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History
History
Photo by Rachel Ware
Trimetes versicolor is an abundant fungas that can be found throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. It has been used throughout the world for a variety of medicinal purposes. Turkey tail has a rich history of medicinal use in Traditional Chinese medicine, often consumed as a tea or tincture.
Trimetes versicolor is an abundant fungas that can be found throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. It has been used throughout the world for a variety of medicinal purposes. Turkey tail has a rich history of medicinal use in Traditional Chinese medicine, often consumed as a tea or tincture.
- The Dakota were reported to eat turkey tail, most likely in soup and possibly used it as a preservative. (Robert 2011)
- Turkey tale mushrooms have been used in Traditonal Chinese medicine for over a thousand years, having first been featured in the Chinese Materia Medica since about 200 BC (Han Dynasty).
- Aborigines in Australia sucked on turkey tail mushrooms to treat sore mouths and rubbed it in babies mouths to treat oral thrush. (Robert 2011)
- In Mexico, it is used to treat ringworm and impetigo of the skin. (Robert 2011)
- In Malaysia, this fungus is used to treat dysentary . (Robert 2011)
Habitat
Habitat
The most commonly found polypore mushroom, turkey tail mushrooms can be found throughout North American forests. They thrive on almost all dead hardwoods, though they are rarely found on conifers (1991 Aurora)
The most commonly found polypore mushroom, turkey tail mushrooms can be found throughout North American forests. They thrive on almost all dead hardwoods, though they are rarely found on conifers (1991 Aurora)
- Prefers logs, stumps, and fallen branches
- In the Pacific Northwest, turkey tail mushrooms typically fruit from May through December. Some may persist year-long depending on the conditions, but they are at thier best in autumn and winter when they release their spores. (Midwest American Mycological Association 2020)
Photo by: OutdoorPDX, Flickr, Creative Commons Lisence
Medicinal Properties
Medicinal Properties
Photo by Rafeal Medina, Flickr, CC by 2.0
Turkey Tail has been used to enhance the efficacy of radiotherapy and chemotherapy in cancer patients by boosting the immune system.
Turkey Tail has been used to enhance the efficacy of radiotherapy and chemotherapy in cancer patients by boosting the immune system.
- In the 1960's, Japanese scientists were able to identify and extract PSK from the mycelium of Turkey Tail mushrooms. (2020 Habtemariam)
- In early 1980's, a team of scientists at Shanghai Normal University were able to isolate and extract a polysaccharide-petide (PSP), which proved to be even more effective than PSK. (2020 Habtemariam)
- These two notable compounds: polysaccarides PSK (krestin) and PSP (poly-saccharide peptide) have shown to boost immune cell production and improve the outcome of cancer patients. (2020 Habtemariam)
- In 2013, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a clinical trial at Bastyr University for a turkey tail extract, allowing patients with advanced prostate cancer to take it in combination with conventional chemotherapy. (Bastyr 2012)
Morphology
Morphology
Turkey tail is a bracket fungi that tends to grow in groups, rows, or shelving masses. It has a shelflike, fan-shaped appearance that looks similar to a turkey tail. It has no stem and has uniquely small pores that aid in it's identification. Considered a "white rot fungus", it plays an important role in the decomposing of wood. (Aurora 1991)
Turkey tail is a bracket fungi that tends to grow in groups, rows, or shelving masses. It has a shelflike, fan-shaped appearance that looks similar to a turkey tail. It has no stem and has uniquely small pores that aid in it's identification. Considered a "white rot fungus", it plays an important role in the decomposing of wood. (Aurora 1991)
- Cap: narrow concentric zones of varioous colors, alternating beteen velvety zones and smooth zones, wavy edge
- Gills: none
- Flesh: white or pale, thin
- Spores: white spore print
- Margin:
- Toxic Lookalikes: has may lookalikes, but none are known to be toxic
Photo by Bjor S, Flickr, CC by 2.0
Culinary Uses
Culinary Uses
Turkey tale is considered to tough to eat for most people though some foragers will chew on the freshly picked mushroom, treating it like gum. (Aurora 1991)
Turkey tale is considered to tough to eat for most people though some foragers will chew on the freshly picked mushroom, treating it like gum. (Aurora 1991)
- Turkey tail is commonly dried and made into tea or a tonic.
Photo by Leslie Seaton, Flickr, CC by 2.0
Resource List
Resource List
- Arora, David. (1991). All that the rain promises and more... Berkeley , CA. Ten Speed Press.
- Arora, David. (1979). Mushrooms demystified. Berkeley, CA. Ten Speed Press.
- FDA Approves Bastyr Turkey Tail Trial for Cancer Patients. (2012, Nov 30). Bastyr University. Retreived on 11/17/2020 from https://bastyr.edu/news/general-news/2012/11/fda-approves-bastyr-turkey-tail-trial-cancer-patients
- Habtemariam, S. (2020). Trametes versicolor (Synn. Coriolus versicolor ) Polysaccharides in Cancer Therapy: Targets and Efficacy. Biomedicines, 8(5)
- Khan MA, Tania M, Liu R, Rahman MM. Hericium erinaceus: an edible mushroom with medicinal values. J Complement Integr Med. 2013 May 24;10:/j/jcim.2013.10.issue-1/jcim-2013-0001/jcim-2013-0001.xml. doi: 10.1515/jcim-2013-0001. PMID: 23735479.
- Kuo, M. (2017, November). Trametes versicolor. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site:
- Mc Phaul, Meghan McCarthy (2016, April 3). Turkey Tail Fungus. Northern Woodlands.
- Midwest American Mycological Information. (n.d). Trametes versicolor, https://midwestmycology.org/trametes-versicolor/
- Robert, Rogers. (2011). The fungal pharmacy: The complete guide to medicinal mushrooms and lichens of north america. Berkeley, CA. North Atlantic Books.
- Stamets, Paul. (2002). MycoMedicinals: An informational treatise on mushrooms. Olympia, Washington. MycoMedia Productions.
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