Emma Wilson
Mushrooms have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries to treat various illnesses. In recent years, mushrooms have been studied for their potential anti-cancer properties, particularly in Japan and China, where they are used to complement cancer treatments. Medicinal mushrooms are known to contain bioactive substances, including polysaccharides, proteins, fats, and glycosides, which are thought to have anti-tumor and immunomodulating effects. While research is still ongoing, some of the most commonly studied mushrooms for their potential anti-cancer properties include Ganoderma lucidum (reishi), Trametes versicolor or Coriolus versicolor (turkey tail), Lentinus edodes (shiitake), and Grifola frondosa (maitake).
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Mushrooms used for anti-cancer treatment | Turkey tail, Reishi, Shiitake, Maitake |
| Type of mushroom product | Powder, liquid extract, tea, capsule |
| Effects | Anti-inflammatory, anti-nausea, anti-anemia, anti-bone marrow suppression, anti-fatigue, anti-infection, anti-aging, anti-oxidant, antimicrobial, anti-diabetic, anti-tumour, immunomodulating, immunostimulatory, pro-apoptotic, anti-angiogenesis, anti-proliferative, anti-metastatic, anti-multidrug resistance, anti-cardiotoxicity |
| Side effects | Liver or kidney toxicity, allergic reactions, diarrhoea, bloating |
| Caveats | Research is limited, most studies are retrospective, most studies are conducted in Asia, not all mushrooms are edible |
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What You'll Learn
Turkey tail mushrooms
In Japan, Polysaccharide K (PSK), an active compound in turkey tail mushrooms, is an approved mushroom product used to treat cancer. PSK can be consumed as a tea or in capsule form. Laboratory and animal studies have demonstrated that PSK has anticancer effects and can stimulate the immune system.
While turkey tail mushrooms are generally considered safe and may provide potential health benefits, it is important to consult with a doctor or healthcare provider before consuming them. They should only be used as an adjunct to conventional anticancer treatments if recommended by an oncologist.
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Reishi mushrooms
Reishi is also increasingly being used by cancer patients worldwide to control symptoms associated with cancer and its treatment. A cross-sectional survey among Chinese cancer patients found that more than half of the participants reported improvements in nausea, fatigue, poor appetite, and depression after taking Reishi. However, some participants also reported adverse effects, including dry mouth, constipation, insomnia, pruritus, and vertigo.
While Reishi mushrooms have been shown to have promising anticancer properties, more research is needed to fully understand their effectiveness and safety in cancer treatment.
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Shiitake mushrooms
Mushrooms are part of the fungus family and have been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat illnesses for centuries. In some parts of the world, mushroom extracts are used in cancer care and as a complementary treatment alongside chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Additionally, polysaccharides SLNT1 and JLNT1 isolated from shiitake mushrooms demonstrated antitumor effects by increasing serum IL-2 levels and TNF-α production, and by inducing apoptosis in tumour cells in mice. The polysaccharide lentinan (1,3 beta-D-glucan) found in shiitake mushrooms may also have anticancer effects due to its ability to suppress cytochrome P450 1A enzymes that metabolize procarcinogens into active forms.
While shiitake mushrooms show promise in cancer treatment, more well-designed studies are needed to establish their effectiveness as an adjunct therapy.
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Maitake mushrooms
Maitake mushroom extracts are commercially available as dietary supplements marketed to "enhance immune function" and to treat AIDS and cancer. In preclinical studies, various formulations suggest protective effects against parasites, high insulin and lipid levels, and inflammation. Antitumor potential, enhanced bone marrow colony formation, reduced doxorubicin toxicity, and enhanced interferon activity have also been shown.
Maitake D-fraction is the bioactive extract that has been widely studied as an adjuvant therapy. It acts as a biologic response modifier, providing T-cell-dependent immune enhancement and activation that enhances antitumor effects. When maitake D-fraction was given to patients receiving chemotherapy for several different cancers, response rates increased from 12% to 28%, and chemotherapy side effects were reduced. Another study suggests a direct antitumour effect of maitake D-fraction with the induction of apoptosis observed in breast cancer cell lines.
While maitake mushrooms have been studied for their potential benefits in cancer treatment, it is important to note that the research is not conclusive, and more human-based studies are needed to verify the findings.
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Mushroom-derived compounds
Mushrooms are part of the fungus family and have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. They are known to be rich in vitamin D, which is essential for the immune system. In Japan and China, certain mushrooms are routinely used to complement cancer treatments.
Medicinal mushrooms are not ordinary mushrooms. There are hundreds of different kinds of mushrooms, and those most frequently studied in cancer research are not usually sold in grocery stores. The only exception is shiitake mushrooms, which can easily be bought whole in grocery stores. The rest are often found in powdered form in health food stores.
Some studies show that mushrooms boost parts of the immune system that are linked to cancer. Certain mushrooms stimulate compounds that are responsible for tumor suppression, and there are also mushrooms that decrease inflammatory compounds, which is helpful for cancer patients. Most studies show a positive effect on the immune system, but more research is needed.
Mushrooms contain biologically active polysaccharides in their fruit bodies or mycelia. The -glucans of mushrooms resemble bacterial cell walls and complex with complement on macrophages to activate an immune response, triggering the release of various cytokines that are active in tumor inhibition. Mushroom polysaccharides stimulate dormant natural killer cells, T cells, B cells, and macrophage-dependent immune responses. Mushroom-derived compounds activate immune cells to induce either cell-mediated or direct cytotoxicity in cancer cells by binding to pathogen recognition receptors.
The active components in mushrooms responsible for conferring anti-cancer potential are lentinan, krestin, hispolon, lectin, calcaelin, illudin S, psilocybin, Hericium polysaccharide A and B (HPA and HPB), ganoderic acid, schizophyllan, and laccase, to name a few.
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Frequently asked questions
There is currently no evidence that any type of mushroom can cure or prevent cancer. However, mushrooms have been used as a complementary treatment alongside chemotherapy and radiation therapy in Japan and China for hundreds of years.
Mushrooms are rich in vitamin D and polysaccharides, which are essential for the immune system. They are also thought to reduce inflammation, which may help to reduce fatigue in cancer patients.
Mushrooms rarely cause side effects, but they can cause liver or kidney toxicity in some cases. They should also be used with caution in patients with leukemia and lymphoma, those who have recently had a bone marrow transplant, and people on immunosuppressants.
The most common types of mushrooms used to treat cancer include Ganoderma lucidum (reishi), Trametes versicolor or Coriolus versicolor (turkey tail), Lentinus edodes (shiitake), and Grifola frondosa (maitake).
