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Shiitake

Lentinula edodes

Also calledShiitake (Japanese) · Xiang gu (Chinese, 'fragrant mushroom') · Pyogo (Korean) · Nấm hương (Vietnamese)

In older monographsLentinus edodes

The world's second most popular cultivated mushroom, grown on logs in China since at least the 13th century. Its purified β-glucan, lentinan, has been used by injection with chemotherapy in Japan; eating shiitake is a different thing, and raw or undercooked shiitake can cause a striking whip-like rash.

Full natural-history sheet →

What it is used for

  • Lentinan, a purified polysaccharide given by injection, has been used in Japan as an adjunct to chemotherapy, mainly for gastric cancer; this is a prescribed drug, not equivalent to eating shiitake or taking supplements.1,2

  • Eritadenine, a compound in shiitake, lowers cholesterol in animal studies; good human trials are lacking.1

  • Shiitake extracts are promoted for immune support; the evidence is laboratory work and small studies.1

How it is prepared

food

Fresh or dried mushrooms cooked thoroughly; cooking removes the risk of shiitake dermatitis.

Amounts are as recorded by the named source, not a recommendation.

Safety

Pregnancy
Likely safe
Breastfeeding
Likely safe
Children
Safe as a cooked food.

Do not use if

  • Mushroom allergy

Side effects

  • Shiitake dermatitis: itchy, linear, whip-like weals on the trunk and limbs appearing 12 hours to 5 days after eating raw or undercooked shiitake and lasting 3–21 days; sometimes worsened by sun
  • Allergic lung reactions in mushroom growers who inhale spores

In the healing traditions

  • Traditional Chinese Medicine

    Xiang gu

    A food that strengthens qi; the earliest written record of its cultivation is the Records of Longquan County (1209); Japanese log cultivation was described by Satō Chūryō in 1796.

  • Modern pharmacology

    Lentinan

    Purified β-1,3-glucan given intravenously alongside chemotherapy in Japan.

Active compounds

lentinan
β-1,3-glucan with β-1,6 branches; studied as an immune modulator; thought to cause shiitake dermatitis
eritadenine
adenine derivative that lowers cholesterol in animals
lenthionine
cyclic sulphur compound responsible for the aroma

History

Shiitake was first cultivated on cut logs in Song-dynasty China. Japanese researchers isolated lentinan in 1969, and French poison centres have recorded a rise in shiitake dermatitis as raw shiitake became fashionable in Europe.

Sources

  1. 1.Bisen PS et al. Lentinus edodes: a macrofungus with pharmacological activities. Curr Med Chem 2010
  2. 2.NCI PDQ: Medicinal Mushrooms (health professional version)
  3. 3.Boels D et al. Shiitake dermatitis recorded by French Poison Control Centers: new case series with clinical observations. Clin Toxicol 2014
  4. 4.Wikipedia: Shiitake (names, cultivation history)

Reference, not prescription. Nothing here is medical advice. Herbs can interact with medicines and be dangerous in pregnancy; tell your doctor or pharmacist about anything you take.