Willow Bracket Mushroom - Phellinus igniarius
Willow Bracket fungus, Phellinus ignarius, is a hoof shaped bracket mushroom that is very hard, has a blackened top, and grows on rotting stumps and infected trees. I usually find it on birch, willow, or poplar trees in the Adirondack Mountains.
It is neuroprotective, immunomodulatory, antibacterial, antioxidative, antitumor, antidiabetic, and antihyperlipidemic. It is used in traditional Chinese medicine. It is being investigated for use against cancer, multiple sclerosis, heart attack, stroke, injury recovery, liver damage, and diabetes.
It has been studied for use in stroke patients with success. 1 It can lower uric acid in gout patients. 2 It is cytotoxic and can induce apoptosis, or programmed cell death. This fights cancer cell proliferation. 3 It appears that the immunomodulatory effect can slow the progression of multiple sclerosis. 4
Suggested tincture dosing is 1 ml 3 times per day.
Possible side effects: allergy, digestive upset
Contraindications: none known but always consult your physician if you are taking any botanical supplements
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose or treat any illness.
1 Kim JH, Choi BY, Kim HJ, Kim IY, Lee BE, Sohn M, Park HJ, Suh SW. A Water-Ethanol Extract from the Willow Bracket Mushroom, Phellinus igniarius (Higher Basidiomycetes), Reduces Transient Cerebral Ischemia-Induced Neuronal Death. Int J Med Mushrooms. 2015;17(9):879-89. doi: 10.1615/intjmedmushrooms.v17.i9.80. PMID: 26756300.
2 Li X, Chu FJ, Jiang SL, Jin XB. [Preliminary study on effect of Phellinus igniarius ethanol extract on serum uric acid metabolism and gut microbiome in rats]. Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2021 Jan;46(1) 177-182. doi:10.19540/j.cnki.cjcmm.20200915.403. PMID: 33645068.
3 Wang_2017, Fei-Fei Wang and Feng Liu and Chao Shi and Wei Ma and Kai-Jin Wang and Ning Li,Cytotoxic Activities of Fractions of the Willow Bracket Medicinal Mushroom, phellinus igniarius, Agaricomycetes and the Induction of Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in MGC-803 Cells, International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms}, 1521-9437},2017, 19, 6, pages 561-570.
4 1.Zapora E, Wolkowycki M, Bakier S, Zjawiony JK. Phellinus igniarius: A Pharmacologically Active Polypore Mushroom. Natural Product Communications. 2016;11(7). doi:10.1177/1934578X1601100741