| E.A. Luginina |
THE USAGE OF APHYLLOPHORALES IN FOLK MEDICINE OF
RUSSIA |
| Russian Research Institute of Game Management and Fur
Farming, Kirov, Russia |
The list of species permitted for use in Russian Federation (2001) includes
only one species of fungi - Inonotus obliquus (Pers.) Pilat., which is used
to produce the medication “Befungin” and is taken to treat stomach
ulcer, gastritis, polyposis and cancer of stomach. But traditionally the population
uses several fungi species for medicinal purposes. According to available literature
data and results of questionnaire of locals in different regions of the country
we revealed the most popular species of Aphyllophorales, which are the following:
Laetiporus sulphureus (Bull.: Fr.) Murrill – powdered dried fruit bodies
of the fungi are used to increase body resistance, treat swellings of prostate
gland and lactiferous glands, mastopathy and also during menopause to improve
the state. Albatrellus ovinus (Schaeff.: Fr.) Kotl. et Pouzar – fresh
fruit bodies of the fungi and tincture are used as tonic and outwardly –
as haemostatic and wound healing agent. Fomes fomentarius (L.: Fr.) Gill. –
water infusion of fruit bodies is used to treat dyspepsia, gastritis, cancer
of stomach, esophageal carcinoma, breast cancer and uterus carcinoma, and also
outwardly – as haemostatic agent. Ganoderma lucidum (Fr.) P. Karst. –
usage of fruit bodies infusion helps hematosis, stabilizes blood pressure, improves
the work of brain, used to treat asthma, chronic bronchitis, rheumatic arthritis,
gastritis, stomach ulcer, anaemia, pyelonephritis. Piptoporus betulinus (Bull.:
Fr.) P. Karst. – used as haemostatic and wound healing agent, has well-defined
anticancer activity. Flammulina velutipes (Curt.: Fr.) Singer – used as
preventive measures and treatment of gastrointestinal tract and liver diseases,
has anticancer and antiviral activity (fresh fruit bodies and tinctures are
applied). Fomitopsis pinicola (Fr.) P. Karst. – used to treat dysentery,
jaundice, diarrhea, also applied as haemostatic and emetic agent. Grifola frondosa
(Fr.) Gray. – infusion and tincture of the fungi are used to treat hypertension
(decreases cholesterol quantity in blood) and diabetes, it also has anticancer
activity. We have also made biochemical analyses of some fungi species, including
the above-named: Laetiporus sulphureus, Albatrellus ovinus, Flammulina velutipes,
with the method of gas-liquid chromatography. This allowed to reveal the peculiarities
of chemical composition which can be the proof of the named medicinal properties
of the fungi used only in folk medicine by now.
