Other names: Almond Mushroom, Sun Mushroom, God’s Mushroom, Mushroom of Life, Royal Sun Agaricus, Jisongrong, Himematsutake

Agaricus blazei Murrill lives on rotting leaves, often at the borders between forests and parks. The mushroom, called the “almond mushroom” for its almond taste, was discovered in the late 19th century in North America, and later rediscovered in the 1960s in Brazil by Japanese researcher Takatoshi Furumoto, who sent it to Japan to study its medicinal properties. In Brazil, it has become an important export product.

Agaricus blazei Murrill contains high levels of minerals like potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, and zinc. Its bioactive compounds are mainly polysaccharides such as riboglucans and glucomannans. The bioactive substance with the anti-tumor effect was identified as ergosterol, functionally an analog of mammalian cholesterol.

Another beneficial bioactive compound is sodium pyroglutamate which has anti-angiogenic, anti-tumor and anti-metastatic properties, as well as immune-modulator activity. It also contains aromatic hydrazines, especially agaritine and its derivatives. The agaritine exerts anti-tumor activity in leukemic cells lines.

Agaricus blazei Murrill may be beneficial for diabetes, hyperlipidemia, arteriosclerosis, chronic hepatitis, and for stimulating the immune system.

Compliance: food or food ingredient, cosmetics ingredient

Compliance varies from country to country. There is no harmonized botanical list of allowed botanicals in food or food supplements for all EU countries. Compliance for cosmetic ingredients is harmonized in EU.

Please check your local regulation.