Maitake: Description and origin

Maitake, grifola or leafy polypore (Grifola frondosa (Dicks.: Fr.) S.F. Gray) is a basidiomycetic fungus used as food as well as in traditional medicine in China and Japan (1). Large in size, maitake grows as a cluster of overlapping layers at the base of trunks or roots of oaks, elms and other trees. It is found in northeastern parts of Japan and also in temperate forests in Asia, Europe and eastern parts of North America (2).

Maitake: History

A mushroom used in the East for thousands of years, the scientific name of maitake (Grifola frondosa) refers to the griffin beast of Greek mythology – half lion, half eagle, while frondosa, means “leaf-like”. In Japanese, mai means to dance and take means mushroom (“dancing mushroom”), because its appearance resembles a butterfly dancing, and because it is said that when people found it they began to jump for joy. It is a very valuable mushroom and it is said that in feudal times it was worth its weight in silver (2).

Maitake: Composition

The maitake mushroom contains beta-glucans, a diverse group of high molecular weight polysaccharides that may constitute between 10-50% of its dry weight. It also contains 5’-nucleotidase, sphingosine ceramides (lipids), aminopeptidases (enzymes), fibre, proteins and microelements (1,3).

Maitake: Our extract

Extract name: Dry extract of organic maitake standardised to contain 30% polysaccharides and 15% beta-glucans

Scientific name: Grifola frondosa (Dicks .: Fr.) S.F. Gray

Part used: Fruiting body

Maitake: Benefits

The maitake mushroom has multiple properties: it has an immunomodulatory effect, reduces blood glucose and lipid levels, as well as acting as a hypotensive and antioxidant. It is also known for its use as an adjuvant in oncological processes (1,3-4).

Maitake: Usage, dosage

A daily dose equivalent to 4 g of fungus is recommended, divided in two doses per day.

Maitake: Studies

The maitake mushroom has immunostimulant properties (4-5). One clinical study in which maitake extract was administered to patients suffering from myelodysplastic syndrome** concluded that beta-glucan extract stimulated immune response to infection by bacteria (6). In another study, combined consumption of shiitake and maitake extracts produced a stimulation of immune response. (7).

Maitake also helps to lower cholesterol levels: it has been established that maitake intake promotes catabolism* of fats and has anti-atherogenic effects (protects against the accumulation of cholesterol in the artery walls) (8) by modulating various enzymes involved in the synthesis, absorption and catabolism of cholesterol (1).

Finally, maitake improves and prevents the symptoms of obesity and diabetes associated with high cholesterol levels (8). In addition, maitake’s polysaccharides help to lower blood glucose levels by improving insulin resistance (9).

*Catabolism: set of metabolic processes degrading substances to form simpler ones.

**Myelodysplastic syndrome: syndrome in which immature blood cells in bone marrow do not mature or become healthy blood cells (10).

Maitake: Bibliography

1. Ding et al. (2016) The mechanisms underlying the hypolipidaemic effects of Grifola frondosa in the liver of rats. Front Microbiol 7: 1186.

2. Mayell (2001) Maitake extracts and their therapeutic potential – a review. Altern Med Rev 6(1): 48-60.

3. www.fitoterapia.net

4. Guggenheim et al. (2014) Immune modulation from five major mushrooms: application to integrative oncology. Integr Med (Encinitas) 13(1): 32–44.

5. Kodama et al. (2004) Administration of a polysaccharide from Grifola frondosa stimulates immune function of normal mice. J Med Food 7(2): 141-5.

6. Wesa et al. (2015) Maitake mushroom extract in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS): a phase II study. Cancer Immunol Immunother 64: 237–247.

7. Vetvicka and Vetvickova (2014) Immune-enhancing effects of Maitake (Grifola frondosa) and Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) extracts. Ann Transl Med 2(2): 14.

8. Sato et al. (2013) Plasma cholesterol and transcriptome in mice fed with G. frondosa. J Oleo Sci 62(12): 1049-1058.

9. Xiao et al. (2015) Hypoglycemic effects of Grifola frondosa (Maitake) polysaccharides F2 and F3 through improvement of insulin resistance in diabetic rats. Food Funct 6(11): 3567-75.

10.http://www.cancer.gov/espanol/tipos/mieloproliferativas/paciente/tratamiento-mielodisplasicos-pdq