Spring 2001
POBox 7306Missoula, MT59807
Website: www.fungaljungal.org
Field Notes
There have been some interesting articles about fungi posted recently. These are summaries of
longer articles. My own comments are included in italics.
(from Mycelium, vol 26 #2)
A US group has developed new biotechnology to decontaminate chemical and biological warfare
agents that is cheaper than conventional methods (incineration). Using the living mycelium and the
enzymes produced by a variety of proprietary fungal strains cultured from wild species, scientists have
demonstrated a detoxification method which could solve problems of wide-area chemical or biological
warfare decontamination, remediation, and detection. The mycofiltration properties of the mycelium
accomplish the efficient and complete degradation of compounds of chemical weapons like Sarin, Soman,
and the VX family of nerve gas. Apparently one of the fungal species is also psychoactive!
(from NJMA news & Dr. DB Mowrey)
Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) or its extract (silymarin) have been used to support and protect
liver function by European doctors for centuries, although few American medics know of it and the FDA
has never approved it for medical use. Instead, such drastic procedures as liver transplants are
recommended forUS Amanita poisoning cases.
Well-controlled, double-blind studies, involving more that 3,000 patients have proven the efficacy
of this extract. Research shows that silymarin protects liver cells and stimulates protein synthesis, which
accelerates the growth of new liver cells.
Knowing the extreme toxicity of the Amanita toxin,a Dr. G. Vogel treated 60 patients suffering
from severe Amanita poisoning by using silymarin extract. In his words, “the results were spectacular.”
Every patient treated recovered. Compare with standard treatments now being used in America, where 30-
40% of Amanita victims die.
I have personally used S. marianum for about 10 years, since taking it helped me recover from a
case of hepatitis in India. I eat a few seeds sprinkled on my morning cereal, or take the commercially
available plant extract capsules (often combined with turmeric, which apparently enhances liver activity as
well) once a day.
(compiled by L.Evans)
The Colombian government recently rejected the use of bioherbicides using Fusarium varieties
developed by researchers at MSU Bozeman for the US government’s anti-drug program. These fungi have
been shown to not only kill the intended target crops of coca and poppies, but all agricultural crops and a
broad spectrum of native plants, rendering infected areas sterile for an indefinite period of time. Use of this
bioengineered fungus against Colombian targets by another government would now constitute a violation
of international laws pertaining to biological warfare. This ban seems only reasonable, since there is no
known way to control the spread of this Fusarium variety.
