3 LUG 2026 · Un’antica leggenda di tradimento e un raro fungo che profuma di cioccolato fondente: in questo finale di stagione de ‘Il Quarto Regno’, Federica De Masi e Stefania Cazzavillan, biologa, con specializzazione in genetica, firmano una puntata speciale dedicata a una sinergia tra due funghi medicinali, alleati prezioni per il benessere umano. Viaggeremo tra i segreti dell’Auricularia auricula-judae, il celebre ‘Orecchio di Giuda’ che la scienza oggi elegge a protettore del cuore e delle mucose, e il Polyporus umbellatus, un raro ombrello naturale specializzato nel drenaggio dei liquidi e nella pulizia profonda del nostro cervello. Come possono un’antica storia e una forma curiosa nascondere molecole capaci di regolare l'equilibrio del nostro organismo? Un percorso affascinante che collega la tradizione millenaria alle più recenti scoperte sul microbiota e sul benessere cardiovascolare.
Crediti musicali e materiali storici:
- ‘Arcade Anthem’ di Cosmo Lawson – Shutterstock.com
- ‘I Feel Freedom’ di Dope Cate – Shutterstock.com
- ‘Digital World’ di Peter McIsaac Music – Shutterstock.com
- ‘Voyager in Space’ di Babel – Shutterstock.com
- ‘Crime of the Century’ di Flash Fluharty – Shutterstock.com
- Citazione del videogioco ‘Super Mario Bros’ – ‘Ground Theme’ di Koji Kondo Estratto da ‘Gesù di Nazareth’, 1977. Regia di Franco Zeffirelli; Rai, Incorporated Televisione Company
Bibliografia:
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- Y.Y. Zhao, R.M. Xie, X. Chao, Y. Zhang, R.C. Lin RC, W.J. Sun ‘Bioactivity-directed isolation, identification of diuretic compounds from Polyporus umbellatus’ - Journal of ethnopharmacology. 2009 Oct 29;126(1):184-7
- Z.G. Zhang, X. Zeng, L. Han, J. Wei, H. Haiding ‘Diuretic activity and kidney medulla AQP1, AQP2, AQP3, V2R expression of the aqueous extract of sclerotia of Polyporus umbellatus Fries in normal rats’
- S. Ren, H. Liu, Q. Sang, Y. Sun, L. Li, W. Chen ‘Polyporus umbellatus, A Precious Rare Fungus With Good Pharmaceutical and Food Value’ - Engineering in Life Sciences. 2025 Jan;25(1):e202400048
- T. Shimizu, K. Murakami, C. Matsumoto, T. Kido, Y. Isohama ‘Goreisan alleviates cerebral edema: possibility of its involvement in inhibiting aquaporin‐4 function. Traditional & Kampo Medicine’. 2023 Aug;10(2):168-76
- E. Liu, Y. Ji,F. Zhang, B. Liu, X. Meng ‘Review on Auricularia auricula-judae as a functional food: growth, chemical composition, and biological activities’ - Journal of agricultural and food chemistry. 2021 Feb 5;69(6):1739-50
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- E. Revskaya, P. Chu, R.C. Howell, A.D. Schweitzer, R.A. Bryan, M. Harris, G. Gerfen, Z. Jiang, T. Jandl, K. Kim, L.M. Ting ‘Compton scattering by internal shields based on melanin-containing mushrooms provides protection of gastrointestinal tract from ionizing radiation’ - Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmaceuticals. 2012 Nov;27(9):570-6
- Y. Zhang, B. He, L. Wu, X. Mi, L. Zhang, S. Li, J. Wang, X. Yu ‘Exposure to particulate matter 2.5 leading to lung microbiome disorder and the alleviation effect of auricularia auricular-judae polysaccharide’ - International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health. 2022 Nov 1;35(6):651
- N. Xu, Y. Zhou, X. Lu, Y. Chang ‘Auricularia auricula‐judae (Bull.) polysaccharides improve type 2 diabetes in HFD/STZ‐induced mice by regulating the AKT/AMPK signaling pathways and the gut microbiota’ - Journal of food science. 2021 Dec;86(12):5479-94
- X. Kong, W. Duan, D. Li, X. Tang, Z. Duan ‘Effects of polysaccharides from Auricularia auricula on the immuno-stimulatory activity and gut microbiota in immunosuppressed mice induced by cyclophosphamide’ - Frontiers in immunology. 2020 Nov 6;11:595700
- E. Roda et al ‘Novel medicinal mushroom blend as a promising supplement in integrative oncology: A multi-tiered study using 4t1 triple-negative mouse breast cancer model’ - International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2020 May 14;21(10):3479
- E. Roda et al ‘From a medicinal mushroom blend a direct anticancer effect on triple-negative breast cancer: a preclinical study on lung metastases’ - Molecules. 2020 Nov 18;25(22):5400
- F. De Luca et al ‘Fighting secondary triple-negative breast cancer in cerebellum: a powerful aid from a medicinal mushrooms blend’ - Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. 2023 Mar 1;159:114262
- L. Gaiaschi et al ‘The power of a novel combined anticancer therapy: challenge and opportunity of micotherapy in the treatment of Glioblastoma Multiforme’ - Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. 2022 Nov 1;155:113729
- M. Berretta et al ‘Multidisciplinary integrative medicine approach for cancer patients: a multicenter retrospective study’ - Nutrients. 2025 Mar 13;17(6):1012
- M. Berretta et al ‘Improved survival and quality of life through an integrative, multidisciplinary oncological approach: pathophysiological analysis of four clinical cancer cases and review of the literature’ - Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2022 Jun 16;13:867907
- M. Berretta M et al ‘Multidisciplinary integrative medicine approach for cancer patients: a multicenter retrospective study’ - Nutrients. 2025 Mar 13;17(6):1012 Per ulteriori approfondimenti e contenuti originali sui funghi medicinali, visitate il sito https://ilquartoregno.it/.