Tiger Milk Mushroom VS Lingzhi: An Authoritative Comparison of Anticancer Effects

Leung Man Fai, pharmacist-in-charge of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, analyzes the core differences and application scenarios of Tiger Milk Mushroom and lingzhi.

[Trivia] Anti-cancer effect of lingzhi is not rare, now Tiger Milk Mushroom is popular?

The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
Regarding the anti-cancer effect, lingzhi is no longer new, and Tiger Milk Mushroom is popular nowadays?
2020.6 Chinese Family Physician P24-25
Interviewee: Liang Wenhui, Chinese pharmacist in charge of the Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
Reporter: Mai Wei Correspondent: Lock Zhuoqi

The anti-cancer benefits of lingzhi have been known for a long time.
In recent years, Tiger Milk Mushroom has emerged as a new cancer-fighting product. The name alone raises expectations.

This reporter interviewed Liang Wenhui, a pharmacist in charge of the Department of Pharmacy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, to bring you an in-depth understanding of this new health ingredient, and to see what are the differences and similarities between it and ordinary lingzhi.

Mushroom science: Tiger Milk Mushroom is not traditional lingzhi
“Tiger Milk Mushroom is not the same as the traditional lingzhi.” Pharmacist Leung Man Fai explains.
If so, why are they both called “lingzhi”? Simply because of their similarity in appearance.
Although they look similar, the actual edible parts are very different.
One takes the above-ground part and the other uses the underground part.

“Conventional lingzhi uses the above-ground parts such as the mushroom umbrella, stalk and spores; whereas the part of Tiger Milk Mushroom that has medicinal value is the nucleus of the mushroom that is buried in the soil.” Pharmacist Leung Man Fai further explained.
According to him, this rare species of fungus is mainly produced in Malaysia, Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries, only a small amount of distribution in China’s Yunnan region. Entered the mainland market only nearly three years.

Anti-cancer effect: not as comprehensive as traditional lingzhi
Leung Man Fai pharmacist pointed out that Tiger Milk Mushroom has a complementary therapeutic effect on liver cancer patients.
“However, compared with lingzhi, which is widely used in cancer treatment, Tiger Milk Mushroom is only effective for liver cancer, and the scope of application is relatively narrow.”
In addition, because it is an emerging species in China, clinical research is not yet sufficient, and it is less commonly used as a routine drug in clinical practice.

Health Advantage: Mild and suitable for daily soups.
Although its anti-cancer effect is not as strong as lingzhi, Tiger Milk Mushroom still has unique value.
Pharmacist Leung Man Fai introduced that it is rich in protein, polysaccharide, vitamins and minerals and other nutrients.
On the one hand, a variety of active polysaccharides help enhance immunity;
On the other hand, it is good for respiratory diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, chronic pharyngitis, as well as chronic liver disease and gastritis patients.
“Tiger Milk Mushroom is mild in nature and can be consumed by all kinds of people, especially suitable for family stew.”
Tiger Milk Mushroom is a valuable species for both food and medicine, as well as an ideal choice for home health care.

Selection guide: all wild species, price lower than lingzhi
Tiger Milk Mushroom cannot be cultivated artificially yet, so all the products on the market are wild.
Genuine Tiger Milk Mushroom is irregularly lumpy, light yellow in color and rough to the touch.
It floats on the surface of water.
Most of the commercially available products are sliced or diced pre-processed products.

Pharmacist Leung reminded consumers that it is difficult for ordinary buyers to identify the authenticity of the product, but the product is not a rare species, and it is recommended to choose a large supermarket or a regular store to buy a more secure.
The price is more affordable compared to wild lingzhi, e-commerce platform, 250 grams of selling price is generally in the 80-130 yuan range.

Mushroom Recipes Tiger Milk Mushroom Soup

01 Tiger Milk Mushroom Sea Coconut Lean Meat Soup

Suitable for people with respiratory diseases such as asthma, cough and chronic pharyngitis. Recommended to consume once a week.
Ingredients: Tiger Milk Mushroom 15 grams, 15 grams of dried coconut, 15 grams of white fungus, North and South apricot each a small, 200 grams of lean meat.
Practice: 1. White fungus soaked in advance, washed and torn into the right size; 2. Tiger Milk Mushroom, sea floor coconut, North and South Apricot washed and spare; 3. Lean meat cut into pieces blanched and spare; 4. All the materials with the right amount of water into the pot, boil over high heat and then turn to a low-fire simmer for 30-40 minutes, add salt to taste.

02 Tiger Milk Mushroom Dendrobium and Ginseng Pigeon Soup

Suitable for: patients with chronic liver disease and chronic gastritis. Recommended to consume once a week.
Ingredients: Tiger Milk Mushroom 15g, Dendrobium 30g, American ginseng 15g, 1 pigeon.
Practice: 1. American ginseng cut thin slices easier to taste; 2. Tiger Milk Mushroom, dendrobium washed standby; 3. pigeon gutted, washed and cut into pieces, blanch for use; 4. all the materials plus the right amount of water into the pot, high heat to boil and then turn to a low-fire simmering for 30-40 minutes, add salt for seasoning can be.

Editor: Liu Qingjun
Review: Zheng Xiaoying, Yang Yan
Editor-in-chief: Feng Yin
Reviewed by: Fang Ning

To summarize, Tiger Milk Mushroom has a narrow anti-cancer range but mild health care, it is recommended to choose it in combination with the needs of your body type and consult a medical professional before use.

Tiger Milk Mushroom is now being grown in the wild on a large scale.
2022: Hainan Baisha Biotechnology Co., Ltd., in partnership with local authorities, established a standardized cultivation base. Using a “government-enterprise-village collective” collaboration model, they expanded fungal culture packet planting techniques.
2025 (Projected): Cultivation areas for Hainan Tiger milk mushroom are expected to exceed 15,000 mu (~2,470 acres), centered in Baisha and extending to multiple regions across Hainan.

Information source: The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine