Common Turkey Tail Mushroom vs. Cancer
Dr. Markho Rafael | June 26, 2011Trametes versicolor may well be the most common mushroom in the world. It grows on dead wood from the rain forest to the taiga.
So considering these vastly different environments and all the other fungi and bacteria it has to compete with for survival, it’s a qualified guess the Trametes has a strong immune system, with an array of potential medicinal compounds.
In traditional Chinese medicine, Trametes versicolor extract is used to treat liver cancer and some types of jaundice. [160] In modern medicine, the best known and most researched medicinal extract of Turkey Tail Mushroom is called PSK. It is used in Asia as an anti-cancer drug under the brand name Krestin. [188]
Two Japanese studies in the 1990′s encompassing a total of 486 patients showed an increased survival rate from gastric cancer when PSK was added to conventional chemotherapy treatment. [161, 162, 163] It’s also been found that PSK reduces cancer metastasis and recurrence. [161, 162, 164]
Two other compounds isolated from Trametes have demonstrated an inhibitory effect on leukemia. A polysaccharide named CVP exhibited an inhibitory effect on leukemia cell growth with no harmful effect to normal lymphocytes. [165, 166, 167] The small polysaccharide SPCV also showed leukemia proliferation inhibition. [168]
Trametes versicolor extract appears to combat cancer in two ways:
1) Through directly inhibiting cancer cell proliferation.
2) By enhancing Natural Killer (NK) cell activity. [169, 170, 171] Natural killer cells are a critical part of the human immune system’s fight against cancer.
Though the effectiveness against different forms of cancer varies, PSK is currently used to treat cervical cancer in conjunction with radiation. Studies have linked it to increased survival rate from cervical cancer. [134] It also decreases tumor cell regeneration in hormone responsive prostate cancer, as demonstrated in a 2001 study at New York Medical College. [172]
Other cancer types where PSK shows promising results include lung, breast and colon cancer, [25, 173] but not Sarcoma 180. [174]
In addition to its anti-cancer properties, PSK is also a potent antibiotic against Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Listeria monocytogenes and Cryptococcus neoformans. [175, 176, 177, 178, 179]
Petri dish trials of a different compound (PSP) isolated from Trametes versicolor has even been shown to inhibit replication [180] and infection [181] of HIV. It has not yet been tested on live subjects.
In a study conducted in 1995, PSK demonstrated effectiveness at normalizing the immune function of people with chronic rheumatoid arthritis. [182]
In the book Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms, Paul Stamets mentions being aware of several individuals with Hepatitis C reporting relief of symptoms from using medicinal mushroom tea. He specifically relates a case of a man with swollen liver and spleen starting on a daily regimen of tea made from Trametes versicolor (Turkey Tail Mushroom) and Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi). After two weeks, the swelling went down and liver enzymes normalized. His HCV value went from 1.3 million to 140,000. [183]
Trametes versicolor extracts also contain many antioxidant compounds, [184, 185, 186, 187] and may assist the recovery of the spleen after radiation. [189]
Last but not least, Paul Stamets in his book Mycelium Running also list the following two areas where research indicates Trametes versicolor may be beneficial: Uterine cancer; kidney health. [134]
Note: The statements on this page have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Never use any herb (or mushroom) except as advised by a licensed medical practitioner.
Credit to Paul Stamets for research and source material.
Dr. Rafael currently specializes in writing and researching about medicinal mushrooms in cooperation with Cordyceps Reishi Extracts, LLC, a US company offering Trametes extract (Stamets’) and other medicinal fungi. For article references, please go to Trametes versicolor extract and click on any number indicating a reference.





