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.comCitazione del videogioco ‘Super Mario Bros’ – ‘Ground Theme’ di Koji Kondo Estratto da ‘Gesù di Nazareth’, 1977. Regia di Franco Zeffirelli; Rai, Incorporated Televisione CompanyBibliografia: Y.Y. Zhao ‘Traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and quality control of Polyporus umbellatus (Pers.) Fries: a review’ - Journal of ethnopharmacology. 2013 Aug 26;149(1):35-48Y.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):184-7Z.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):e202400048T. 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):168-76E. 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):1739-50T. Islam, K. Ganesan, B. Xu ‘Insights into health-promoting effects of Jew's ear (Auricularia auricula-judae)’ -Trends in Food Science & Technology. 2021 Aug 1;114:552-69Y. Chen, M. Xu, X. Wang, X. Shan, L. Ji, Y. Zhang ‘Preparation of wood ear medicinal mushroom, Auricularia auricula-judae (Agaricomycetes), melanin and its antioxidant properties: evaluation in vitro and in vivo’ - International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms. 2021;23(6)J. Wang, Z. Ma, C. Wang, W. Chen ‘Melanin in Auricularia auricula: Biosynthesis, production, physicochemical characterization, biological functions, and applications’ - Food Science and Biotechnology. 2024 Jun;33(8):1751-8E. 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):570-6Y. 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):651N. 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):5479-94X. 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;11:595700E. 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):3479E. 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):5400F. 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;159:114262L. 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;155:113729M. Berretta et al ‘Multidisciplinary integrative medicine approach for cancer patients: a multicenter retrospective study’ - Nutrients. 2025 Mar 13;17(6):1012M. 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;13:867907M. 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 ilquartoregno.it.