A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

PLANT NAME: Auricularia spp.

COMMON NAMES: Pepeiao ("ear") [Hawai'i]; mu er ("wood ear"), hei mu er ("black wood ear") [China], yun erh (cloud ear) [China]; kikurage (edible fungus) [Japan].

NOMENCLATURE: Auricularia, Er, and Pepeiao all mean "ear" in their respective languages.
The specific epithet "auricula-judae" means "ear of Judas", and is a reference to Judas Iscariot. Both Judas and Auricularia have been known to hang from Elder trees. Jew's ear is a contraction of Judas' ear

CAUTIONS AND CONTRAINDICATIONS: DO NOT EAT WILD MUSHROOMS OR FUNGI UNLESS YOU ARE 100% POSITIVE IN YOUR IDENTIFICATION. Do not use Auricularia spp. during pregnancy, lactation, or for women trying to conceive.

TRADITIONAL CHINESE ENERGETIC FUNCTIONS (from various sources):
1) Tonifies qi, tonifies the stomach, refreshes the brain, strengthens the stomach.
2) Nourishes the yin and blood, moistens the lung, promoting production of the body fluid.
3) Invigorates blood, cools the blood, stops bleeding.
4) Strengthens the will.
5) Invigorates blood, stops pain, strengthens the lungs.

OTHER USES: Because of its ability to absorb copper, Auricularia polytricha has been studied as a possible way to detoxify environmental pollution.

CONSTITUENTS: Calcium, carotene, iron, phosphorus, polysaccharides (beta-D-glucans), protein.
The medicinal compounds found in pepeiao are called "HDP" or "Host Defense Potentiators." Comprised mainly of polysaccharides, they regulate immune responses, possibly through cytokine production. Cytokines include interferon, interleukins and materials that stimulate the natural killer T cells of the immune system. Polysaccharides such as beta-D-glucan are used in the treatment of cancer.

POSSIBLE DRUG INTERACTIONS: Not with Coumadin or other anticoagulants ~ [Agarwal 1982].

HABITAT: Likes it on wet rotting logs.

GATHERING: Can be gathered year round, even on the mainland. The color can range from pale tan when young to brown / purple as they age. The texture is always rubbery, never brittle.

NOTES 'N QUOTES
Medicinal mushrooms were often more popular in China than in Europe: "… they grow amongst rusty nails or rotten rags, or ye holes of serpents, or amongst trees properly bearing harmful fruits."
- - Dioscorides

• Hippocrates (455 B.C.), the father of medicine described fungus as being used as "moxa" (the smoke of the burning herb was used topically) for kidney problems or back pain..