Antrodia
Encyclopedia
Antrodia is a genus
of fungi in the family
Fomitopsidaceae
. Antrodia species have fruiting bodies that typically lie flat or spread out on the growing surface, with the hymenium
exposed to the outside; the edges may be turned so as to form narrow brackets. Most species are found in temperate
and boreal forests, and cause brown rot
. Some of the species in this genus are have medicinal properties, and have been used in Taiwan
as a Traditional medicine
.
exposed on the outer side, but turned out at the edges to form brackets. When present, these brackets are typically white or pale brown. The pores on the surface of the hymenium may be round or angular. The context
is white or pale. All species cause brown-rot. Typically, basidiospores are thin-walled, cylindrical, and narrowly ellipsoidal or fusiform in shape. Most species grow on the wood of coniferous trees, except for A. albida, with grows the dead wood on deciduous
trees.
(known as Niu-Chang), where it is commonly used as an anti-cancer, anti-itching, anti-allergy, anti-fatigue, and liver protective drug in Taiwanese Traditional medicine
. Also, the water extract of A. camphorata mycelia grown in liquid culture has antioxidant
and anticancer properties, while A. camphorata is known to slows the growth of human breast cancer
cells. However, it is relatively unknown outside of Taiwan and virtually unknown in the Western world.
In order to reliably identify the various species and strains of medicinal Antrodia, genetic markers have been developed and phylogenetic analyses performed. This analysis showed that there are three distinct phylogenetic lineages with the Antrodia genus.
Antrodia albida
, Antrodia albidoides, Antrodia albobrunnea, Antrodia alpina, Antrodia aurantia, Antrodia bondartsevae, Antrodia calceus, Antrodia camphorata, Antrodia carbonica, Antrodia cinnamomea, Antrodia citrina, Antrodia conchata, Antrodia crassa, Antrodia daedaleiformis, Antrodia destructor, Antrodia eutelea, Antrodia ferox, Antrodia flava, Antrodia formosana, Antrodia gossypina, Antrodia gossypium, Antrodia heteromorpha, Antrodia infirma, Antrodia juniperina, Antrodia lalashana, Antrodia leucaena, Antrodia lindbladii, Antrodia luteola, Antrodia macra, Antrodia macrospora, Antrodia malicola, Antrodia mellita, Antrodia oleracea, Antrodia pictilis, Antrodia pini-cubensis, Antrodia plicata, Antrodia porothelioides, Antrodia primaeva, Antrodia pseudosinuosa, Antrodia pulvinascens, Antrodia ramentacea, Antrodia rupamii, Antrodia sandaliae, Antrodia saxonica, Antrodia serialis, Antrodia serpens var. serpens, Antrodia sinuosa, Antrodia sitchensis, Antrodia sordida, Antrodia stratosa, Antrodia subalbidoides, Antrodia submalicola, Antrodia subramentacea, Antrodia taxa, Antrodia terrei, Antrodia variiformis, Antrodia xantha.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of fungi in the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Fomitopsidaceae
Fomitopsidaceae
The Fomitopsidaceae are a family of fungi in the order Polyporales. Most species are parasitic on woody plants, and tend to cause brown rots.-Genera:Amylocystis —Antrodia —Auriporia —Buglossoporus —Climacocystis —Dacryobolus —...
. Antrodia species have fruiting bodies that typically lie flat or spread out on the growing surface, with the hymenium
Hymenium
The hymenium is the tissue layer on the hymenophore of a fungal fruiting body where the cells develop into basidia or asci, which produce spores. In some species all of the cells of the hymenium develop into basidia or asci, while in others some cells develop into sterile cells called cystidia or...
exposed to the outside; the edges may be turned so as to form narrow brackets. Most species are found in temperate
Temperate
In geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally relatively moderate, rather than extreme hot or cold...
and boreal forests, and cause brown rot
Brown rot
Brown rot may refer to the following diseases:*Wood-decay fungus, a disease of trees and wood.*Ralstonia solanacearum, a disease of plants caused by bacteria.*Monilinia fructicola, a disease of stone fruits....
. Some of the species in this genus are have medicinal properties, and have been used in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
as a Traditional medicine
Traditional medicine
Traditional medicine comprises unscientific knowledge systems that developed over generations within various societies before the era of modern medicine...
