The Legitimate Scientific Name of the Valuable Medicinal Mushroom" Niu
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Micología Aplicada International ISSN: 1534-2581 [email protected] Colegio de Postgraduados México Jong, S.-C. The legitimate scientific name of the valuable medicinal mushroom "Niu-Chang- Chih" known only from Taiwan Micología Aplicada International, vol. 24, núm. 2, julio, 2012, pp. 43-52 Colegio de Postgraduados Puebla, México Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=68524018002 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative MTICHEOLOGIA MEDICINAL APLIC ADAMUSHROOM INTERNATIO “NIUNAL-C, HA24(2),NG-C 2012,HIH” pp. 43-5243 © 2012, BERKELEY, CA, U.S.A. www.micaplint.com THE LEGITIMATE SCIENTIFIC NAME OF THE VALUABLE MEDICINAL MUSHROOM “NIU-CHANG- CHIH” KNOWN ONLY FROM TAIWAN S.-C. JONG Consultant for Global Affairs, Emeritus Director of Microbiology, ATCC, 10801 University Blvd., Manassas, VA 20110-2209, U.S.A. Tel: 703-365-2742. Fax: 703-365-2760. E-mails: [email protected] ; [email protected] Internet: http://www.atcc.org/ Accepted for publication July 20, 2012 ABSTRACT “Niu-Chang-Chih” is a valuable medicinal mushroom known only from Taiwan. It has long been used in folk medicine as an antidote for alcohol and drug intoxication, as an anticancer agent in liver cancer and in the treatment of diarrhea, abdominal pain, hypertension and skin itching. The pharmacological activities and the chemical constituents of crude extract of “Niu-Chang-Chih” are quite different from those reported for ‘Linzhi” (Ganoderma lucidum ). Thus, a legitimate scientific name for the mushroom is essential for health, trade, conservation, property rights protection, and data retrieval systems. The desirability for use of a legitimate name is not only evident, but such use is becoming increasingly urgent with wider recognition of the important role the mushroom plays in bioindustry and biotechnology. There are four scientific names related to the mushroom “Niu-Chang-Chih” in the commercial and scientific literature: Ganoderma camphoratum Zang et Su, 1990; Antrodia cinnamomea Chang et Chou, 1995; Antrodia camphorata (Zang et Su) Wu et al., 1997; and Taiwanofungus camphoratus (Zang et Su) Wu et al., 2004. In order to determine the legitimate name from those cited for the mushroom, the nomenclatural standing with regard to legitimacy of each name is critically reviewed in accordance with particular rules of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN, the Melbourne Editorial note: The main subject of this paper is in process of being solved. The editors are open to editorials, MICOL. APL.letters INT., or 24(2), manuscripts 2012, from PP. colleagues43-52 interested in this constructive discussion. 44 S.-C. JONG Code of 2011). Clearly they all are effectively and validly published names. However, the name G. camphoratum is legitimate for a “Linzhi” mushroom, but illegitimate for the “Niu-Chang-Chih” mushroom because it is based on a mixed nomenclatural type (HKAS 22294) with two taxonomically discordant elements. The echinulate Ganoderma spore element of the mixed holotype HKAS 22294 was later separated and designated as lectotype of G. camphoratum by Chang and Chou in 2004. In addition, the new combinations A. camphorata (1997) and T. camphoratus (2004) were superfluous names for A. cinnamomea (1995) when published and must be rejected because the name A. cinnamomea was readily available. Each mushroom can bear only one legitimate name and any name that is contrary to rules of the ICN must be rejected unless conserved or sanctioned by the International Botanical Congress. Consequently, A. cinnamomea is the only “legitimate” name now available for the mushroom “Niu- Chang-Chih” with the holotype TFRI 119. It is thus incorrect (wrong) to cite these illegitimate names A. camphorata and T. camphoratus as taxonomic synonyms of the legitimate name A. cinnamomea. Unfortunately, these illegitimate names A. camphorata and T. camphoratum are still frequently cited in the literature, including the patent literature, for “Niu-Chang-Chih”. Key words: Antrodia cinnamomea, illegitimate names, legitimate name, medicinal mushroom, “Niu-Chang-Chih”, nomenclatural status, Taiwan. INTRODUCTION fying the blood, removing toxic substances, toning kidney, protecting liver, regulating The mushroom “Niu-Chang-Chih” is a intestine, strengthening the heart, adjust- fungus causing brown rot in Cinnamomum ing blood pressure, anti-bacteria, resisting kanehirai Hayata, a large evergreen broad- cold, suppressing cough, eliminating spu- leaf tree native to Taiwan. The strong bit- tum, alleviating pain, tranquilizing, anti- ter taste is believed to originate from the