The powdered form of reishi mushrooms can treat recurrent oral ulceration

A Chinese study investigated the potential of using freeze-dried powder from reishi mushrooms as an alternative treatment for recurrent oral ulceration (ROU) in rats. They reported that the mushroom powder could serve as a possible means of therapy for recurring mouth ulcers.

The Ministry of Science and Technology of China provided the funding for the study, which was published in the scientific journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

• Rats were used to model recurrent oral ulceration. Animals received autoantigen injections to simulate the disease. The treatment groups received different dosages of freeze-dried reishi mushroom powder or the conventional drug prednisone acetate.
• Large doses of mushroom powder reduced the number of ulcers and ulcerated areas. The bigger dosage also greatly increased the total intervals between each period of ROU.
• Reishi mushroom powder raised the levels of serum transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) levels that promote wound healing. They also reduced the interleukins that trigger immune responses linked to ROU.
• The group that received high doses of reishi mushroom powder had 1.5 times more regulatory T cells associated with CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3+ (forkhead box P3) than the rat model group. These Treg cells reduce immune responses related to ROU.
• Medium and high doses of reishi mushroom powder raises the upregulation of forkhead box P3. They also downregulate orphan receptor gamma t(RORγt) mRNA connected to retinoids, which are vitamin A derivatives.

The researchers concluded that large doses of freeze-dried powder from reishi mushrooms can reduce recurrent oral ulceration in two ways: They promote Treg cells and inhibit the differentiation of T helper cell 17.

The full text of the study can be read. You can read about more healing superfoods at Healing.news.

Journal Reference:

Xie L, Zhong X, Liu D, Liu L, Xia Z. THE EFFECTS OF FREEZE-DRIED GANODERMA LUCIDUM MYCELIA ON A RECURRENT ORAL ULCERATION RAT MODEL . BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2017;17(1). DOI: 10.1186/s12906-017-2021-8.