🩹 Healing Mushrooms, Addiction Breakthroughs, and Plastic-Free Packaging

IN TODAY’S EDITION

• 💟 | Parkinson’s update

• 🔥 | Methane makeover

• 🧠 | Brain health builder

Hi Shroomer. Thank you to everyone who reached out to let me know the Mushroom Databases were down. They’re live again! I’ll add more each week, so bookmark this if you need a quick guide to reference.

We had such great weekend at Texas Mushroom Conference. If you’re new here and we met, thanks for signing up! If you couldn’t make it out, be sure to stay in the loop with our Festival Directory to find events near you. If you organize events and I’m missing a date, let me know and I’ll add it.

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Blood sugar boost 🩸 In prediabetic mice, maitake mushroom (Grifola frondosa) polysaccharides lowered fasting glucose by 17% and improved insulin resistance and blood lipids. The effects were linked to shifts in bile acids and gut bacteria and are linked with metabolic health support.

Cholesterol control 🫀 Polysaccharides from straw mushrooms (Volvariella volvacea) helped lower fat buildup and support gut health by feeding beneficial bacteria. One extract boosted acetate and propionate, which is linked to better heart health, while the other reduced harmful microbes.

Mushroom-based healing 🩹 A wound dressing made from Agaricus bisporus stem aerogels, modified with lysine and graphene oxide, eliminated over 95% of bacteria like S. aureus and E. coli under mild light therapy. The material not only traps and kills bacteria but also reduces inflammation and speeds up healing by promoting blood vessel growth, collagen formation, and tissue repair in infected wounds.

 Ganoderma flavonoids 👅 Flavonoids from wild and cultivated Ganoderma species show antioxidant, antimicrobial, and blood sugar-lowering effects. Extracts from cultivated black Ganoderma stems had the strongest antioxidant and α-glucosidase inhibition, while caps from cultivated red Ganoderma showed the most potent antimicrobial activity.

Good for your skin 🧴 Umbelopsis sp. TM01, a fungus found in Tricholoma matsutake, offers a high-activity substitute for the rare matsutake mushroom. Fermented extracts (UFE) outperformed matsutake extracts in anti-wrinkle and skin-brightening effects while being less toxic to human skin cells.

Mushroom damage response ⚡ Oyster mushroom mycelia (Pleurotus ostreatus) activate repair signals when injured, using oxygen molecules (ROS) and calcium to trigger healing and defense, highlighting their essential role in fungal wound recovery and resistance.

Vitamin D2 boost ☀️ When exposed to UV light, white button (Agaricus bisporus) and shiitake (Lentinula edodes) powders produced up to 14 times more vitamin D2. Heat + UV worked best for white button, while shiitake retained more D2 and ergosterol with UV alone, making these mushrooms a reliable, plant-based source of shelf-stable vitamin D.

Brain health builder 🧠 Lion’s mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) supports brain function by stimulating nerve growth factor (NGF), reducing inflammation, and protecting neurons from oxidative stress. Its active compounds, hericenones and erinacines, show strong neuroprotective, antimicrobial, and antioxidant effects, making it an ally for memory, mood, and cognitive aging.

PSILOCYBIN & LEGISLATION

Addiction breakthrough 🛞 A review of 16 studies found that psilocybin-assisted therapy led to major reductions in alcohol and tobacco use. In alcohol use disorder, participants had fewer heavy drinking days and higher abstinence rates; in tobacco studies, smoking cessation rates were as high as 80%. Mystical experiences during treatment were strong predictors of long-term success. Evidence for other addictions like opioids and cocaine was mixed, but early results were notable when psilocybin was paired with therapy.

Parkinson’s update 💟 In a small open-label trial, 12 people with Parkinson’s disease received two doses of psilocybin (first 10 mg, then 25 mg) alongside psychotherapy. Participants reported reduced depression and anxiety, improved cognitive flexibility, and better motor function, with no serious side effects and the improvements lasted at least six weeks. Researchers had expected mood changes but were surprised by the physical benefits, which suggest psilocybin can help with the motor symptoms of neurological diseases.

Phantom pain relief 🌬️ A single 25 mg dose of psilocybin reduced phantom limb pain by 59% and residual limb pain by nearly 80% in amputees, with effects lasting at least 4 weeks. No serious side effects were reported. Researchers believe psilocybin helps “reset” pain signals in the brain by activating pathways involved in emotion and perception.

Weight loss aid 🍽️ A single dose of psilocybin helped obese mice lose more weight when combined with a low-fat diet. After four weeks, mice given psilocybin were 2.5 times more likely to show significant weight loss compared to controls. The compound didn’t reduce appetite on its own but made diet changes more effective, suggesting psilocybin enhances weight loss efforts by boosting brain flexibility and response to dietary interventions.

Psychedelic first for binge eating 💉 Swinburne University is launching the world’s first clinical trial using IV-administered psilocin to treat binge eating disorder. Unlike oral capsules, this method allows for precise control over the psychedelic experience and faster reversal if needed. Paired with talk therapy, the trial aims to offer relief for a deeply under-researched condition.

