Agaricus, or larch sponge: application, reviews, healing properties

Most modern medicines originate in nature. Although some plants have been used as medicinal products for thousands of years, new healing properties, hidden in them, are still being discovered. A larch sponge is an unusual tree fungus, possessing unique properties. This unique plant will be discussed in this article. We will consider the general characteristics of the fungus, the ways of preparing medicinal products from it, as well as contraindications.

general description

Agaricus (this is another name for the fungus) parasitizes on coniferous trees, most often on larch. The distribution area coincides with the places of growth of this tree - North America (Canada, USA), Europe (Alpine part of Slovenia) and Russia (Siberia, Far East and European part).

Agaricus (larch sponge) has two commonly occurring scientific names. The first - Laricifomes officinalis - refers to those species that live on larch trunks. The second is Fomitopsis officinalis - the so-called fungi that are found on the trunks of other coniferous trees. It can be fir, spruce and tsugi canadian.

The mycelium of the fungus penetrates deep into the wood, extracting useful substances from it and accumulating them in the fruiting body. A larch sponge grows to a diameter of 30 cm. The hat has a rough surface covered with tubercles. The outer crust is hard and often cracked. Bottom of the cap is a tubular layer, which grows 1 cm per year.

Since coniferous trees live for decades, and sometimes for centuries, the mushrooms on their trunks are also long-lived. The larch sponge is not an exception. A photo taken by an American Dusty Yao in the state of Washington, USA, recorded a specimen of agaricus about 40 years old.

To prepare medicines, young mushrooms are collected. Their pulp is soft, crumbling, unlike old specimens, in which it resembles dense wood in structure.

History

Ancient Greek healer Dioscorides described agaricus as an "elixir of longevity". The ancient researcher mentioned it in his work "On medicinal substances" - the first in the history catalog, which describes more than 1000 different medications from various diseases that were studied at that time. His contemporaries highly appreciated this mushroom and exported it by whole caravans of ships from their colonies located on the Black Sea coast.
In Tsarist Russia, the larch sponge was the subject of export. Through the northern port of Arkhangelsk , Europe annually exported up to one hundred thousand tons of this raw material.
Russian peasants used this fungus not only as a medicine, but also as soap or a means for coloring fabrics in red. Young mushrooms also used for food - they made a delicious soup.

Composition

Valuable properties of agaricus are due to the high content of resinous substances in the flesh of the fungus, higher fatty acids, polysaccharides and phytosterols. The main component that determines the therapeutic effect of agaricus is the agaricic acid contained in it. It has a sedative and hemostatic effect, and also affects the body as a laxative.
Scientists from the University of Illinois in Chicago (USA) found in the fungus two new species of coumarin - an organic substance that shows high activity against the tubercle bacillus.

Mode of application

Mushrooms are harvested in the spring months. Ends in the middle of July. All fruit bodies must be dried in a well-ventilated area. The basis for the preparation of a medicinal product is a dried larch sponge, the application of which is most effective in the form of broths and infusions.
For broth it is necessary to grind the mushroom and put one tablespoon of raw material in enameled dishes. After this, after pouring 350 ml of water, it is required to bring the composition to a boil. Boil the mushroom over low heat for half an hour. After the end of the decoction should stand for four hours. Then it must be filtered. The broth should be taken three times a day for one tablespoon.

To prepare the infusion, you need to put one tablespoon of agaricus in a thermos bottle of 250 ml of boiling water. When our drug is ready, it needs to be filtered and cooled. Take the infusion in question by 1/3 cup three times a day.

You can also prepare an alcohol tincture. To do this, one glass of ground raw material should be poured with alcohol (0.5 liters) and cleaned for 14 days in a cool place. As the infusion is saturated, the container should be shaken periodically. Take the drug before eating 30 drops three times a day.

To soften the bitter taste of infusions and broths from agaricus, they can add mint, honey or lemon. It will not spoil the medicine, but only enrich it with useful ingredients.

Healing properties

Larch sponges are not only effective anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agents. Its extracts can be used as an antiviral.

Studies have shown that the agaricus possesses a particularly strong effect against smallpox, poultry and avian influenza viruses, herpes. This makes it a very valuable plant.

A solution prepared from an alcohol extract of a fungus has ten times greater effectiveness against influenza viruses than a strong antiviral drug Ribaverin. In this case, agaricus does not have a toxic effect on the human body.

An important property of the fungus in use in folk medicine is the ability to adsorb toxins and remove them from the body. This is especially important for people who have cancer. After the course of chemotherapy, many patients were helped by a larch sponge. The comments of people who managed to cleanse the body with her help are best told about the unique properties of this remedy.

Contraindications and side effects

Agaricus can not be used during pregnancy and lactation. It is not recommended to drink broths and infusions from the plant in question for problems with the liver and intestines. When allergic reactions occur, treatment should be discontinued.
Side effects when using agaricus can be the appearance of rash, diarrhea, vomiting reactions. These effects are caused by a violation of the recommended dosage of the drug.

Conclusion

A good alternative to conventional drugs, in which active substances are artificially synthesized chemical compounds, is agaricus (a larch sponge). The application, reviews, healing properties - all this is of interest to adherents of folk methods of treatment, when they are looking for information about this unique fungus. Therefore, agaricus is exactly what will help in the fight against diseases in our time. In fact now viruses and bacteria mutate, ceasing to react to medicines and methods of treatment of traditional medicine.