Scientists from the Institute of Forest Sciences of the Białystok University of Technology, together with scientists from the Medical University of Białystok, received a patent for the invention “Polyporoid mushroom extract, a composition containing such an extract and its use”.

The Białowieża Forest is a huge testing ground. Almost 1,700 species of large-fruited mushrooms grow here, including 190 species of mushrooms that can only be found here. Research on one of them- Heterobasidion annosum began a few years ago.

It is considered by foresters to be one of the most dangerous forest pathogens. It causes a disease called root hub, which leads to the dying off of entire forests, but research by scientists has shown that it can find positive uses in medicine, especially in the treatment of colon cancer.

Heterobasidion annosum extract may be an active ingredient in an anti-cancer drug, the advantage of which is to limit the viability of colon cancer cells with low toxicity to healthy cells.