cancer, relieving tumor, expelling toxin, methanol-extract triterpenoids and the ef- and anti-fatigue6,8,14,15, 16,23,24. fective medicinal components3,7,8,23,24. The Because of its host specificity and scar- percentage of methanol extract (30%) ob- city in nature, and the difficulty of obtain- tained from the basidiocarp is ten times ing basidiocarps in artificial cultivation, higher than that of “Linzhi” (Ganoderma this mushroom has become very expen- lucidum)2. The mushroom has long been sive as medicinal material. Basidiocarps of used in folk medicine as an antidote for good quality cost about NT $1,340,000.00 alcohol and drug intoxication, as an an- (ca. US$44,000.00) per kilogram15. Thus, ticancer agent in liver cancer, and in the a legitimate scientific name for the mush- treatment of diarrhea, abdominal pain, hy- room “Niu-Chang-Chih” is essential for pertension and skin itching1,14,15. Like other communication among life scientists, and medicinal mushrooms, the mushroom con- in commercial trade, property rights pro- tains many biologically active ingredients tection, information storage and retrieval, that are believed to exhibit effects of puri- conservation of pure cultures, drafting of MICOL. APL. INT., 24(2), 2012, PP. 43-52 THE MEDICINAL MUSHROOM “NIU-CHANG-CHIH” 45 government legislation and regulations, as According to the rules of fungal nomencla- well as for quality control, sterility assur- ture governed by the International Code of ance and consumer safety of health food Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants products. Furthermore, scientific names (ICN or the Melbourne Code9,11,13,19,20,21,22), can avoid the confusion that can be created each fungus can bear only one legitimate when attempting to use common names name and any name that is contrary to one to refer to a mushroom species. Common or more rules (e.g., illegitimate) must be re- names often differ even from one part of jected. In order to determine the legitimate a country to another, and certainly vary name of the mushroom “Niu-Chang-Chih”, from one country to another. The scien- the nomenclatural status (effective or inef- tific names in Latin can be used all over fective, valid or invalid, legitimate or ille- the world, avoiding disadvantageous name gitimate) of each name concerned is criti- changes and difficulties of translation into cally reviewed in accordance with particu- different languages. lar rules of the ICN (the Melbourne Code). The mushroom “Niu-Chang-Chih” has cylindrical basidiospores, weakly amyloid skeletal hyphae, cinnamon resupinate to RULES OF FUNGAL pileate basidiocarps, as well as chlamydo- NOMENCLATURE spores and arthroconidia in pure culture. Taxonomically, these morphological and Fungal taxonomy consists of three distinct cultural characteristics place it in the genus but interrelated areas: classification, no- Antrodia P. Karst., family Fomitopsidaceae, menclature, and identification10. and order Polyporales4,5,12,25. Currently (a) Classification is the arrangement of fun- there are four scientific names related to gi into groups called taxa based on their the mushroom “Niu-Chang-Chih” in the overall similarities of phenotypes (phe- literature: netic classification) or the evolutionary Ganoderma camphoratum Zang et Su, pathways derived from genotypes and Acta Bot. Yunnanica 12: 395, 1990. macromolecular sequences (phyloge- Antrodia cinnamomea Chang et Chou, netic or phyletic classification). Mycol. Res. 99: 756, 1995. (b) Nomenclature is the assignment of for- Antrodia camphorata (Zang et Su) Wu et mal names to fungi according to rules al., Bot. Bull. Acad. Sin. 38: 273, 1997. (which are mandatory) and recommen- Taiwanofungus camphoratus (Zang et Su) dations (non-mandatory but good prac- Wu et al., Fung. Sci. 19 (3-4): 111, 2004. tice) defined in the ICN as adopted by Nomenclatural problems in the use of le- IBC. The Code is designed to provide gitimate fungal names have long been recog- a stable method of naming taxonomic nized internationally. A common complaint groups, avoiding and rejecting use of of those concerned with many different as- names which may cause “disadvanta- pects of applied mycology is the apparently geous name change” or unscientific endless change of fungal names cited in the confusion so that a fungus can bear commercial and scientific literature. For ex- only one legitimate name which is rep- ample, some 100,000 species of fungi seem resented by a nomenclatural type. acceptable at present, though about 300,000 (c) Identification is the practical use of valid names have been applied to them12. classification and nomenclature of MICOL. APL. INT., 24(2), 2012, PP. 43-52 46 S.-C. JONG fungi, upon which it follows