Turkey Tail

Turkey Tail

(Trametes versicolor)

Turkey tail mushroom in a ring on a rotten log

Plant family:

  • Polyporaceae.

Parts used:

  • Fruiting body.

Typical forms of prescription:

  • Decoctions.

  • Decocted tinctures.

  • Powders.

Turkey tail mushroom in cup like form

Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) - Clinical Snapshot

Primary Actions:

  • Anti-inflammatory

  • Immunomodulator

  • Analgesic

  • Antimicrobial

  • Antinociceptive (reduces pain sensitivity)

  • Chemoprotective

  • Hepatoprotective

  • Supports lipid balance (hyperlipidaemia)

Primary Indications:

  • Immune system support

  • Supportive care in chronic illnesses such as:

    • Diabetes

    • Hepatitis

  • Adjuvant therapy during chemotherapy or radiotherapy

⚠️Cautions / Safety⚠️

  • None known

Trametes versicolor

Phytochemistry and Pharmacology

Polysaccharide-K (PSK, Krestin)

Action: Immunomodulating, anticancer, antiviral
Use: PSK is a protein-bound polysaccharide found predominantly in Japanese strains. It enhances T-cell and NK-cell activity, modulates cytokine response, and is widely used as an adjunct in cancer therapies (especially gastric, colorectal, and breast cancer). PSK is also antiviral, particularly in chronic viral infections (e.g., HPV, hepatitis).

Polysaccharide-Peptide (PSP)

Action: Immunomodulating, hepatoprotective, antiviral
Use: PSP is similar to PSK but sourced from Chinese strains. It enhances immune cell communication, supports the liver, and contributes to antiviral and antioxidant effects. PSP is commonly used in chronic infections, fatigue, and cancer recovery support.

Beta-Glucans

Action: Immune-stimulating, prebiotic, anti-inflammatory
Use: These complex polysaccharides activate macrophages, dendritic cells, and NK cells, helping the body recognise and respond to pathogens or abnormal cells. They also have prebiotic activity, supporting a healthy gut microbiome, a key aspect of immune function.

Triterpenoids

Includes: Sterols, lanostane-type triterpenes
Action: Antiviral, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective
Use: These compounds contribute to liver support, help regulate inflammation, and may assist in the management of chronic infections or inflammatory conditions.

Phenolic Compounds

Includes: Protocatechuic acid, caffeic acid
Action: Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory
Use: These add to the free radical-scavenging and tissue-protective actions of Turkey Tail, especially valuable in chronic illness, immune depletion, or cancer recovery.

Turkey Tail mushroom on the side of a rotten log with moss

Traditional Use

While there is no recorded traditional use of Turkey Tail in the UK, it has a long-standing role in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), where it is used to strengthen the Qi of the heart and spleen, support those with fatigue or general weakness, and assist in slowing tumour growth. In Japanese Kampo medicine, it has also been used for similar purposes, particularly in the recovery from chronic illness.

Clinical Discussion

In Western Herbal Medicine (WHM), Turkey Tail is increasingly valued for its ability to modulate the immune system, supporting underactive and overactive immune states. It’s commonly taken as a powdered extract, decoction, or brewed into immune-supportive teas and broths.

Its key medicinal constituents are polysaccharopeptides, notably PSK (polysaccharide-K) and PSP (polysaccharide peptide). These compounds have been shown to stimulate immune cell activity, including the production of cytokines and chemokines like TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, which play essential roles in immune response and inflammation regulation.

Turkey Tail has been widely used in integrative cancer care in China and Japan, especially as an adjuvant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Its ability to support white blood cell production and bolster resilience during treatment is well documented in clinical settings overseas, though it has only been acknowledged more recently in Western practice.

Cultivation and Harvesting

Turkey Tail is a common bracket fungus that grows on dead or decaying hardwood, especially oak and beech, in moist, shaded woodlands. It can be cultivated on logs or sawdust using mushroom plug spawn. Fruiting may take 6–18 months and requires humidity and shade. Harvest the fresh, pliable brackets when fully formed, typically in autumn, then dry thoroughly before storing. Always ensure correct identification, as similar non-medicinal fungi exist.

Turkey tail mushroom close up image

Key Botanical Features of Skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora)

Growth

Trametes versicolor is a common polypore mushroom found on decaying hardwood.
It grows in layered, fan-shaped rosettes or semi-circular shelves.
Individual caps typically reach 2–8 cm across and 1–3 mm thick.
It lacks a central stalk and is instead attached laterally to the wood.
Flesh is thin, leathery, and flexible when fresh, becoming tough and papery when dry.

Mycelium & Substrate

Forms a dense, spreading network of white mycelium within rotting wood.
Prefers fallen logs, stumps, and dead deciduous trees (especially oak and beech).
It plays a key ecological role in decomposing lignin and cellulose in wood.
Usually found in temperate forests, especially in damp, shaded areas.

Cap (Fruiting Body)

  • Shape: Fan- or semicircle-shaped brackets.

  • Surface: Velvety to finely hairy with distinct concentric zones.

  • Colour: Highly variable, shades of brown, grey, white, tan, orange, or blue.

  • Zoning: Concentric bands of varying colour give a striped appearance, like a turkey’s tail feathers.

  • Edge: Often wavy or slightly lobed, with a whitish margin when young.

Underside (Pore Surface)

  • Type: Polypore (no gills, spores are released through pores).

  • Pores: Tiny, round, and densely packed (3–8 pores per mm).

  • Colour: White to cream; does not bruise easily.
    Surface remains firm and unchanged when touched.

Spores

  • Spore print: White.

  • Shape: Cylindrical to slightly curved.
    Released from the pore surface on the underside of the cap.

Adaptations

Extremely tough and resistant to decay, it can persist on wood for months.
Thrives in moist, shaded woodlands but tolerates a range of conditions.
Plays a vital role in nutrient cycling by breaking down wood tissue.
Rarely parasitic; primarily saprophytic (feeds on dead organic matter).

Sustainability/conservation

  • Common and widespread across the UK and temperate regions worldwide.

  • It can be foraged sustainably if small amounts are taken from abundant patches.

  • Often cultivated commercially for medicinal extracts (beta-glucans, PSK, PSP).

  • Ensure correct ID, many lookalikes exist in the Trametes and Stereum genera.

  • Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland

Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor)
Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor)
Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor)
Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor)
Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor)

Sources

Bartram, T. (1998). Bartram’s Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine. Constable.

Fisher, C. (2009). Materia Medica of Western Herbs, (2018 edition). Finchley Road, London. Aeon Books.

Hedley, C & Shaw, N. (2020). A herbal book of making and taking. Finchley Road, London. Aeon Books.

Hoffmann, D. (2003). Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Healing Arts Press.

McIntyre, A. (2019). The complete herbal tutor, revised and expanded edition. Finchley Road, London. Aeon Books.

Plants of the World Online | Kew Science. (n.d.). Plants of the World Online. https://powo.science.kew.org/

Disclaimer: This page is for educational purposes only. Consult a qualified medical herbalist before using herbs, especially during pregnancy, when trying to conceive, while breastfeeding, for medical conditions, or with children.
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