Swift Cognitive Enhancement Through Cordyceps, Enhanced Safety Measures, and Significant Psilocybin Progress
Hey Shroomer! I'll be hanging out at the Texas Mushroom Conference tomorrow if you're near Austin. Swing by and snag one of our exclusive Shroomer shirts! They're rad, fun, and limited edition.
This week, we're diving into how mushrooms kick some serious butt-from oxygenating our brains to taking on cancer. It's all about action and results!
If you find this newsletter handy, pass it along to your mushy crew.
Brain Boost 🧠 Lions Mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) extract helped subjects significantly outperform on a pegboard test measuring manual dexterity and speed, after taking just 3 grams. [Enrichment: Cognitive improvements seen within 90 minutes]
Cancer Fighter 🛡️ Co-treating rats with bleomycin (a chemotherapy drug) and white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) extract significantly reduced inflammation and lung cell damage. [Enrichment: Antioxidant enzyme activity returned near normal, oxidative stress markers dropped by over 55%]
Gut Healers 🧫 Ulcerative colitis could involve key roles for intestinal fungi like Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. [Enrichment: Fungi influence inflammation, interact with bacteria, and affect treatment response]
Cancer Cell Killer 🧪 Black maitake (Grifola frondosa) extract triggered strong apoptosis (cell death) in human glioblastoma cells, when combined with temozolomide (chemo). This combo allowed for lower chemo doses while still killing cancer cells. [Enrichment: Works by generating oxidative stress and disrupting mitochondrial membranes.]
Bone Protectors 🦴 Shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes) stipe extracts reduced osteoclast formation in vitro, suppressing a key regulator of bone breakdown. [Enrichment: Restored bone mineralization in osteoporosis-induced zebrafish model]
Liver Savers 🍷 Acidic polysaccharides from wood ear mushrooms (Auricularia polytricha) reduced alcohol-induced liver damage in mice by boosting antioxidant enzymes and suppressing inflammation. [Enrichment: Extract scavenged harmful radicals with rates up to 76%]
Authentic Chaga Spotter 📊 Developed a framework to distinguish authentic wildcrafted chaga (Inonotus obliquus) from misleading mycelium-on-grain products. [Enrichment: Real chaga showed high melanin content, specific triterpenoids, and high β-glucan to α-glucan ratio]
Psychedelic Pass 🚗 Cornell researchers found that psilocybin's antidepressant effects come from activating specific brain cells, suggesting it may be possible to deliver it in a way that retains the mood-lifting benefits without triggering a psychedelic experience. [Enrichment: Activates pyramidal tract neurons in the medial frontal cortex through serotonin 5-HT2A receptors, silencing these neurons removed the therapeutic response]
Whole Shroom Power 🐁 A single dose of psychedelic mushroom extract reduced compulsive grooming and anxiety-like behaviors in mice, for up to 7 weeks. Researchers attribute this to the entourage effect, where compounds like baeocystin and norbaeocystin enhance the therapeutic impact. [Enrichment: Matches or outperforms pure psilocybin]
Whole Mushroom Trial 🌌 The FDA cleared a U.S. clinical trial using whole psilocybin mushrooms (specifically Jedi Mind Fuck) to treat PTSD, chronic pain, and opioid addiction. Unlike traditional trials, this study tests full-spectrum mushrooms, standardized through 14 grow cycles and 40 tests. [Enrichment: First U.S. trial exclusively using whole psilocybin mushrooms]
Mushroomy Psilocybin Production 🧫 Scientists successfully engineered E. coli to produce psilocybin, achieving a yield of 79.4 mg/L-a 17-fold increase over previous methods. This breakthrough could make clinical-grade psilocybin more affordable and accessible. [Enrichment: Creates biosynthetic pathway that works without any psilocybin precursors]
Palliadelic Treatment 🌿 A new term, palliadelic, introduces the use of psychedelics like psilocybin in hospice and palliative care to ease psychological, spiritual, and existential suffering at the end of life. [Enrichment: Roots itself in decades of research and reframes psychedelic support as a compassionate, dignified form of care]
New Mexico Goes Clinical 🌵 Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the Medical Psilocybin Act into law, making New Mexico the fourth state to legalize psilocybin therapy. Unlike Colorado and Oregon, this legislation passed through the statehouse with overwhelming support, allowing supervised access to natural mushrooms for conditions like PTSD, depression, and end-of-life anxiety, with an equity fund for low-income patients. [Enrichment: First state to create an equity fund for low-income patients]
