Shiitake mushroom – nutritional and medicinal properties
Shiitake mushrooms are one of the most widely cultivated mushrooms in the world. Their nutritional and medicinal properties are of interest to nutritionists and other scientists looking for natural compounds that support the treatment of common diseases and ailments. Shiitake mushrooms are particularly valued for their immunomodulatory properties, supporting proper metabolism, regulating blood sugar levels and antibacterial properties.
Traditional use of Shiitake mushroom
Shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes) is a species with medicinal properties that has been used for hundreds of years in traditional Eastern medicine. The first records of the cultivation of Lentinula edodes date back to China during the Song Dynasty (960-1127).
Shiitake extracts are appreciated in traditional Chinese medicine due to their antibacterial and antiviral properties. It is believed that the presence of shiitake mushrooms in the daily diet helps keep the body in good health and prevents lifestyle diseases.
Shiitake Mushroom Nutrients
Modern analyzes of the nutritional value of Shiitake mushrooms confirm that they are rich in macro- and micronutrients: they contain numerous minerals (potassium, manganese, magnesium, iron and phosphorus) and vitamins (provitamin D2, vitamin B1, B2, B6, B12 and niacin), dietary fiber, protein, biologically active compounds, including polysaccharides, antioxidants and ergosterol.
Currently, shiitake mushrooms are the second most widely cultivated mushrooms in the world. In 2000, over 7.5 million tons were produced ( Royse, 2005), and their production has increased even more over the last 20 years.
Medicinal properties of Shiitake extracts
Polysaccharides found in Shiitake and the immune system
Currently, the Shiitake mushroom is of interest to researchers, especially due to the specific polysaccharides it contains, which have an immunomodulatory effect that is beneficial to the human body.
An article published by a Polish research team in 2022 reports that over the last three decades, numerous studies of Shiitake polysaccharides have shown their properties modulating the body's immune response, both innate and acquired.
Polysaccharides found in Shiitake mushrooms belong to the group of β-glucans, and therefore bind to receptors found on the surface of many different types of cells of the immune system and thus influence its functioning.
Important examples of the immunomodulatory effects of Shiitake polysaccharides include: stimulation of the immune system to produce substances to fight cancer cells, activation of the innate immune response, inhibition of some inflammatory reactions.
The immunoregulatory properties of aqueous extracts containing three types of polysaccharides from Shiitake mushrooms were confirmed in a study on immunocompromised mice.
Other properties of Japanese scleroderma
The research review discusses the following properties of Shiitake:
antibacterial
antiviral
anti-cancer
antioxidant
protecting the liver
lowering cholesterol levels
improving metabolism
regulating blood sugar levels
Possible antidiabetic mechanisms , such as, among others: regulation of carbohydrate digestion and absorption, lipotoxicity, insulin sensitivity, oxidative stress are discussed in the article . Its authors point out that the data they present may constitute the basis for clinical trials confirming the potential of Shiitake mushrooms as a superfood in the treatment of diabetes.
A study on metabolism and obesity showed that adding a high dose of Shiitake mushroom powder to a high-fat diet could significantly prevent total fat deposition and significantly reduce plasma triglyceride levels in rats (compared to a high-fat diet without the addition of Shiitake mushrooms). The effectiveness of the hardener in this respect depended on the dose and the sucrose content in the diet.
Scientists believe that further research is needed to develop Shiitake-based metabolism drugs that will take into account the two factors mentioned above.
We will have to wait a while longer for Lentinula edodes-based drugs to be developed and approved for circulation. However, Shiitake mushroom extracts with the status of dietary supplements are already available on the market.
In our store you will find Shiitake extract from a Polish manufacturer in the form of drops: Ollywell Shiitake Japanese hardener 30ml extract in drops
Sources:
Muszyńska B et al., Lentinula edodes (Shiitake) – biological activity, Medicina Internacia Revuo, 2017: https://interrev.com/mir/index.php/mir/article/view/17
Behar N et al., Chapter 26 – Role of fungal metabolites in pharmaceuticals, human health, and agriculture, Fungal Secondary Metabolites , 2024: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780323952415000058
Ishtiaq A et al., Therapeutic values and nutraceutical properties of shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes): A review, Tends in Food and Technology, 2023: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924224423000821
Roszczyk A et al., Immunomodulatory Properties of Polysaccharides from Lentinula edodes, Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/23/16/8980
Handayani D et al., Dietary Shiitake Mushroom (Lentinus edodes) Prevents Fat Deposition and Lowers Triglyceride in Rats Fed a High-Fat Diet, Journal of Obesity, 2011: https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jobe/2011/ 258051/#abstract
Shuvarghya Ch et al., Lentinan, β-glucan from Shiitake (Lentinula edodes): A review on structure, conformational transition, and gastro-intestinal interaction contributing towards its anti-diabetic potential, Trends in Food Science & Technology , 2023: https: //www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924224423003394
Ishtiaq A et al., Therapeutic values and nutraceutical properties of shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes): A review, Trends in Food Science & Technology , 2023: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0924224423000821
