What Is Turkey Tail Extract (PSK/PSP)? Applications, Dosage, Alternatives & Specifications

Turkey Tail Extract, also known as Coriolus versicolor Extract or Trametes versicolor Extract, is a natural fungal extract processed from the dried fruiting body of Coriolus versicolor (L.) Quel (also known as Trametes versicolor), a fungus of the Polyporaceae family, through extraction, filtration, concentration, and drying processes. It is a functional ingredient with multiple biological activities. Turkey Tail is named for the multicolored concentric rings on its fruiting body that resemble a turkey‘s tail feathers, and is also known as cloud fungus or yun zhi. It was first recorded in the Supplement to Compendium of Materia Medica, and in traditional Chinese medicine, Turkey Tail is classified as sweet and neutral, entering the spleen and liver meridians, with functions of strengthening the spleen, clearing dampness, and detoxifying the body. Turkey Tail extract is one of the most extensively researched medicinal mushrooms worldwide, with over 1,200 scientific articles published on its oncology applications. Its main active components include PSK (Polysaccharide-K), PSP (Polysaccharide-Peptide), and β-glucans. PSK and PSP are signature active components of Turkey Tail extract, approved in Japan and China respectively as pharmaceutical cancer adjuvant therapies. Turkey Tail extract products are available in various forms, including ratio extracts (4:1, 5:1, 10:1, 20:1, etc.), polysaccharide content specifications (10%, 30%, 50%, etc.), as well as powders, capsules, tablets, oral liquids, and liquid extracts.

The main active components of Turkey Tail extract are shown in the table below: Component Category

(Polysaccharide-K)