Gen info
"Judas's ear' name comes from the legend that Auricularia formed its ear-shaped fruting body as a curse on the tree that Judas hanged himself after his betrayal of Jesus. source

Botany
A saprophytic fungus, growing in tree stumps in damp moist forests. Plant is formed by multi-celled hyphae extracting nutrients from decaying tree trunis or logged timber. Spores extending from the tree trunk are shaped like human ear, of variable sizes, smooth, dull brown to gray,sticky when moist, leathery when dry.

Species
Auricularia is found throughout the Philippines. Other than the auricula-judae species, another specie reported edible is Auricularia affinis Leville.

Distribution
In damp moist forests.

Constituents and properties
Neutral, pleasant tasting.
Produces different polysaccharides and believed to be an immune system stimulant. Also considered antitumor, hypolipidemic, antiviral, antibacterial, antiparasitic, and of cardiovascular benefit.

Uses
Folkloric
Used for metrorrhagia, urinary tract diseases, dysentery.
Bleeding hemorrhoids.
Dropsy and sore throat.
In Chinese traditional medicine, used for weakness after childbirth, cramps, numbness,dysentery, piles, enteritis, heavy menstrual bleeding, leucorrhea.
Culinary
Imported in dry state from China and Japan. A popular ingredient for chop-suey, sotanghon, pinsic, etc.

Studies
• Hypoglycemic: (1) Study on mice reports of a 3% polysaccharide extract reducing the fasting blood gtlucose. Another found the crude polysacchardie improved glucose tolerance to intraperitoneal glucose loading; and neutral polysaccharides showed dose-dependent lowering of fasting and nonfasting lugcose and insulin.(2) Study showed the hypoglycemic effect of a water-soluble polysaccharide from the fruiting body of AA on genetically diabetic mice
• Hypocholesterolemic: Study showed hypocholesterolemic effect in rats, lowering the total and LDL cholesterols without affecting the HDL concentration.
• Anticoagulant Activity: Study isolated an acidic polysaccharide from the edible mushroom AA, with the alkali extract showing highet anticoagulant activity. The effect was through an inhibition of platelet aggregation.
• Antioxidant Activity / Hypocholesterolemic: Study showed lowering of total and LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels and increased total antioxidant capacity.
• Anticomplement Activity: Study of exo-polymer of AA showed a 70%-anti-complementary activity.
• Auricularia auricula Polysaccharide Flour / Antioxidant: Study showed that up to 9% of Auricularia auricula polysaccharide flour could be included in bread formulation without altering the sensory acceptance of the blended flour at the same time markedly increasing the antioxidant property of the bread. Breads containing AAP may be regarded as health-promoting functional foods.
• Anti-Tumor Activity: Study compared the antitumor activities of two (1 goes to 3)-beta-D-glucans isolated from the fruiting body of Auricularia auricula-judae.

Availability
Wild-crafted.
Imported.