.
Description
Antrodia are effused-resupinate, that is, they lie stretched out on the growing surface with the hymeniumHymenium
The hymenium is the tissue layer on the hymenophore of a fungal fruiting body where the cells develop into basidia or asci, which produce spores. In some species all of the cells of the hymenium develop into basidia or asci, while in others some cells develop into sterile cells called cystidia or...
exposed on the outer side, but turned out at the edges to form brackets. When present, these brackets are typically white or pale brown. The pores on the surface of the hymenium may be round or angular. The context
Trama (mycology)
In mycology trama is a term for the inner, fleshy portion of a mushroom's basidiocarp, or fruit body. It is distinct from the outer layer of tissue, known as the pileipellis or cuticle, and from the spore-bearing tissue layer known as the hymenium....
is white or pale. All species cause brown-rot. Typically, basidiospores are thin-walled, cylindrical, and narrowly ellipsoidal or fusiform in shape. Most species grow on the wood of coniferous trees, except for A. albida, with grows the dead wood on deciduous
Deciduous
Deciduous means "falling off at maturity" or "tending to fall off", and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally, and to the shedding of other plant structures such as petals after flowering or fruit when ripe...
trees.
Medicinal properties
Antrodia includes some medicinal fungi such as Antrodia camphorata; this species in particular is well-known and highly valued as a medicinal mushroom in TaiwanTaiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
(known as Niu-Chang), where it is commonly used as an anti-cancer, anti-itching, anti-allergy, anti-fatigue, and liver protective drug in Taiwanese Traditional medicine
Traditional medicine
Traditional medicine comprises unscientific knowledge systems that developed over generations within various societies before the era of modern medicine...
. Also, the water extract of A. camphorata mycelia grown in liquid culture has antioxidant
Antioxidant
An antioxidant is a molecule capable of inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons or hydrogen from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals. In turn, these radicals can start chain reactions. When...
and anticancer properties, while A. camphorata is known to slows the growth of human breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
cells. However, it is relatively unknown outside of Taiwan and virtually unknown in the Western world.
In order to reliably identify the various species and strains of medicinal Antrodia, genetic markers have been developed and phylogenetic analyses performed. This analysis showed that there are three distinct phylogenetic lineages with the Antrodia genus.
Classification
The modern definition of the genus was described by Gilbertson and Ryvarden (1986) in their book North American Polypores.Distribution
Roughly twenty-nine species are known from Europe, 21 species in North America, and 18 species in East Asia, although more new species have been reported since the time of these publications.Species
There are approximately 50 species in this genus:Antrodia albida
Antrodia albida
Antrodia albida is a species of fungi in the genus Antrodia. It is a plant pathogen....
, Antrodia albidoides, Antrodia albobrunnea, Antrodia alpina, Antrodia aurantia, Antrodia bondartsevae, Antrodia calceus, Antrodia camphorata, Antrodia carbonica, Antrodia cinnamomea, Antrodia citrina, Antrodia conchata, Antrodia crassa, Antrodia daedaleiformis, Antrodia destructor, Antrodia eutelea, Antrodia ferox, Antrodia flava, Antrodia formosana, Antrodia gossypina, Antrodia gossypium, Antrodia heteromorpha, Antrodia infirma, Antrodia juniperina, Antrodia lalashana, Antrodia leucaena, Antrodia lindbladii, Antrodia luteola, Antrodia macra, Antrodia macrospora, Antrodia malicola, Antrodia mellita, Antrodia oleracea, Antrodia pictilis, Antrodia pini-cubensis, Antrodia plicata, Antrodia porothelioides, Antrodia primaeva, Antrodia pseudosinuosa, Antrodia pulvinascens, Antrodia ramentacea, Antrodia rupamii, Antrodia sandaliae, Antrodia saxonica, Antrodia serialis, Antrodia serpens var. serpens, Antrodia sinuosa, Antrodia sitchensis, Antrodia sordida, Antrodia stratosa, Antrodia subalbidoides, Antrodia submalicola, Antrodia subramentacea, Antrodia taxa, Antrodia terrei, Antrodia variiformis, Antrodia xantha.