Trametes suaveolens

Trametes suaveolens

The Turkey tail or Fragrant bracket (Trametes suaveolens (L.) Fries, 1838) is a basidiomycete belonging to the Polyporaceae family.

Systematics –
From a systematic point of view it belongs to:
Eukaryota Domain,
Kingdom Fungi,
Basidiomycota Division,
Subdivision Agaricomycotina,
Agaricomycetes class,
Subclass Incertae sedis,
Polyporales Order,
Polyporaceae family,
Genus Trametes,
T. suaveolens species.
Basionimo is the term:
– Boletus suaveolens L., 1753.
The terms are synonymous:
– Agarico-pulpa suaveolens (L.) Paulet;
– Boletus suaveolens subsp. suaveolens;
– Boletus suberosus Bolton;
– Boletus suberosus var. albus Bull.;
– Boletus suberosus var. conchiformis Batsch;
– Boletus suberosus var. flabelliformis Batsch;
– Daedalea bulliardii Fr.;
– Daedalea confragosa f. bulliardii (Fr.) Domański, Orloś & Skirg.;
– Daedalea confragosa subsp. bulliardii (Fr.) Domanski, Orlos & Skirg., 1967;
– Daedalea suaveolens (L.) Gray, 1821;
– Daedalea suaveolens (L.) Pers.;
– Daedalea suaveolens Pers. ex Fr.;
– Daedaleopsis confragosa f. bulliardii (Fr.) Domanski, Orlos & Skirgiello;
– Daedaleopsis confragosa subsp. bulliardii (Fr.) Ljub., 1975;
– Daedaleopsis confragosa var. bulliardii (Fr.) Ljubarskii;
– Haploporus suaveolens (L.) Donk;
– Polyporus albus (Bull.) E.H.L.Krause;
– Polyporus bulliardii (Fr.) Pers.;
– Polyporus itoi Lloyd;
– Polyporus suaveolens (L.) Fr.;
– Polyporus suaveolens L.;
– Polyporus suaveolens subsp. suaveolens;
– Polyporus suaveolens var. salicinus Fr.;
– Polystictus adustus Lloyd;
– Trametes bulliardii (Fr.) Fr.;
– Trametes confragosa f. bulliardii (Fr.) Pilát;
– Trametes inodora Fr.;
– Trametes suaveolens f. dorsalis Zmitr. & P.M.Kirk;
– Trametes suaveolens f. gibbosiformis Nikol.;
– Trametes suaveolens f. griseopora Komarova;
– Trametes suaveolens f. indora (Fr.) Pilát;
– Trametes suaveolens f. inodora (Fr.) Pilát;
– Trametes suaveolens subsp. indora (L.) Pilát, 1933.

Etymology –
The term Trametes is of uncertain etymology: for some it derives from tráma weft, warp, fabric, due to the presence of araneose substance around the pores, for others from trámes path, path, due to the conformation of the hymenium.
The specific epithet suaveolens comes from suavis soave, pleasant and from oleo exhale odor, perfume: which gives off a pleasant scent.

Geographic Distribution and Habitat –
Trametes suaveolens is a mushroom that grows in various parts of the world. In Europe it is present from Great Britain to temperate areas. It is found in parts of Asia and is quite common in North America.
Its growth habitat is that of live trunks, but subsequently also on dead trunks, especially willows and poplars, and is present all year round.

Recognition –
Trametes suaveolens is a stemless mushroom with a hat with a diameter between 6 and 12 cm, with a triangular section, pubescent. It has a rounded fan shape with a thin lamellar structure and often several carpophores with concentric growth are observed. On the hat there are a series of concentric alternating stripes of different shades from dark to light with blue, green, brown, ocher, gray and orange colors.
The tubules are white or yellowish, 10 to 15 mm deep and end with rounded or slightly elongated pores.
The pores are spaced from 0.5 to 1 mm, white when the fungus is young to subsequently become yellowish – brown in color; they are also angular – rounded.
The meat is thick, white, tender, then leathery when ripe, pleasant, with an aniseed but almost tasteless smell.
Under the microscope, smooth sub-cylindrical spores are identified.

Cultivation –
Trametes suaveolens is a mushroom that is not cultivated due to its inedibility.
On the other hand, the medicinal use of this mushroom is interesting and its future development could be interesting.

