The Songpyeon Mushroom (Image courtesy of the National Institute of Biological Resources)
SEOUL, Jun. 11 (Korea Bizwire) – A mushroom species native to Korea has been found to possess the ability to inhibit muscle cell death, according to research conducted by the National Institute of Biological Resources and a team led by professor Kim Seung-young from Sun Moon University.
On June 10, the researchers announced that the cultured broth of the songpyeon mushroom can prevent muscle cells from dying due to external stresses and promote cell proliferation.
In their experiments, the mushroom broth reduced the levels of the Caspase 3 and Caspase 9 proteins, which contribute to cell death, by 95%. Simultaneously, it increased the concentration of the BCL-2 protein, which inhibits apoptosis (programmed cell death), by more than twofold.
The research team filed a patent application for their findings on May 24.
Last year, the team filed a patent after confirming that the songpyeon mushroom broth inhibited the activity of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), an enzyme responsible for triggering inflammation, by over 90%.
The songpyeon mushroom earned its Korean name, which translates to “rice cake mushroom,” due to its resemblance in shape to the traditional Korean rice cake called songpyeon. The mushroom lacks a stem and can grow up to 15 centimeters in diameter and 4 centimeters in thickness when fully mature. Its colors range from white to yellowish-brown, and its surface has a velvety texture.
Found throughout the Korean Peninsula, Japan, China, the Philippines, Europe, and North America, the Cyclocybe aegerita has been used for medicinal purposes since ancient times. Despite being an annual mushroom, its tendency to grow in clusters on dead hardwood trees makes it suitable for large-scale artificial cultivation.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
