Agaricus blazei (Agaricus subrufescens) is a mushroom of the genus Agaricus of the Agaricaceae family. In Japan it is known as "princess matsutake" or himematsutake (lit. - "princess of pine mushrooms"), in China - jisongrong, in Latin America - "sun mushroom" (cogumelo do sol), "mushroom of life" (cogumelo de vida) or "mushroom of God" (cogumelo de Deus). In the medical literature, the name ABM (abbr. from Agaricus blazei Murrill) or AbM (not to be confused with the Siberian agaric or larch agaric Fomitopsis officinalis mushroom).
The mushroom is edible, has a sweetish taste with a distinct almond smell. In folk medicine, it belongs to the category of medicinal - the relevant properties are studied by official medicine.
Classification and description
The mushroom was first discovered and described in 1883 by American mycologist Charles Gordon Peck, who classified the species as Agaricus subrufescens. In the following years, it gained popularity in cooking, becoming one of the most popular wild and cultivated mushrooms in eastern North America. However, by the early 20th century, the species had disappeared from the commercial market and from the attention of mycologists.
The mushroom was rediscovered in 1947 by the American taxonomist and taxonomist William Alfonso Murrill, who named it Agaricus blazei Murrill. In 1960, the mushroom was again studied by the Japanese researcher Takatoshi Furumoto, who found it on the outskirts of the village of Piedade - in a high-altitude forest in southeastern Brazil. The so-called Agaricus brasiliensis or Aztec mushroom was known to the locals for its medicinal properties, so Furumoto sent it to Japan for research. In subsequent years, based on taxonomic studies and DNA decoding, mycologists agreed that all three described species, as well as A. rufotegulis, which grows in Europe, are none other than Agaricus subrufescens - this name is now the priority in mycology, although the designation AbM is often found in the medical literature.
What does the matsutake mushroom look like: the fruiting body (sporocarp) has a spherical cap at first, then a convex cap with a diameter of 5 - 18 cm. The color of the cap varies from light gray to muted red-brown. The cap of young mushrooms is covered with villi, but over time, plates appear on it. The hymenophore is narrow, the plates fit tightly to each other, changing from white to pink as it ripens and to black-brown in its mature form. The flesh of the Brazilian agaric is dense, white, with the smell of almonds and the aftertaste of green nuts.
Spread
In natural conditions, the mushroom A. subrufescens occurs in South and North America (Brazil, USA, Canada), Europe (Germany, Netherlands, Great Britain), the Asia-Pacific region (Taiwan, Philippines, Iran), and Australia, where the Brazilian agaric grows on leaf litter rich in nutrients in deciduous forests. It also grows naturally in home gardens, where there are conditions for the development of the mycelium. Industrial cultivation of matsutake is carried out in greenhouses or on beds in high tunnels, and under favorable climatic conditions (for example, frost-free winters) - in the open air.
Composition
Fresh fruit bodies of A. subrufescens contain from 89 to 91% water. In the dry dehydrated product, the protein content is up to 48%, carbohydrates - about 18% carbohydrates, lipids - about 0.5%. In addition, they contain a large number of useful trace elements, including potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, as well as polysaccharides, vitamins (in particular, ergostyrene - provitamin of vitamin D2) and other biologically active components. According to the study of Volman et al., in the composition of A. Subrufescens, a significant proportion of polysaccharides are glucose (57.7%), galactose (27.7%), mannose/xylose (7.3%) and fucose (4%). In other works, three main groups of biologically active polysaccharides have been identified:
- β-glucans (approximately equal amounts of β-1,4 and β-1,6 glucans with a small presence of β-1,3 glucans);
- riboglucans;
- glucomannans.
The characteristic almond aroma occurs due to the presence of benzaldehyde, benzonitrile, benzyl alcohol, and methyl benzoate.