Customs and Traditions –
Trametes suaveolens is a leathery and inedible mushroom originally described by Carlo Linneo in 1753 to whom he gave the name of Boletus suaveolens; it was later transferred to the genus Trametes in 1838 by the great Swedish mycologist Elias Magnus Fries, thus establishing its currently accepted scientific name as Trametes suaveolens.
Similar species include Tyromyces chioneus which is smaller and grows in levels on decaying dead wood; its flesh is juicy and its pores are rounder and much smaller than those of Trametes suaveolens.
From a medical point of view, Trametes suaveolens is a fungus with interesting applications in the immunological field.
It acts as a “rebalancer” on the immune system often altered by disease, stress, incorrect diet, chemicals and pollution. The imbalance usually elevates Th2 cytokinins, leads to an inflammatory state with a partial inability of the organism to respond. The fungus stimulates Th1 cytokinins which inhibit Th2 ones, managing to bring the system back into balance. Its immunomodulatory property is also expressed by the increase in NK lymphocytes which are stimulated both in number and in cytotoxic function.
It is also useful against chronic degenerative viral diseases such as hepatitis C and HIV. Taking the mushroom reduces the symptoms of Herpes simplex and has been shown to be effective in negativising the human papilloma virus (HPV) with a decrease in the cancerous tendency of the lesions. In addition, good results have been found in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and infections of the respiratory, urinary and digestive systems.
This mushroom has an antitumor action. In the second half of the 1960s, a Japanese pharmaceutical company obtained an extract from the carpophore and mycelium called PSK. It is a glycoprotein with a mixture of polysaccharides that was marketed as Krestin; became a real anticancer drug, used as an adjuvant in traditional therapies and approved by the Japanese Ministry of Health.
In 1983, another extract from the deep layers of the mycelium, called PSP, was isolated in China. In 1992 it was approved as a class I drug by the Chinese Ministry of Health and since 1999 it has been on the list of reimbursable drugs by the state. There are many clinical studies carried out on guinea pigs, on in vitro cells and on cancer patients in different stages of development of the disease.
The antitumor action of Trametes suaveolens is due both to the stimulation of the immune system and to the action aimed at hindering the synthesis of DNA in cancer cells with an inhibition to the formation of metastases. It has proved capable of reducing the side effects of chemotherapy and this mushroom is prescribed in the East immediately after the diagnosis of the disease in order to be able to have a useful time to be able to act and prepare the way for conventional therapies. It is also able to prevent drug-induced carcinogenesis and radiotherapy.
The antioxidant properties are such as to block free radicals such as hydroxyl and superoxide which can cause serious damage to cells with the risk of gene mutations. The antineoplastic action of Trametes suaveolens is particularly effective for virus-induced and hormone-dependent tumors, no side effects have ever been found and it can be taken for a long time.
In a study conducted on 185 patients with stage I, II and III lung cancer, all undergoing radiotherapy with the intake of Trametes suaveolens extract for half of them, led to the following results: after 10 years, the 39% of the stage I and II patients who received the extract were still alive, compared with 16% in the other group. Furthermore, the survival rate in stage III patients was 22% in the first group and 5% in the second group.
In a study conducted on 227 women with breast cancer treated with chemotherapy and with the addition of the extract of the mushroom for some of them, it allowed to obtain survival after 10 years for 81.1% of the group that took also the mushroom, compared to 64.5% of the other group.
A study was conducted on 262 gastric cancer patients who had a gastrectomy with subsequent chemotherapy. The group that also took the mushroom, after 5 years managed to survive in 73% of cases, compared to 60% of survival in the group with only chemotherapy.
Other studies have been conducted to verify the ability of Trametes suaveolens to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy with consistently positive results. Adverse reactions of anticancer drugs with significant reduction of symptoms and a better quality of life of patients were evaluated with specific criteria.

Preparation Method –
From a food point of view, Trametes suaveolens, although not generally reported as severely poisonous, is too hard to be considered edible. For this reason, given their decomposition activity and their ecological role, it is advisable not to collect it.

Guido Bissanti

Sources
– Acta Plantarum – Flora of the Italian Regions.
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
– Useful Tropical Plants Database.
– Conti F., Abbate G., Alessandrini A., Blasi C. (ed.), 2005. An annotated checklist of the Italian vascular flora, Palombi Editore.
– Pignatti S., 1982. Flora of Italy, Edagricole, Bologna.
– Treben M., 2000. Health from the Lord’s Pharmacy, Advice and experiences with medicinal herbs, Ennsthaler Editore.
Photo source:
– https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/180071630/original.jpg
– http://pictures.snsb.info/BSMwohlfcoll/web/M-0031/M-0031455_20030722_111112.jpg

Warning: Pharmaceutical applications and alimurgical uses are indicated for informational purposes only, they do not represent in any way a medical prescription; therefore no responsibility is taken for their use for curative, aesthetic or food purposes.