Oetzi the Iceman Used Birch Polypore for Intestinal Parasites

By Dr. Markho Rafael

As suggested by its name, Birch Polypore grows on birch trees, living or dead. It grows around the world wherever birch trees are found.

Birch Polypore's 15 minutes of fame came when it was discovered among the remains of Oetzi the Iceman, whose 5,300 year old mummified body was found 1991 at the border of Austria and Italy in a glacial ice cave.

It is believed that Oetzi used Birch Polypore as a remedy against intestinal parasites, in particular Trichuris trichuria. [190]

And indeed, Birch Polypore tea has been used historically as a folk remedy against intestinal parasites. It has also been used as a styptic to stop bleeding, and as a general antibiotic. [25]

Studies from 1997 also reported that compounds isolated from Birch Polypore helped reduce chronic skin inflammation [191] as well as inflammation in general. [192]

In terms of its antibiotic properties, Birch Polypore extract has been found effective against Bacillus megateterium. [194] One antibiotic compound that has been isolated from Birch Polypore is known as Piptamine. [193] Medicinal mushroom expert Paul Stamets proposes that Birch Polypore extract be tested for its effectiveness against anthrax Bacillus anthracis. [134]

Another potent compound isolated from Birch Polypore is Betulinic Acid, which is produced by birch trees and then extracted and concentrated by the Birch Polypores. A study on melanoma in 1995 found that Betulinic Acid exhibited toxicity against melanoma cells while having no adverse effect on healthy cells. [195] A later study, in 2002, may have discovered the mechanism behind Betulinic Acid's cancer toxicity when it found that it inhibits certain enzymes involved in the growth and development of tumors. [196]

A 2001 study of Betulinic Acid derivatives from Birch Polypore also reported anti-viral properties. In a study on HIV, these compounds were found to block the reproduction of HIV. [197]

In 2004, medicinal mushroom expert Paul Stamets filed a patent on an extraction method of Birch Polypore after researchers at USAMRIID (U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease) and NIH (National Institute of Health) published findings that Stamets' Birch Polypore extract effectively killed vaccinia and cowpox viruses while not harming human tissue. [134]

Note: The statements on this page have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Never use any medicinal mushroom or herb without prior approval by medical doctor. - 17274

About the Author:

Dr. Rafael has worked with natural health since Chiropractic College in 1996. His current focus is research and writing about medicinal fungi, working specifically with the MycoMedicinals of Paul Stamets, whose Birch Polypore extract is part of the synergistic blend Paul Stamets Host Defense for Travelers. For research references to this article, visit the Piptoporus betulinus page.