Properties
The beneficial properties of Agaricus blazei are due to the presence in its composition of biologically active compounds with a potential effect on a wide range of diseases. Some of these substances are considered markers of the fungal kingdom, occurring in all its representatives. However, a number of components of A. Subrufescens are specific either due to increased concentration or due to absence in other mushrooms.
Scientists are considering the prospects for treatment with agaric mushroom due to the presence of the following compounds in it:
- beta-glucans - a group of polysaccharides that in studies demonstrate a pronounced immunomodulatory effect, inhibit tumor growth, have a positive effect on the body of diabetics, and improve the condition of the gastrointestinal tract;
- ergosterol - provitamin D2, responsible for calcium and phosphorus metabolism;
- Blazeispirols - inhibit growth and provoke apoptosis of tumor cells in the case of hepatocellular carcinoma;
- Glucomannans - a type of soluble fiber consisting of mannose and glucose fragments. When entering the gastrointestinal tract, it swells, improving the physical characteristics of digested residues, creating a feeling of satiety and optimizing the state of intestinal microflora;
- Agaritin is a component isolated from Brazilian agaric, potentially active against leukemic tumor cells.
Biologically active components are obtained directly from fruiting bodies or, less often, by extraction from mycelium. The method of obtaining affects the concentration and bioavailability of active substances, so it is better to use natural raw materials from the fruiting body, as they are more stable in composition. On its basis, preparations are made in the following forms of release:
- Powder - is made by grinding the dried fruit body and contains a natural amount of nutrients, the bioavailability of which can be increased by steaming in boiling water.
- agaric extract - a concentrated preparation containing an increased amount of bioavailable beta-glucans (not lower than 30%);
- agaric suppositories - usually contain a small amount of extract (2%) with the main volume of suppository base (mainly oil);
- agaric in capsules contains dry extract in an amount of up to 100% (the purity and content of biologically active components depends on the manufacturer);
- Agaric drops are made on the basis of a water-alcohol extract with the addition of sodium benzoate, water and other components at the discretion of the manufacturer.
Healing properties and uses
The therapeutic effects of Agaricus blazei are influenced by its chemical composition. Scientific studies have studied a number of substances isolated from this mushroom that are active against many common diseases: hyperlipidemia, diabetes, atherosclerosis, hepatitis, dermatitis, cancer. They have tonic, anti-inflammatory (Tontowiputro et al., 2018, Hahne et al., 2014), neuroprotective (Zhang et al., 2015, Santi-Rampazzo et al., 2015) and other effects, and are even considered as raw materials for the use of cosmetic products for facial rejuvenation (Taofiq et al., 2019).
Agaricus blazei mushroom for oncology
The composition of agaric contains several substances that are potentially active against various types of tumors. The main attention of scientists is attracted by beta-glucans, which have immunostimulating and antitumor effects. According to studies by Endo et al. (2010) and Akiyama et al. (2011), AbM contains agaritin, which in vitro has an antitumor effect on leukemia cells. However, the action of agaritin differs from the action of beta-glucans, which indirectly inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells. Agaritin causes apoptosis in leukemia cells by activating caspase.
Other biologically active substances in cancer include sodium pyroglutamate, found in the mushroom, which has antiangiogenic, immunomodulatory, antitumor and antimetastatic properties. Kawagishi et al. (1990) suggested that another candidate for cancer control could be the glycoprotein lectin, and Itoh et al. (2008) reported that blazein (named after this mushroom) has anticancer activity in vitro against lung cancer cells. Blazeispirols isolated from Agaricus blazei inhibit the growth and induce apoptosis of tumor cells in hepatocellular carcinoma, and also help the body recover after chemotherapy.
Agaricus blazei for weight loss
The benefits of agaricus blazei mushroom in the fight against excess weight are due to the presence of glucomannan and similar compounds in its composition. Once in the stomach, it swells, increasing in size by 200 times and turning into a gel-like substance. This dulls the feeling of hunger and promotes weight loss, especially when taking agaric preparations before meals.
