Everything you can imagine, nature has already created it, Albert Einstein.
It is precisely for this reason that we at Bict rely completely on what nature offers us. We use only natural ingredients and in this case we have drawn from the extraordinary kingdom of fungi. We offer veterinary products containing the Shiitake mushroom as a fermentation product; it is known in the literature for its immunostimulant, antiviral and bactericidal abilities.
The extraordinary kingdom of fungi
The fungi kingdom is very diverse, including both unicellular (lower fungi) and pluricellular (higher fungi) eukaryotic organisms and it is estimated that there are more than 3 million different species. Although they were initially classified as plants, they have many characteristics in common with animals. Specifically:
- they are not capable of chlorophyll photosynthesis but use external organic matter to feed themselves;
- the cell wall is chitin, a protein also present in the insect exoskeleton;
- they produce ergosterol which performs a cholesterol-like function;
- they accumulate glycogen as reserve sugar;
- when irradiated, just like animals, they produce vitamin D.
This evolutionary closeness to the animal kingdom makes them very useful for man, who can benefit from many of the compounds they produce.
Mycotherapy and medicinal mushrooms
The term mycotherapy was first coined in 1997 and refers to the use of fungi and fungal substances in the prevention and treatment of health problems in humans and animals. Over the past 20 years, this form of naturopathy, firmly rooted in traditional Asian medicine, has been increasingly supported by modern scientific research and has gained considerable importance over time. In particular, many higher fungi, called medicinal mushrooms, besides being a complete food that provides all nutrients (high protein, fiber, minerals, vitamins content), contain biologically active proteins, nutraceuticals and last but not least vitamin D, which make them ideal for the treatment of degenerative diseases (Rathore et al., 2019).
Shiitake, mushroom with a thousand-year-old tradition
Lentinula edodes, better known as Shiitake as it can grow on oak trunks (Shii oak and Take mushroom), is the second most popular edible mushroom on the global market. According to ancient Chinese and Japanese medical theory, the consumption of shiitake was recommended for a long life and good health. Shiitake is in fact the first medicinal mushroom to enter the world of modern biotechnology and this is due to its countless proven beneficial effects on human and animal health. Numerous scientific studies show that it contains immunostimulant polysaccharides, thus demonstrating anti-tumor activity. It also has molecules that inhibit blood aggregation, reduce cholesterol levels and perform antiviral and bactericidal activities. It is also a rich source of vitamins, in particular vitamin D, and essential amino acids (Binsen et al., 2010; Pohleven et al., 2016).
To find out more about this product, write to customerservice_italy@bict.it , we will find for you the best solution for your specific needs.