SHIITAKE MUSHROOM

Herbal Monograph

Herb: Shiitake Mushroom (Lentinus Edodes)

Other Names:

Character/Energetics:        

Meridians/Organs/Body Parts affected:              

Parts used:                                                                                                          

Identification & Harvesting:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Active Constituents:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Actions:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Conditions and Uses:                        

Combinations:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Precautions:                                                                                                                                                                                              

Tincturing Process:   

1. 1. Place 18-21 dried mushrooms through top of Vita Mix and process @ Speed 5 for 1 minute until thoroughly powdered. Cover with 1” of menstruum (265 gr: 1790 ml 40% vodka in 2-qt mason jar).
2. 2. Brew 6 weeks or longer. (1a)

“Double Extraction” 

1. 3. Press contents, separate liquid extract from the extracted (or “spent”) herb mass, the “marc.” Set the tincture aside.
2. 4. Pack the marc into a measuring cup to determine its volume.
3. 5. Simmer (decoct) the marc in 5x its volume of distilled water for an hour. Do not cover pot to allow evaporation process to begin, stirring often to avoid clumping and burnt marc on bottom of pot. 
4. 6. Let the brew cool; then, filter and squeeze the liquid from the marc. Compost this last marc. 
5. 7. Simmer the watery decoction under low heat. Evaporate to about one-fifth original volume.

Add enough of this concentrate to the first alcoholic tincture so that the final concentration of alcohol is at least 20-25%, which is needed to preserve the preparation (some measuring is required, but this can be calculated by knowing the approximate alcoholic percentage in the first tincture.

Note: Christopher Hobbs writes, “I feel, based on my experience, that this “double extraction” is richer in the immune-activating and anti-tumor polysaccharides, as well as the protein-bound polysaccharides and will be more tonifying than the original alcoholic preparation. Simmering the herb in water may soften and break down cell walls, releasing immune-strengthening high molecular-weight polysaccharides. (68)

Applications:              

Divination:

Dosage:                                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                           

General Notes:                                                                                                

                                                                                                                                                    

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References:

(1a) Cayuga Botanicals “Shiitake Tincture” file

(68) Medicinal Mushrooms by Christopher Hobbs, pg. 51

 

PHOTO: Wikipedia