Medicinal mushroom
Mykotherapie is the use of fungi, preferably bulk fungi and derived extracts, for which an efficiency in the context of prevention or supportive treatment alone is claimed. So far there is no sufficient scientific basis for this application. An authorization of the preparations as drugs is not in Germany.
For the term ' Mykotherapie "
The term Mykotherapie probably goes back to the mycologist January Ivan Lelley. Lelley complained to have derived its name from the neologism phytotherapy. In the book " The Healing Power of Mushrooms - Healthy through Mykotherapie ", first published in 1997, he referred Mykotherapie as the " science of the use of large mushrooms with medicinal properties " and calls for their recognition as a " stand-alone field of Naturopathy ." This claim is justified not only because of the large number of fungal species that now would be used, and their wide range of applications, but also for the ancient Far Eastern traditions.
" Medicinal Mushrooms "
The advertised for medical application fungal species are given by the providers Medicinal Mushrooms, Medizinalpilze or medicinal mushrooms. In China, many of these species of fungi have been used for centuries as recipe ingredients in traditional Chinese medicine ( TCM). In Europe they were in some cases mentioned in the herbals of Hieronymus Bock, Peter Melius and Adam Lonitzer.
According to these ancient pharmacopoeia was used as the Stinkhorn ( Phallus impudicus ) against the gout. The True tinder fungus ( Fomes fomentarius ) was used for hemostasis and the honey fungus ( Armillaria mellea ) is used as a laxative.
A passage from the herb book by Adam Lonitzer from 1679 through the wood ears ( Auricularia auricula - judae ), which is also called " elder sponge " in the vernacular:
"Delete Hollunderschwämme and down trucken sorts Hiz and tumor weight before and put in rose water or wine. "
In traditional Chinese medicine, however, one does not trust the wood ears to these healing properties. Here it is only the strong health and promote blood circulation.
The mushrooms are usually administered in dry form as a concentrated extract. The effects of the mushrooms should be based on their content of vitamins and minerals and hypothetical healing effects of certain ingredients found in certain types of fungi.
Legal classification
An authorization of the preparations as drugs is not in Germany. As a dietary supplement offered, they are subject to the regulations of the Food and Feed Code ( LFGB ) and Health Claims Regulation. The specification of medical indications and therapeutic promise is then inadmissible. Health claims as well as prevention promises require a license. On complaint of Central Office for Combating Unfair Competition in Frankfurt am Main, the Regional Court Tübingen (Decision of 8 November 2005, Case No. 21 O 184/ 05) prohibits a provider to advertise (alleged ) " Medicinal Mushrooms " with allegations that these reduce an excessive cholesterol levels, and serious and chronic diseases - such as cancer, but also migraine and tinnitus - healing effects unfold.