Trash-Eating Mushrooms 🧽 Five edible mushrooms (oyster, reishi, wood ear, wood oyster, and enoki) were found to break down polystyrene microplastics, with oyster mushrooms degrading up to 16.17% over 50 days. [Enrichment: Oyster mushrooms reduce LDPE plastic film weight by 23% over 30 days]
Mushrooms vs. Plastic ♻️ White oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus) reached up to 23% weight reduction of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic film over 30 days of growth. [Enrichment: Fungi secreted enzymes like laccase and peroxidases that break down the plastic structure]
Heavy Metal Cleanup 🌱 The edible mushroom Stropharia rugoso-annulata, paired with biochar and a metal-resistant Serratia bacteria strain, removed cadmium and copper from contaminated soil while rebuilding microbial diversity and soil health. [Enrichment: The hybrid system increased metal uptake by over 220% and boosted fungal biomass by 150%, helping restore soil pH, respiration, and enzyme activity]
Eco Packaging Upgrade 📦 Scientists developed moisture-resistant films from α-1,3-glucan, a water-insoluble biopolymer found in chicken-of-the-woods mushrooms (Laetiporus sulphureus). The film is biodegradable, absorbs less UV light, and supports microbial breakdown by Trichoderma harzianum and bacteria like E. coli and B. subtilis. [Enrichment: Supports microbial breakdown by multiple microorganisms]
Strawberry Shelf Life Extender 🍓 Spent mushroom substrate from white button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) created an edible coating that preserved antioxidant levels, color, and firmness while reducing spoilage of strawberries over 15 days of storage. [Enrichment: Coating preserved strawberries without synthetic chemicals or cold storage]
Smart Plant Growing with Mushroom Waste 🪵 Agro-forest waste from prunings of goji, seabuckthorn, and peashrub boosted shiitake mushroom (Lentinus edodes) yield and nutrition when used as substrate alternatives to oak sawdust. [Enrichment: Combinations increased protein by up to 13%, fiber by 12.6%, and sweet-tasting amino acids by 145% while promoting faster mycelial growth]
Umami Taste Enhancer 🍽️ King oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus eryngii) grown outdoors under soil-covered conditions had 10% more nutrients and 42% higher free amino acid content than those grown indoors in factory settings. [Enrichment: These mushrooms also produced richer umami aromas]
Heat-Safe Cordyceps ☕ Cold-water extracts of Cordyceps militaris exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxicity in mouse spleen cells but became safe when heated above 158°F. [Enrichment: Unlike past studies, this cold extract's cytotoxicity did not rely on the usual immune receptor (dectin-1)]
Straw-Sawdust-Peanut Shell Showdown 🌾 Straw delivered the highest average yield for white oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus), peanut shells had the most stable results with less variability. [Enrichment: Both straw and sawdust maximized production, but straw proved faster, while sawdust had better consistency over time]
Nutrient-Smart Reishi 🧺 Ganoderma lucidum and Ganoderma neo-japonicum adjusted their growth patterns based on available nutrients. G. lucidum grew fastest on potato dextrose agar, while G. neo-japonicum thrived even in lower-nutrient conditions. [Enrichment: G. neo-japonicum foraged aggressively and demonstrated denser mycelial branching in low-nutrient conditions]
Mushrooms and Plants Fighting SARS-CoV-2 🦠 Antiviral compounds from fungi, plants, and endophytic microbes can disrupt the virus at multiple points, inhibiting key enzymes and strengthening immune defenses. These natural metabolites are now being explored as potential tools for future drug development. [Enrichment: Several mushrooms, plants, and endophytic microbes have demonstrated antiviral activity, making them valuable for future pandemic readiness]
- At the Texas Mushroom Conference, we'll discuss how mushrooms can contribute to brain health, cancer treatment, gut healing, cancer cell killing, bone protection, and liver saving, showcasing their power and benefits.
- Researchers found that psychedelics, such as psilocybin, can activate specific brain cells, possibly leading to a more targeted delivery method that retains therapeutic benefits without inducing a psychedelic experience.
- Fungi like oyster mushrooms have shown the ability to degrade polystyrene microplastics, a step towards eco-friendly waste management solutions.
- Scientists have successfully engineered E. coli to produce psilocybin, a significant breakthrough that could make clinical-grade psilocybin more accessible and affordable.
- A new approach to palliative care, known as palliadelic treatment, aims to use psychedelics to address psychological, spiritual, and existential suffering at the end of life.
- In a clinical trial, whole psilocybin mushrooms (specifically Jedi Mind Fuck) are being tested for treating PTSD, chronic pain, and opioid addiction, marking a shift towards full-spectrum mushroom medicine.
