Phellinus, Sang Huang 桑黄

Black Hoof Mushroom
Sang Huang (‘Mulberry Yellow’), Sang Huang Ling Zhi  (TCM)
Meshima (Japan)
Phansomba (Ayurveda, used for Phellinus and Ganoderma species)
Picture Boletus igniarius (syn. Phellinus igniarius)
Coloured Figures of English Fungi or Mushrooms (Sowerby, 1797–1809)

Picture Sang Huang from the Chengdu Medicine Market. (Adam, 2018)

Picture Phellinus igniarius, photo by George Chernilevsky (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:


Phellinus linteus (syn. Bolteus linteus)
The supply of Sang Huang on the Chinese market is diverse. There are over 250 species of Phellinus with over 60 being found in China. Recently, an investigation was undertaken to identify the various species supplying Sang Huang on the Chinese market. A number of varieties were found to be used.
The three primary species are:
  1. Phellinus linteus
  2. P. igniarius
  3. P. baumii

P. igniarius and P. linteus are mostly cited as the official species, The latter is claimed to have stronger therapeutic effects.
Other species which appear to be used indiscriminately include P. vaninii, P. pini, P. yucatanensis, P. yamanoi, P. laricis.
Chinese researchers such as Liu Bo believe Phellinus yucatanensis may be more appropriate as it is apparently mostly found on growing on Mulberry, and that tree is the traditional preferred source of Sang Huang. However, it appears the various species listed are probably synonymous in effect.

For our purposes, we will considered P. linteus and P. igniarius as synonymous with the current monograph relating to both species. Research has shown both species to have comparable anti-inflammatory and immuno-modulatory effects. Further, there appears to be little or no difference in their medicinal use.


Parts used:


Dried Mushroom; collected any time of the year; in China it is preferred to be collected from the Mulberry tree.

Temperature & Taste:


Cool, dry. Bitter, Sweet

Constituents:


Polysaccharides
Flavonoids, Polyphenols, Steroids
Organic acids
Minerals: Chromium (84.5 mg/kg)

Uses:


1. Clears Damp, Moves the Blood, Resolves Masses:
-Tumors including Lymphatic Tumors, Scrofula, Fibroid Tumors
-various Cancers: Prostate, Breast, Bladder, Liver, Lung, Sarcoma etc.
-increases Immunity, Natural Killer cells, B and T cells and Macrophages
-inhibits Metastasis; synergistic with chemotherapy such as Doxorubicin and 5-fluorouracil
-highest anti-tumor activity of any hymenomycetes (includes Polypores) (Ikekawa)

2. Clears Heat, Stops Bleeding:
-Uterine bleeding, excess Menstruation (6 grams with warm wine)
-Hematuria, Diarrhea with Blood, Rectal prolapse with bleeding
-Coughing or Vomiting Blood

3. Clears Damp-Heat, Clears Stomach Heat:
-Indigestion, Diarrhea, Gastroenteritis
-Abdominal Pain, Gastric Ulcers
-Heat of the Lungs or Stomach

4. Clears Damp, Settles Wind, Stops Spasms:
-Paralysis, muscular dystrophy
-Hypertension
-Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis

5. Benefits Kidneys, Astringes Essence:
-chronic urinary disorders, incontinence
-Diabetes
-stops Sweating from deficiency, Night Sweats
-promotes Longevity (Traditional)

6. Nourishes Heart, Calms the Mind and Spirit:
-restores Heart Qi
-Insomnia, Neurasthenia, Overwork, Stress
-Heart disease, chest tightness, Heart weakness


Dose:


For Heart disease, excess menstruation and to move the Blood, it is best taken with wine.
Powder: 1–3 grams
Decoction: 10–15 or 20 grams daily
Tincture (1:15 in 50% alcohol): 25mls per day
Just 500mg daily for 1 month showed significant increase in White Blood Cells.

