💗 Chaga's Cancer Impact, Extraction 101, and Shroomy Thanksgiving Recipes

IN TODAY’S EDITION

• 🪵 | Chaga aids breast cancer treatments

• 👩‍⚕️ | Johns Hopkins survey of healthcare works & psychedelic therapy

• 🧪 | Comparing mushroom extraction processes

Hi Shroomer. I created this survey for you to fill out to help me tailor future letters to what matters to you. As a thanks, I’m gifting one responder a $100 Amazon gift card at random before next Friday.

—Shannon Ratliff

GROW TO KNOW

I talked to Florida-based Petrichor Mushrooms founders Michael Shea and Howard Schmidt at Telluride Mushroom Festival this summer, creators of the first nano-emulsified mushroom extract. I respect their mission from spore to can and can’t say enough good things about these guys.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Chaga tea against breast cancer 🫖 Chaga tea extract (Inonotus obliquus) was found to have impactful cancer-fighting abilities - cutting cancer cell growth by 50% at just 0.5 mg/mL. The extract's key compounds work in multiple ways, stopping cancer cells from multiplying while blocking their growth engines. Adding just 0.25 mg/mL of chaga to standard cancer drugs made treatments up to twice as effective. Testing in two of the hardest-to-treat types of breast cancer cells showed the extract could boost both targeted therapy and chemotherapy.

Blood sugar alert 🎂 Chaga water extract was tested in mice with chemically-induced diabetes, yielding impressive results at 500 mg/kg doses over 4 weeks. The extract lowered fasting blood glucose, improved glucose tolerance, and boosted insulin levels compared to untreated diabetic mice. It even protected pancreatic tissue from damage.

Your lungs will thank you 🫁 At lower doses (25-75 μg/mL), chaga boosted healthy cell survival and growth in both trophoblast and lung cells, while higher doses (100-200 μg/mL) selectively reduced cancer cell survival. It was rich in antioxidant properties, protecting lung cells from oxidative damage at 50-75 μg/mL concentrations.

Battling colorectal cancer ❤️‍🩹 Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), lion's mane (Hericium erinaceus), and oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus)  increased colorectal cancer cell death by up to 60% in lab tests and reduced tumor size in mice. When combined with standard chemotherapy drug 5-FU, reishi enhanced the treatment's effectiveness while protecting healthy cells. Oyster mushrooms improved survival time and reduced cancer-related weight loss when added to the diet.

Power up your gut 🦠 For the first time, a major review definitively shows polysaccharides from medicinal mushrooms improve metabolism by transforming gut bacteria. The compounds cut blood fats and reduce weight gain by boosting beneficial bacteria while dropping harmful ones by 50%. Extracts from reishi and lion's mane increased gut-produced metabolism regulators by 60%.

Shroom sunscreen 🐯 Tiger milk mushroom (Lignosus rhinocerus) extract dramatically improves skin protection against sun damage in new ways. The natural compounds increased skin cell survival by 60% during UV exposure, with the mushroom's largest molecules providing the strongest benefits. Testing showed all parts of the mushroom working together create the best results.

Protect your brain 🧠 Scientists discovered two compounds in rice-grown lion's mane that shield brain cells from damage. The compounds cut inflammation by 40% and protect against toxic stress in lab tests by balancing key proteins that control cell survival.

PSILOCYBIN & LEGISLATION

Sleep like a baby 🌙 A new Johns Hopkins study of 653 retreat participants finds that while psilocybin improved both sleep and depression symptoms for up to 4 weeks, poor sleep at baseline predicted worse therapeutic outcomes.

Indigenous voices at the forefront 🌿 After 65,000 years of traditional plant medicine knowledge, Aboriginal leaders and Australian researchers are challenging the Western medical establishment. A groundbreaking paper from QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute reveals how Indigenous healers, Western scientists, and policy experts are working to decolonize psychedelic therapy while preserving sacred cultural practices with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

Reshaping drug law 🗽 Follow a Navy SEAL's journey abroad for life-saving care as UT Law grad Shane Pennington ('10) battles the DEA in the newest issue of Texas Law Magazine. Texas leads as the first state funding psychedelic research with its unique coalition of conservatives and progressives - including veterans, terminal patients, and former Gov. Rick Perry - reshaping drug policy with Dell Medical School's research in Austin.

Healthcare pros need training 🏥 After a survey of 879 U.S. healthcare workers, Johns Hopkins researchers find strong support for psychedelic therapy despite large knowledge gaps. While doctors and nurses show openness to both psilocybin and MDMA treatment - with younger clinicians most interested - most rely on popular media rather than formal training, and the study reveals an immediate need for medical education to match the growing interest.

Accepting death 🌌 A new UCSF dissertation study analyzing both cancer patients and long-term AIDS survivors finds that psychedelic-assisted therapy promotes death acceptance while reducing demoralization and improving quality of life. Through mixed-methods analysis of interview transcripts and clinical data, researchers revealed that one psilocybin session combined with group therapy helped participants accept mortality, illness, and complex emotions.

