Hi Steve, Malcolm, Doug and all,
I have been looking into a mushroom called Chaga lately which grows on birch
trees primarily and in colder climates. It has a history of immune
enhancement in Russia and has been used there to help in the recovery of
cancer patients as well as as a preventative. Its properties can be better
explained in the links below. I have read of several different ways to
prepare it.
I am wondering if Chaga tincture could be made with DMSO to help achieve
good penetration as one might do with herbs. Any thoughts anyone?
http://www.wholife.com/issues/9_4/03_article.html
http://www.survivaltopics.com/survival/the-chaga-natures-medicinal-mushroom/
http://www.sunfood.com/buy/1/34/Chaga-Extract-Mushroom-Science-90-veg-caps-Wild-Crafted-1433.aspx
http://www.raysahelian.com/chaga.html
http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/gallery/DisplayBlock~bid~5349~gid~~source~gallerydefault.asp
http://mushroom-collecting.com/mushroomchaga.html
http://www.mushroomharvest.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=36_39&products_id=161
http://www.optimallyorganic.com/Chaga.htm?gclid=CLv4nZPSmZ0CFZJM5Qodhlg_3A
http://www.premiumchaga.com/index.html
http://www.chagatrade.ru/
http://www.mychaga.com/default.aspx
http://www.mitobi.com/chaga.html
Blessings,
Peter
----- Original Message -----
From: "Malcolm" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, October 02, 2009 2:42 AM
Subject: RE: CS>DMSO and poke
Hi Steve;
There are a number of mushrooms that contain anti-viral compounds; most
of the research on this topic as well as other medicinal qualities of
fungi has been done in China or Japan.
Check out "Mycomedicinals" by Paul Stamets.
Available from Fungi Perfecti, P.O. Box 7634 Olympia, WA 98507
or go to:
http://www.fungi.com/
I'd also highly recommend his book "Mycelium Running"
Take care,
Malcolm
On Wed, 2009-09-30 at 18:30 -0500, Norton, Steve wrote:
Doug,
I certainly agree that pokeweed is interesting.
Both in it's unique antiviral properties: Three well-known different
pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP)isoforms from the leaves of the pokeweed
(PAP-I from spring leaves, PAPII from early summer leaves, and PAP-III
from late summer leaves) that cause concentration-dependent depurination
of genomic virus RNA. And there is the pokeweed mitogen. I have not come
across mitogens in any other plant, although there may be some with
mitogens. And in it's immune stimulating properties.
I have to admit that the roots worry me a little since they, along with
any red parts of the plant (not including the berries), contains the
highest amount of toxins. The berries are the lowest as long as you do not
eat the seeds.
When I grew up in Kentucky, pokeweed would be found anywhere you did not
cut or weed regularly. I have yet to see it in CA where I live now. I see
that you offer pokeweed for sale or trade on your site. What are your
prices for shoots, roots, leaves and berries and when are the seasons for
each? I would like enough berries for a pie and some jelly to try. The
rest would be for tincturing. Except for some shoots that I may cook if
there are enough.
Thanks,
Steve N
-----Original Message-----
From: polo [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, September 30, 2009 2:57 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: CS>DMSO and poke
Steve,
I recommend a pure (upper 90s%) DMSO menstruum (herbal solvent), if
you are planning on tincturing the fresh green herb. If you are tincturing
dry herbs, I would go with the recommended ratios that are traditionally
used and varies from herb to herb. For instance it is recommended that
when you tincture dry poke root, you use a 50% ethanol/50% water solution,
so I would likewise use a 50% DMSO/50% water solution. Just substitute the
DMSO for ethanol.
DMSO should not need a preservative if used at the higher strengths,
just like ethanol. Things usually do not grow in DMSO as they do not in
ethanol, presuming the strength is high. I would not be afraid of herbal
tinctures 30% or higher in DMSO concentrations. I mostly only use High
purity DMSO in my tincturing process and I have yet to have a tincture
spoil.
I have never tried to combine DMSO and ethanol as a combination
menstruum. Interesting concept! I can only see an advantage to this from a
solvent standpoint if both solvents can extract components of an herb, if
one by itself could not. If you are only adding DMSO to provide a more
efficient vehicle of herbal drug delivery, then yes, that might be an
advantage too, though most people detest DMSO. You could extract the herb
by either using a combined DMSO/ethanol menstruum or just tincturing each
herb in a DMSO or ethanol menstruum then combining the two. Either way
should be ok to my way of thinking.
The eclectic medical movement that specialized in botanical medicines
from the late 1800s up till 1932 or so, found that the best poke root
tincture was made directly from the fresh green poke root. The dry poke
root is no where near as good or potent. The toxic qualities of poke weed
are highly exaggerated. No doubt if you ate the mature weed like you would
the young one or as you would any salad, you would suffer
gastro-intestinal distress, but that's about it--puking. In some circles,
it is felt that vomiting as a result of poke root is actually cathartic.
This is held mainly by the puke & cleanse old time herbalists. I would not
be worried about the widely publicized toxicity of poke. I know you will
find that some young children in the long ago past were said to be
poisoned by the berry. Maybe so. We don't know how much they ate, nor if
they were compromised in some way or if younger systems are more
susceptible. In the adult, poke berries were commonly used for arthritic
conditions. As the old cliché goes, all things are poison in the right
amounts and most poisons are medicinal in smaller amounts. Poke is no
different. It is one of my favorite herbs and a superb anti-viral and
lymphatic stimulant. It is great as a topical DMSO tincture.
doug
----- Original Message -----
> Doug,
> A little while back I asked you about making tinctures with DMSO
> (using the email address provided at your web site). If I remember
> right you recommended a 50% DMSO solution. Thanks for the info. I was
> wondering if you use a preservative in your DMSO tinctures? I am
> considering a DMSO/vodka tincture and wondered if you have tried
> something similar. If you do, would you need to combine the herb and
> DMSO and let it set first before adding the vodka, to maximize
> bonding between DMSO and herb components rather than DMSO bonding with
> alcohol?
> I also have a question regarding the tincturing of polkweed. The toxic
> components of pokeweed are water soluble. Should one dry and powder
> the pokeweed and then go through several soaking in water. Throwing
> away the water after each soaking before tincturing to eliminate the
> toxic substances? Or would you recommend an extraction using a non
> polar solvent to remove only the non water soluble components of the
> pokeweed?
> Thanks,
> Steve N
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