Thursday, October 15, 2009

Reishi Extract - A Traditional Chinese Medicinal Herb

By Markho Rafael

Reishi is frequently prescribed in Traditional Chinese Medicine as a panacea. It is widely used by both laymen and professionals in the Orient as a treatment for things as innocuous as stress or weight loss to more serious conditions such as arthritis and even cancer.

Working with cancer research at the Linus Pauling Institute of Science & Medicine is Dr. Fukumi Morishige, a strong proponent for the use of reishi in cancer treatment.

Below follows seven cases described by Dr. Morishige during a speech, later reprinted in the publication, Chinese Traditional Medicine Part III.

Growing up in Japan as Dr. Morishige did, it was impossible not to have heard of reishi. But he dismissed it as a mild herbal remedy to be used with limited results for non-terminal illnesses, not as a viable option for treating terminal conditions such as cancer. His curiosity arose when two of his cancer patients showed signs of remission, which they themselves claimed were due to their use of reishi.

The first was a 39-year-old female with lung cancer. Several hospitals had given her the same prognosis. The condition was too far progressed; there was nothing they could do to help her. She'd also been having secondary complications to the cancer in the form of edema of the chest cavity. But by the time she came to see Dr. Morishige six months later, those symptoms had completely disappeared. The patient herself insisted the improvement was due to 4 grams of reishi per day.

The second case was a young boy suffering from congenital liver cancer. At the age of 5, his attending physician determined that the condition was terminal and discontinued any further treatment. At 9 years of age, the boy's parents brought him to see Dr. Morishige who could then find no remaining traces of the cancer. The parents explained to Dr. Morishige that they had been feeding their son reishi via a naso-gastric tube. It was at this point Dr. Morishige determined that reishi's effect on cancer deserved further study.

The following are five of his case studies using reishi and Vitamin C (for prevention of side effects):

Case 1: A male patient, 70 years of age, had lost consciousness from a 5 cm brain tumor. Dr. Morishige put him on 6 grams of reishi daily beginning June, 1986. By September, he'd come out of his coma, after which he continued taking 3 grams of reishi per day. Six months later, brain scans revealed that the tumor had shrunk. When it had diminished to 1 cm (0.4 in.), the man left the hospital to go home and live with his family.

Case 2: A 50-year-old woman who had lung cancer and was coughing up blood was put on 6 grams of reishi per day. After six months, the tumor had disappeared. At the onset of treatment, she was unable to climb stairs. At the end, she was able to climb stairs with little effort.

Case 3: A woman with breast cancer and metastatic bone cancer suffered excruciating pain and an inability to move below the neck. Dr. Morishige started her out on 9 gm/day of reishi and then increased it to 20 gm/day. In two months, the patient was free from pain, able to walk, and was released from the hospital.

Case 4: A patient with rectal cancer, which had metastasized to the liver, was administered 6 gm/day of reishi. CT scans taken 6 months later showed tumor shrinkage and patient reported feeling better.

Case 5: A 60-year-old male diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer with a short remaining life expectancy began 9 gm/day of reishi orally, in combination with 30 gm/day of Vitamin C intravenously. One year later, he was completely symptom free and back to work. He continued using 5 gm/day of reishi after being released from the hospital.

End Note: This article is for informational purposes only. This product has not been tested by the FDA and it is highly advised not to use it for self-treatment of cancer. Always consult a licensed medical practitioner before using any herb for medicinal purposes.

Reference: Morishige, Fukumi, 1987. Chinese Traditional Medicine Part III, Page 12 - 23, ISBN4-88580-053-6 C-0077 - 14130

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