Main Combinations:


1. Prolapse or Diarrhea, Phellinus linteus with Cyperus rotundus (Xiang Fu)
2. Bleeding, Phellinus linteus with Madder, Red Earth
3. Scrofula:
i. Phellinus linteus with Red Beans decocted into a soup
ii. Phellinus linteus, Figwort, Burdock seed
4. Tumors, Cancer:
i. Phellinus linteus (20 grams), Ganoderma Ling Zhi (40 grams). Cook and have over the course of the day.
ii. from Damp, Phellinus linteus, Poria Fu Ling, Polyporus Zhu Ling, Ganoderma Ling Zhi, Trametes (Turkey Tail)
iii. Phellinus linteus, Atractylodes Bai Zhu, Poria Fu Ling, Astragalus Huang Qi, Hedyotis Bai Hua She She Cao

Major Formulas:



Cautions:


None noted.
It is regarded as totally safe, even in large doses, or when combined with other medication.

Main Preparations used:




  • Extra Info
  • Research
A number of cases of advanced Cancer with secondary metastasis have been recorded as having marked clinical results, some using Phellinus Sang Huang as a solo medicine. While these are not part of clinical trials and may be viewed as poor or biased reports, they are nevertheless compelling, and supported by research:
1. A case of hormone refractory prostate cancer with rapid progression of bone metastasis had a dramatic remission.
2. A 65 year old man with advanced Hepatocellular cancer and bone metastasis with no other treatment except localised radiation for painful sternum tumor had spontaneous regression of tumors.
3. Hepatocellular cancer with multiple Lung metastasis likewise achieved spontaneous remission and had no other conventional treatment other than Phellinus Sang Huang.

NOTE: The following research is for ‘Sang Huang‘, Phellinus linteus, and Phellinus igniarius.

1. GENERAL / REVIEW:
Recent studies on Sang Huang
Phellinus igniarius
A Review: The Bioactivities and Pharmacological Applications of Phellinus linteus
Species clarification for the medicinally valuable ‘sang huang’ mushroom.
Physicochemical analysis, structural elucidation and bioactivities of a high-molecular-weight polysaccharide from Phellinus igniarius mycelia.
Chemical constituents from the fruiting bodies of Phellinus igniarius.
Physiologically Active Compounds in Four Species of Phellinus.
Comparison of the Chemical Composition and Bioactive Components of Fruiting Bodies and Submerged Cultured Mycelia of the Willow Bracket Medicinal Mushroom, Phellinus igniarius (Agaricomycetes).
Phellinus igniarius: A Pharmacologically Active Polypore Mushroom.
Global diversity and phylogeny of the Phellinus igniarius complex (Hymenochaetales, Basidiomycota) with the description of five new species.
Steroids and Sesquiterpenes From Cultures of the Fungus Phellinus igniarius.
Styrylpyrone-class compounds from medicinal fungi Phellinus and Inonotus spp., and their medicinal importance.
[Studies on chemical constitutes of Phellinus igniarius].

2. ANTI-BACTERIAL,
–including drug resistant Staph. aureus
Synergistic Anti-bacterial Effects of Phellinus baumii Ethyl Acetate Extracts and β-Lactam Antimicrobial Agents Against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

3. ANTI-VIRAL:
In Vitro Evaluation of the Antiviral Activity of Some Mushrooms from Turkey.
The anti-influenza virus effect of Phellinus igniarius extract.

4. ANTI-ALLERGY:
–Anti-allergy effect has been demonstrated.

5. ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
Antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effect of Phellinus igniarius on RAW 264.7 macrophage cells.
Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Chemical Constituents Isolated from the Willow Bracket Medicinal Mushroom Phellinus igniarius (Agaricomycetes).

6. ANTI-OXIDANT (hispidin)
[Polysaccharide from Phellinus igniarius alleviates oxidative stress and hepatic fibrosis in Schistosoma japonicum-infected mice].
Antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effect of Phellinus igniarius on RAW 264.7 macrophage cells.
Simultaneous Quantification of Antioxidant Compounds in Phellinus igniarius Using Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-Photodiode Array Detection-Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry.
Separation and purification of the antioxidant compound hispidin from mushrooms by molecularly imprinted polymer.
Ultrasound enhanced production and antioxidant activity of polysaccharides from mycelial fermentation of Phellinus igniarius.
Antioxidant properties of edible basidiomycete Phellinus igniarius in submerged cultures.
Phelligridimer A, a highly oxygenated and unsaturated 26-membered macrocyclic metabolite with antioxidant activity from the fungus Phellinus igniarius.

