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''Laricifomes officinalis'' is a wood-decay fungus in the order Polyporales. It causes brown heart rot on conifers, and is found in Europe, Asia, and North America, as well as Morocco.〔 It is commonly known as agarikon, as well as the quinine conk due to its extremely bitter taste.〔〔 DNA analysis supports ''L. officinalis'' as distinct from the genus ''Fomitopsis''.〔 The conks were once collected extensively for production of medicinal quinine, which they were thought to contain, because of the bitter taste of the powdered conk. However, they do not contain quinine, and have no anti-malarial properties. Decay is common only in a few old-growth stands. The distinctive conks can be large, as much as two feet long, hoof-shaped or columnar. They are soft, yellow-white when young, soon becoming white and chalky throughout. The decay is brown, cubically cracked, with thick white felts in large cracks. The taste of both conks and felts is bitter and distinct for this species. A single conk usually indicates complete cull. Infected trees can be habitat for snag-nesting species.〔Hagle, Gibson, Tunnock. A Field Guide to Diseases & Insect Pests of Northern & Central Rocky Mountain Conifers. USDA Forest Service: 2003, pg 29〕 ==Medicinal use== ''L. officinalis'' was used by the Ancient Greeks to treat consumption (tuberculosis) according to the writings of Pedanius Dioscorides in 65 AD,〔 and by some indigenous people to treat smallpox. The presence of Agarikon at burial sites may indicate that its use was once widespread. Mycologist Paul Stamets has performed numerous investigations of the biological activities of Agarikon. Agarikon extracts have demonstrated antiviral activity against a range of viruses ''in vitro''. This activity has been specifically observed against pox family viruses, HSV-1 and HSV-2, Influenza A, Influenza B, and ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' ''in vitro''. Other researchers have identified novel chlorinated coumarins in the organism which demonstrated notably low MICs against the ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' complex. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Laricifomes officinalis」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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