chemotherapy treatment. [161, 162, 163] PSK has also been reported to reduce cancer recurrence and metastasis. [161, 162, 164]
Two other polysaccharides from Trametes versicolor extract have been found to have an inhibitory effect on leukemia. The polysaccharide CVP was shown to inhibit leukemia cell proliferation without any negative effect on normal lymphocytes. [165, 166, 167] Another smaller polysaccharide named SPCV also had an inhibitory effect on leukemia cells. [168]
The compounds of Trametes versicolor extract appear to work in two ways to combat cancer:
1) By a direct inhibitory effect on the proliferation of cancer cells.
2) By enhancing Natural Killer (NK) cell activity. [169, 170, 171] Natural killer cells are a critical part of the human immune system’s fight against cancer.
Efficacy against different types of cancers varies. PSK is used in Asia for cervical cancer as an adjunct to radiation therapy. It has been linked to increased survival rate from that type of cancer. [134] It was also shown to decrease tumor growth in hormone responsive prostate cancer by a study at New York Medical College in 2001. [172]
Other cancer types where PSK shows promising results include lung, breast and colon cancer, [25, 173] but not Sarcoma 180. [174]
PSK has also been proven as a potent antibiotic, in particular against strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes. [175, 176, 177, 178, 179]
Petri dish trials of a different compound (PSP) isolated from Trametes versicolor has even been shown to inhibit replication [180] and infection [181] of HIV. It has not yet been tested on live subjects.
A 1995 study on PSK reported a normalization of immune function in cases of chronic rheumatoid arthritis. [182]
Paul Stamets, in his book Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms, says he’s aware of several individuals with Hepatitis C reporting symptom relief on a regimen of medicinal mushroom tea. In particular, he mentions a man with a swollen spleen and liver. Every day, he would drink a tea made from Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi) and Trametes versicolor (Turkey Tail Mushroom). The swelling disappeared after two weeks. His liver enzymes normalized as HVC was reduced from 1.3 million to 140,000. [183]
Trametes extract also is rich in antioxidants [184, 185, 186, 187] and has been shown to help the spleen recover after radiation therapy. [189]
Last but not least, Paul Stamets in his book Mycelium Running also list the following two areas where research indicates Trametes versicolor may be beneficial: Uterine cancer; kidney health. [134]
Note: The statements on this page have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Never use any medicinal mushroom or herb without prior approval by medical doctor.
Credit to Paul Stamets for research and source material.
Dr. Rafael currently specializes in researching and writing about medicinal fungi in partnership with Cordyceps Reishi Extracts, LLC, an NC business offering Trametes extract and other medicinal fungi. For article references, please go to Trametes versicolor extract and click on any number indicating a reference.