Weight loss while taking Brazilian agaric preparations is also associated with the normalization of intestinal microflora. The glucomannan molecule is insoluble in the stomach, but beneficial bacteria in the intestines are able to decompose it, obtaining the necessary substances for their own vital activity.
Agaricus blazei for diabetes
Preparations based on A. subrufescens demonstrate antidiabetic activity. Several studies (Kim et al., 2005; Oh et al., 2010) have shown that purified β-glucan obtained from the fungus has antihyperglycemic, antihypertriglyceridemic, and antiarteriosclerotic effects in diabetic rats. A similar effect is exerted by the ethyl acetate fraction of the aqueous extract of Brazilian agaric.
Agaricus blazei in gynecology
In a study by Ahn et al. (2004) of 100 women with gynecological cancer, it was found that after a six-month course of treatment with agaric preparations, the patients' general condition improved after chemotherapy and the activity of natural killer cells of the immune system increased. In addition, side effects such as emotional instability, loss of appetite and hair loss were dramatically reduced.
The components of the mushroom are effective not only against malignant neoplasms, but also potentially capable of showing activity against benign tumors (for example, fibroids).
Immune system support
The increased content of beta-glucans in Agaricus blazei is a potentially positive factor for strengthening general and cellular immunity. This effect has been confirmed in numerous studies (e.g. Takaku et al., 2001 and Kimura et al., 2004), which show that beta-glucans, when entering the intestine, activate macrophages and lymphocytes, and also stimulate the release of cytokines, which forms the body's immune response.
Prevention of aging
Anti-inflammatory effect
Clinical studies have shown the anti-inflammatory effect of Brazilian agaric on the condition of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases. For example, Førland et al. (2011) showed that after 12 days of taking Brazilian agaric extract in patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, a decrease in inflammatory processes was recorded without side effects. Other studies have shown that components of A. subrufescens are potentially able to trigger mechanisms to reduce the level of inflammation in arthritis and heart disease.
Antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral effects
A number of in vitro and animal studies have shown that components of Brazilian agaric can enhance the effectiveness of the response to infection with pathogenic microorganisms, in particular, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. Riollet et al. (2000) and Kisich et al. (2002) showed that when taking A. Blazei, phagocytosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Staphylococcus aureus is activated, presumably due to increased cytokine activity. The antimicrobial effect can also be explained by the influence of polysaccharide and betulinic acid.
How to take agaricus blazei?
In terms of predictability of the effect, for daily strengthening of the body, it is optimal to use mushroom powder in a dosage of 1 tsp. per 150 ml of boiling water 3 times a day. If necessary, to increase the concentration of biologically active substances, it is recommended to use dry matsutake extract, washing it down with water. For other forms, follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Combination of Agaricus blazei with other mushrooms
A synergistic effect has been observed when agaric is combined with reishi and lion's mane. When taken as a tea from the powder of the three mushrooms, this combination potentially enhances the immune response, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, compared to the separate intake of the respective components. Among the positive cumulative effects of the polysaccharide complexes contained in these mushrooms, improvements in memory, vision, attention and cognitive abilities are noted.
It is also worth highlighting the combination of Brazilian agaric with other mushrooms:
- with shiitake, the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects are potentially enhanced;
- with reishi and maitake, the effect on strengthening the immune system is summarized due to the combinatorial effect of polysaccharides;
- with reishi and cordyceps, a synergistic effect is possible in supporting the cardiovascular system;
- with chaga, the positive effect on the liver and antiviral effect are enhanced;
- with cordyceps and maitake , the anti-diabetic effect is potentially enhanced.
Contraindications and side effects
When taking Agaricus blazei, contraindications are limited only to individual intolerance to the components of the mushroom. It is also not recommended to use the drug during pregnancy and lactation, since the benefits and harms of Brazilian agaric in this category of patients have not been studied in clinical trials.
Please note that the information provided in this article is not intended to replace the advice of a physician or nutritionist. You should consult your physician before using any natural products to support your health.