7. ANTI-TUMOR, ANTI-CANCER:
A Combined Phytochemistry and Network Pharmacology Approach to Reveal the Potential Antitumor Effective Substances and Mechanism of Phellinus igniarius.
Medicinal mushroom Phellinus igniarius induced cell apoptosis in gastric cancer SGC-7901 through a mitochondria-dependent pathway.
Cytotoxic Activities of Fractions of the Willow Bracket Medicinal Mushroom, Phellinus igniarius (Agaricomycetes), and the Induction of Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in MGC-803 Cells.
Antitumor and immunomodulating activities of six Phellinus igniarius polysaccharides of different origins.
Study on Antitumor Activity of Phellinus vaninii in Vitro
Hispolon suppresses metastasis via autophagic degradation of cathepsin S in cervical cancer cells.
[Chemical constituents from Phellinus igniarius and their anti-tumor activity in vitro].
Molecular Characterization of Two Polysaccharides from Phellinus vaninii Ljup and their Cytotoxicity to Cancer Cell Lines.
Purification, characterization and antitumor activity of polysaccharides extracted from Phellinus igniarius mycelia.
The anticancer effects of hispolon on lung cancer cells.
Different immunology mechanisms of Phellinus igniarius in inhibiting growth of liver cancer and melanoma cells.
Hispolon induces apoptosis through JNK1/2-mediated activation of a caspase-8, -9, and -3-dependent pathway in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells and inhibits AML xenograft tumor growth in vivo.
Hispolon induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest of human hepatocellular carcinoma Hep3B cells by modulating ERK phosphorylation.
Endo-polysaccharide of Phellinus igniarius exhibited anti-tumor effect through enhancement of cell mediated immunity.
Antiproliferative and antimetastatic effects of the ethanolic extract of Phellinus igniarius (Linnearus: Fries) Quelet.
Study on anti-tumor effect of medicinal fungi Phellinus igniarius extracts.
Antimutagenicity and induction of anticarcinogenic phase II enzymes by basidiomycetes.

8. IMMUNO-MODULATING: due to beta-D-glutan
Polysaccharide from Phellinus Igniarius activates TLR4-mediated signaling pathways in macrophages and shows immune adjuvant activity in mice.
Growth-Inhibitory and Immunomodulatory Activities of Wild Mushrooms from North-Central British Columbia (Canada).
Antitumor and immunomodulating activities of six Phellinus igniarius polysaccharides of different
Structural characterization and immunomodulatory effects of polysaccharides from Phellinus linteus and Phellinus igniarius on the IL-6/IL-10 cytokine balance of the mouse macrophage cell lines (RAW 264.7).

9. HEPATOPROTECTIVE:
Metabolomics study of the hepatoprotective effect of Phellinus igniarius in chronic ethanol-induced liver injury mice using UPLC-Q/TOF-MS combined with ingenuity pathway analysis.
Hepatoprotective effect of Phellinus linteus mycelia polysaccharide (PL-N1) against acetaminophen-induced liver injury in mouse
Hepatoprotective Principles and Other Chemical Constituents from the Mycelium of Phellinus linteus

10. PROTECTS AGAINST HEPATIC FIBROSIS:
Prophylactic effect of Phellinus igniarius on hepatic fibrosis in rats

11. NEUROPROECTIVE:
A Water-Ethanol Extract from the Willow Bracket Mushroom, Phellinus igniarius (Higher Basidiomycetes), Reduces Transient Cerebral Ischemia-Induced Neuronal Death.
Polyphenol extract from Phellinus igniarius protects against acrolein toxicity in vitro and provides protection in a mouse stroke model.

12. ANTI-DIABETIC:due to interfungin A
Anti-diabetic activity of a polyphenol-rich extract from Phellinus igniarius in KK-Ay mice with spontaneous type 2 diabetes mellitus.

13. RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS:
–Shown potential benefit in the treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis. (Chinese research)

14. AUTOIMMUNE ENCEPHALOMYELITIS
A mushroom extract Piwep from Phellinus igniarius ameliorates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis by inhibiting immune cell infiltration in the spinal cord.

15. COLITIS:
The aqueous extract of Phellinus igniarius (SH) ameliorates dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis in C57BL/6 mice.