ECOLOGY & CONSERVATION

Lithium breakthrough 🔋 Fungal teamwork dramatically improves lithium extraction from lepidolite, paving the way for greener technology. By combining mold and yeast, the study enhances lithium recovery, a key material in batteries, making extraction more sustainable and efficient.

Fungi adaptations 🌡️ Not all fungi are bad, but pathogenic fungi are becoming a bigger challenge. With rising global temperatures, harmful fungi like Cryptococcus and Aspergillus are adapting to heat, making them tougher to treat, especially in people with weaker immune systems and could lead to more infections globally.

Solar-powered mushroom farming 🌞 This study introduces a Solar-IoT system for mushroom cultivation, making it more sustainable and accessible. It uses solar panels to power sensors that monitor temperature and humidity, allowing small-scale farmers to control their environment remotely with a low-cost setup. This technology helps improve yields while reducing costs and energy dependence, offering a practical solution.

The power of iNaturalist 📸 Everyday people are helping researchers map fungi across Ukraine using iNaturalist. Citizen scientists have documented over 69,000 fungal observations, providing more data than traditional surveys. While it's not perfect, this partnership is a reminder that we all have a part to play.

GROWING & GOURMET

These are the mushroom dishes I’ve been collecting for the Jim Carrey-themed Friendsgiving I’m hosting. I want to share since I won’t make them all.

• 🌿 Herb-Marinated Mushrooms: Simple, fresh, easy.

• 🦪 Balsamic Glazed Oyster Mushrooms: A very fun appetizer.

• 🦀 Crab Dip Stuffed Mushrooms: I’m from Maryland, a must.

• 🥧 Mushroom Wellington: Not attempting this, but how beautiful.

• 🥓 Mushroom, Leeks, and Bacon Stuffing: May sub sausage for bacon.

• 🧀 Mushroom Mac and Cheese: Crème fraîche. That is all.

• 🥣 Snow Fungus Dessert Soup: A dessert soup, yes.

• 🍫 Chocolate Candied Wood Ear Mushroom: Thanks to my mycological society.

• 🍸️ Candy Cap Maple Rye Cocktail: Candy cap powder required.

• 🥃 Shiitake Old Fashioned: A bit complicated, but worth it.

KNOW YOUR EXTRACTS

Medicinal mushroom extracts can vary a lot depending on the method used to process them. Different extraction processes yield distinct bioactive compounds and impact the potency and health benefits of the final product.

The concentration of medicinal mushroom extracts is often represented by ratios like 10:1 or 8:1. This means that 10 kilograms of raw mushroom are used to produce 1 kilogram of extract, indicating a concentrated form of bioactive compounds. I broke it down below.

💧 Hot water extraction:

• Process: Uses hot water to extract bioactive compounds.

• Main compounds extracted: Beta-glucans, polysaccharides.

• Ratio: A 10:1 ratio is common.

• Target benefits: supports immune function and digestive health.

• Suitability: Ideal for general immune support and overall health.

🍸️ Alcohol extraction:

• Process: Mushrooms are soaked in alcohol to extract specific compounds.

• Main compounds extracted: Triterpenes, sterols.

• Ratio: Often range between 5:1 and 8:1.

• Target benefits: Anti-inflammatory and adaptogenic effects.

• Suitability: Best for people looking for anti-inflammatory benefits.

☕️ Dual extraction (hot water + alcohol)

• Process: Combines both hot water and alcohol extraction methods. The mushroom is first extracted in hot water to release beta-glucans and polysaccharides, followed by alcohol extraction to capture triterpenes and other alcohol-soluble compounds.

• Main compounds extracted: Beta-glucans, polysaccharides (from hot water), and triterpenes, sterols (from alcohol).

• Ratio: 15:1 or higher are common.

• Target benefits: Full-spectrum benefits, including enhanced immune support, anti-inflammatory effects, and adaptogenic properties.

• Suitability: Ideal for those seeking a comprehensive medicinal mushroom extract that targets multiple areas of health, from immune modulation to stress response.

🍷 Fermentation extraction:

• Process: Mushrooms undergo fermentation to enhance absorption.

• Main compounds extracted: Alpha-glucans, unique polysaccharides.

• Ratio: This process focuses on enhancing the bioavailability of certain compounds rather than achieving a specific concentration ratio.

• Target benefits: Immune modulation and increased bioavailability.

• Suitability: Great for maximizing absorption and targeted immune support.

EPILEPSY AWARENESS

November is Epilepsy Awareness Month, and we’re highlighting Lily’s Lighthouse. who is hosting their Third Annual Santa Run in San Clemente, California on December 14. If you can’t make it but want to contribute, consider donating to Lily’s Lighthouse. Each donation helps fund research on using lion’s mane and reishi as an epilepsy therapeutic—a condition more common than red hair.

MUSH MORE

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