Maitake

Kabir, Y., Yamaguchi, M., and Kimura, S. 1987. Effect of shiitake and maitake mushrooms on blood pressure and plasma lipids of spontaneously hypertensive rats. J. Nutr. Sci. Vitaminol. 33(5), 341-346. 

Kubo, K. and Nanba, H. 1996. The effect of maitake on liver and serum lipids. Altern. Ther. Health Med. 2(5), 62-66. 

Kubo, K. and Nanba, H. 1997. Anti-hyperliposis effect of maitake fruit body (Grifola frondosa). Biol. Pharm. Bull. 20(7), 781-785. 

Grifola fungus (Grifola frondosa) is also known as maitake and hen of the woods. A potent immune amphoteric, it is being clinically tested for use with advanced prostate and breast cancer. A rich source of immune-potentiating high-molecular-weight polysaccharides, this medicinal mushroom shows promise for prevention of carcinomas as well as for treatment. 

Shiitake is relatively easy to find in bulk at decent prices. The mushrooms can be bought dried in whole form and reconstituted for use as food or ground for encapsulation or use as a powder. The other two potent Asian mushrooms, maitake and reishi, are much harder to find. 

Maitake is also edible and can found wild in the United States, where it is called hen of the woods. 

Maitake has the additional property of being active against HIV in vitro. Reishi is not edible, being a hard woody mushroom. 

Today, many mushrooms, in addition to maitake, are being recognized for their important health benefits. This is primarily because they are an excellent source of beta-glucan polysaccharide compounds that promote well-being. Beta-glucans (also known as beta-... 

MAITAKE AND BETA-GLUCANS RESEARCH ON HEALTH BENEFITS... 

The use of the maitake D fraction can ameliorate varions side effects secondary to chemotherapy. Beneficial improvements were found in 90% of patients and included ameliorations of lost appetite, vomiting, nausea, and hair loss as well as increased counts of white blood cell pain was reduced in 83%. It is worth repeating that there are strong indications that while maitake extract contributes to tumor reduction without a high loss of white blood cells, it also reduces in many cases pain, hair loss, nausea, and other side effects usually associated with chemotherapy. 

Preuss, H.G. and Konno, S., Maitake Magic, Freedom Press, Topanga, CA, 2002. 

Lieberman, S. and Babal, Maitake, King of Mushrooms, Keats Publishing, New Canaan, CT,... 

Jones, K., Maitake a potent medicinal food, Alternative Complementary Therapies, (Dec.), 420-442, 1998. 

Mizuno, T. andZhuang, C., Maitake, Grifolafrondosa pharmacologic effects,FoorfRev. Int,... 

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