There's a new star on the medicinal mushroom sky. It goes by Phellinus linteus in Latin. The little known English common name is Black Hoof Fungus. It's far more common, even in America, to hear it referred to by its Japanese name as Mesima.
Common to southern United States and Southeast Asia, Phellinus linteus is a polypore on hardwood trees such as poplar, oak and mulberry. [1]
Unlike most medicinal mushroom species, which were originally used in China or Japan, Phellinus linteus first became popular in Korea as a complement to traditional cancer therapies such as radiation and chemotherapy.
From Korea, its reputation has spread like wildfire around the world. Doctors across the globe are now beginning to use it as an immune booster [2-11], and especially for preventing cancer metastasis. [5,10,12-17] Apart from Korea, Phellinus linteus is particularly popular in Japan, the U.S., and the Middle East from Israel to Turkey.
It may have all began when a 1996 Korean study reported that Phellinus linteus extract exhibited a broader range of immune enhancing and anti-cancer properties than the extracts from other species of medicinal mushrooms. [4]
Years later, American world-renown mycologist Paul Stamets helped deepen our understanding of Phellinus linteus when he published a comparative analysis with the most common medicinal mushroom species: Agaricus blazei, Lion's Mane, Chaga, Reishi, Maitake and Cordyceps. [18]
Phellinus linteus had a stronger effect than any of them on the part of the immune system known as macrophages. The activity of this type of white blood cell increased by 5,700% when Phellinus linteus extract was administered in an amount equivalent to 3,750 mg for an average size adult (165 lbs). [18]
It should be noted that macrophages may promote cancer growth as well as fight cancer. The research that has been published about Phellinus linteus extract indicates that it enhances the anti-cancer properties of macrophages. [8,14,19,20]
Additional reports have been published on cases of "spontaneously" regressed cancers, where the patients reported having used Phellinus linteus by their own choice:
1. A 2004 paper out of Japan reported "a hormone refractory prostate cancer patient with rapidly progressive bone metastasis who showed dramatic response to intake of an extract from the mushroom, Phellinus linteus." [15]
2. Next out was a Korean article published in 2005, which reported on a patient who "ingested mushroom called Phellinus linteus for one and a half years" before exhibiting "spontaneous regression" of liver cancer and skull metastasis. [17]
3. And then one year later, in 2006, another Japanese article was published on "a case of spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma with multiple lung metastases." The 79-year-old patient had been taking an extract of Phellinus linteus Mycelium for a month. When examined by his doctor 6 months later, his tumors had disappeared. [16]
Note: This article is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose any disease. It is intended for informational purposes only. Phellinus linteus is not approved by the FDA. Never use any herb or mushroom for medicinal purposes without first consulting a licensed medical professional.