What is herpes zoster?

Commonly known as shingles, a viral infection that causes a painful skin rash. Although it can occur anywhere on the body, it most often occurs as a band of blisters around the left or right side of the torso.

Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which is the same virus that causes chickenpox. If you have had chickenpox, the virus remains inactive in the nervous tissue, near the spinal cord and the brain. Years later, the virus can be reactivated causing shingles.

While it is not a life-threatening condition, shingles can be very painful. Vaccines can help reduce the risk and early treatment can help shorten the duration of the infection, thus reducing the chances of complications.

If you have a weak immune system, then

Do you want to know more about shingles?

We recommend that you continue reading the Conditions section of the NHS website for the public.

What mushrooms have useful properties in herpes?

Cordyceps

Unique molecules in this mushroom have shown anti-viral properties. The mushrooms works by awakening the immune system to combat the virus.
Also used Infectious processes

Reishi

The properties of Reishi make it a great anti-inflammatory and one of the most powerful natural antioxidants that exist.
Contains natural anti-inflammatory properties

External care

At a topical evel, the extracts of Reishi and Cordyceps can help to reduce skin rash by regulating the immune activity and inflammation.

References

  1. Collins RA, Ng TB. Polysaccharopeptide from Coriolus versicolor has potential for use against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection. Life Sci. 1997;60(25).
  2. hoi S, Nguyen VT, Tae N, Lee S, Ryoo S, Min BS, Lee JH. Anti-inflammatory and heme oxygenase-1 inducing activities of lanostane triterpenes isolated from mushroom Ganoderma lucidum in RAW264.7 cells. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2014 Nov 1;280(3):434-42. doi: 10.1016/j.taap.2014.09.007.
  3. Bhardwaj N, Katyal P, Sharma AK. Suppression of inflammatory and allergic responses by pharmacologically potent fungus Ganoderma lucidum. Recent Pat Inflamm Allergy Drug Discov. 2014;8(2):104-17. Review. PubMed PMID: 24948193.
  4. Joseph S, Sabulal B, George V, Antony KR, Janardhanan KK. Antitumor and anti-inflammatory activities of polysaccharides isolated from Ganoderma lucidum. Acta Pharm. 2011 Sep 1;61(3):335-42. doi: 10.2478/v10007-011-0030-6. PubMed PMID: 21945912.