Grief relief support 🕊️ The PARTING trial is the first clinical study to explore psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy for prolonged grief disorder (PGD) following cancer loss. Fifteen participants will receive a 25 mg dose of psilocybin combined with 7 psychotherapy sessions over 5 weeks. Researchers aim to assess whether this approach is safe, tolerable, and emotionally impactful over a 12-month follow-up.

ECOLOGY & CONSERVATION

Plastic-free packaging 🥤 Researchers created biodegradable packaging using the mycelium of oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) as a sustainable alternative to single-use plastics. The strongest samples, made with 20g of mycelium, showed high tensile strength (8.33 in), good durability, and biodegraded faster than other treatments, breaking down in just 15 days.

Painkiller pollution cleanup 💊 White-rot fungi like turkey tail (Trametes versicolor) and reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) can break down common pharmaceuticals such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen in water. These fungi use powerful enzymes to degrade drug molecules and in bioreactor trials, they achieved up to 100% removal, making them a strong candidate for future water treatment systems.

Resilient pest control 💥 Insect-killing fungi like Metarhizium and Beauveria form microsclerotia, dense fungal survival structures that can dry out and later release spores to kill pests. These structures are triggered by stress and packed with melanin, helping them resist heat, UV, and drought. Their durability proves them a powerful, chemical-free alternative for long-lasting organic pest control.

Methane makeover 🔥 White rot fungi like the elm oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus), milk-white toothed polypore (Irpex lacteus), and rusty gilled polypore (Dichomitus squalens) helped turn agricultural waste into cleaner energy. When grown on anaerobic digestate, these fungi broke down stubborn lignin and increased methane production by up to 2.15 times. The strongest boost came from D. squalens after just 20 days, great news for farms and biogas systems looking to generate more power from waste.

Plastic-eating fungi 🌊 Two marine fungi, Aspergillus terreus and Alternaria alternata, broke down nearly half the weight of plastic bag strips (LDPE) after 8 weeks. These ocean-derived fungi visibly damaged the plastic’s surface and produced chemical byproducts like phthalates, proving they can digest synthetic waste.

Oil spill solution 🛢️ Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) cleaned up petroleum-contaminated soil in Iraq. Even when exposed to high concentrations of used engine oil (3%), the fungi continued to grow and adapt. Over 8 days, their mycelium degraded hydrocarbons by producing powerful enzymes.

GROWING & GOURMET

Vanishing mushrooms 😢 A 26-year study across China found sharp declines in wild matsutake harvests (Tricholoma matsutake), confirmed by nearly 95% of local foragers. Climate change, forest density, and soil disturbance were the main culprits. With no way to cultivate matsutake, this ecological loss threatens rural incomes and global supply chains .

Cordyceps & livestock health 🐖 Supplementing pregnant sows' diets with Cordyceps militaris mycelia improved litter size, piglet health, and maternal well-being. Piglets from supplemented sows had higher birth weights and fewer health issues like diarrhea and arthritis. The best results were seen with 50-100g daily doses, making Cordyceps a promising natural additive for animal nutrition.

Better veal 💗 Swapping 20% of veal with white button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) or desert truffles (Tirmania pinoyi) created veal patties with more protein, better moisture, and less fat without sacrificing taste. It’s a small step away from the cruelty of veal production and toward more ethical, functional food.

Mushroom beds boost growth 🌱 Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) and enoki (Flammulina filiformis) growing beds emit natural gases that made rice seedlings grow up to 67% larger without soil contact. This method could turn mushroom waste into a plant-boosting tool for early crop stages.

RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT

Mushroom-based wound care is here. Researchers developed a bioactive dressing from white button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) that traps and kills harmful bacteria while promoting deep tissue healing with no antibiotics required. The graphics in this study are fascinating, with real photos of wounds healing, but I didn’t want to gross you out by including it here.

• How it works 🧲 The stem-based aerogels are modified with lysine and graphene oxide. They attract bacteria into the dressing, then use near-infrared light to activate graphene’s heat-killing properties. In lab tests, over 95% of S. aureus, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa were eliminated.

• Faster healing 💥 In infected wound models, the dressing reduced inflammation, encouraged collagen production, and sped up new blood vessel growth, resulting in highly improved healing outcomes.

• Why it matters 🛡️ With antibiotic resistance on the rise, this mushroom-derived material offers a new path forward for chronic wounds, surgical sites, and hard-to-heal skin injuries.

MUSH MORE

• Howdy 🤠 Was this forwarded to you? Sign up here.

• Free resource ✅ The Shroomer Guide to Mushrooms and the easy-to-reference Mushrooms and Medical Benefits Chart.

• Mushroom supplements 🍄 Discover extraction methods and recommended picks.

• Meet fellow fungi fans 🎪 Bookmark our Festival Directory and start planning.

• Our door is open 🚪 Connect with 24k+ Shroomers. Partner with us.

• What else 🗒️ Reply to this email! It goes right to my inbox.