The Anti-Hepatitis and Tumor-Inhibiting Effects of Yunzhi (Turkey Tail)
Yunzhi is the fruiting body of Coriolus versicolor (turkey tail), a fungus of the Polyporaceae family; it is also called Versicolor Polypore, Grey Lingzhi, or Tile Mushroom. Named for its cloud-like appearance, Yunzhi is, in TCM, sweet and cold, and clears heat and resolves toxins, reduces swelling and dissipates nodules, stops cough and calms asthma, and protects the liver and gallbladder.
Wild Yunzhi grows on dead standing trunks, fallen logs, dead branches, and aging living trees of various broadleaf species, occasionally on conifers such as larch and black pine; it is distributed nationwide.
Yunzhi is a medicinal fungus recently recovered from folk use; ancient materia medica mention it rarely. According to Flora Medicinalis Changbaiensis, it treats viral hepatitis, acute viral myocarditis, and chronic bronchitis, and inhibits tumors.
Coloured Atlas of Chinese Folk Herbal Medicines collects several folk formulas using Yunzhi for hepatitis B, chronic persistent hepatitis, and chronic active hepatitis, for sore throat, and for tumors and leukemia. Folk practice uses 15 g Yunzhi and 30 g Xishupi (Camptotheca bark), decocted in water, for tumors and leukemia.
The main active component is a glycoprotein. Modern pharmacology shows that Yunzhi polysaccharide (PSK) and Yunzhi polysaccharide peptide (PSP) enhance immune function, promote immune-cell proliferation, and markedly boost immunity in experimental animals.
PSK and PSP also have antitumor effects. PSK inhibits sarcoma S180, mouse leukemia L1210, adenocarcinoma 755/Sc-42, Zhongyuan-Fukuoka sarcoma, and lung cancer 7423. PSK markedly inhibits human lung adenocarcinoma in nude mice, with inhibition rates of 50–70%. Small peptides isolated from PSP show strong cytotoxicity against human leukemia cells, LS174-T rectal cancer cells, SMMC-7721 hepatoma cells, and SCG-7901 gastric cancer cells. Moreover, PSK and PSP have no toxic or side effects in humans. Yunzhi is a non-toxic, root-firming (fuzheng) herb, safe and effective in clinical use.
Clinical reports show that Yunzhi intracellular polysaccharide is safe and effective for chronic hepatitis B: it enhances immunity and has some effect on clearing or lowering HBsAg titers. Another report found that Baishan Yunzhi polysaccharide injection for epidemic hemorrhagic fever activates cellular immunity, shortens the time to convalescence, and increases the magnitude of cellular immune rise; no significant side effects appeared in these trials.
PSK also has anti-atherosclerotic, blood-sugar-lowering, liver- and brain-protective, and memory-improving effects. Although it has some hepatoprotective action, PSK should not be used alone as a liver-protective agent when a patient has liver damage, because that effect is not pronounced.
Yunzhi is usually made into capsules or injections; folk practice also decocts it in water. The usual adult dose in decoction is 15–30 g, up to 60 g for heavy use. But because its active constituents do not dissolve easily in water, a decoction must be boiled for 24 hours or more, which is cumbersome and wasteful. Patients may use a high-powered blender to break the cell walls and powder the Yunzhi, fill empty capsules, or simply buy ready-made Yunzhi Jun Capsules and follow the package dosing. Ordinary cultivated Yunzhi is adequate; there is no need to be misled by vendors into buying expensive wild Yunzhi.
Folk practice also steeps Yunzhi in liquor, but hepatitis and tumor patients should not take it this way, because alcohol is highly harmful to them.