MycoIMMUNE - Research

Reishi

Long used in Chinese medicine for “immortality and longevity”, Reishi has been shown to increase plasma antioxidant capacity, promoting longevity by facilitating protection of cellular DNA. [1,2,3]

Reishi has also enhanced immune response in cancer patients, shown promise as a cancer-arresting compound and further trials are underway. [4,5]

Turkey Tail

In 2011-2012, the NIH founded a $5.4 Million study at Bastyr University that proved Turkey Tail effectively fights breast cancer [6] and Turkey Tail mushrooms have even been approved by the FDA as an adjunctive anti-cancer treatments for both Prostate and Breast cancers.

Turkey Tail contains a compound known as “Polysaccharide K” or PSK that has been shown to Polysaccharide K and Coriolus versicolor extracts for lung cancer: a systematic review. [7] Larger studies are underway to continue to explore the potential of this powerful natural healer.

Other studies reinforcing the immuno-modulating capabilities of Turkey Tail, verifying that PSK “may act to increase leukocyte activation and response through up-regulation of key cytokines. Indeed, natural killer (NK) and lymphocyte-activated killer (LAK) cell activation has been demonstrated in vivo and in vitro, and recent genetic studies reveal increased expression of key immune cytokines in response to treatment with PSK.” [8]

In yet another study, “protein-bound polysaccharide K (PSK) increased the 5-year disease-free survival rate and reduced the risk of recurrence in a randomised, controlled study for stage II and III colorectal cancer.” [9]

Chaga

As reported in this review, numerous recent studies have verified the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties of medicinal mushrooms, including Chaga. [10] There are also numerous reports of anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties attributed to medicinal mushrooms, including Chaga, which has been used for centuries in Russian teas and tonics. [11]

Specifically, Chaga has been shown to selectively kill cancer cells without harming human cells. “These data indicate that Chaga extract has selective cytotoxic effects on human hepatoma cells. This selectivity may be the great advantage of the Chaga extract for therapeutic or preventative use in cancer treatment.” [12]

Chaga can be used to improved digestive disorders by lowering inflammatory cytokines associated with certain gastrointestinal maladies. [13]

Resources:

  1. Daniel Sliva. Ganoderma Lucidum(Reishi) in Cancer Treatment. Journal of Integrative Cancer Therapy. December 2003 2: 358-364, doi:10.1177/1534735403259066
  2. Wachtel-Galor S, Szeto YT, Tomlinson B, et al. Ganoderma lucidum (’Lingzhi’); acute and short-term biomarker response to supplementation. Int J Food Sci Nutr. Feb 2004;55(1):75-83.
  3. Wachtel-Galor S, Tomlinson B, Benzie IF. Ganoderma lucidum (“Lingzhi”), a Chinese medicinal mushroom: biomarker responses in a controlled human supplementation study. Br J Nutr. Feb 2004;91(2):263-269.
  4. Gao Y, Zhou S, Jiang W, et al. Effects of ganopoly (a Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide extract) on the immune functions in advanced-stage cancer patients. Immunol Invest. Aug 2003;32(3):201-215.
  5. Jin X, Ruiz Beguerie J, Sze DM, Chan GC . Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi mushroom) for cancer treatment. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012 Jun 13;6:CD007731.
  6. Carolyn J. Torkelson, Erin Sweet, Mark R. Martzen, et al., “Phase 1 Clinical Trial of Trametes versicolor in Women with Breast Cancer,” ISRN Oncology, vol. 2012, Article ID 251632, 7 pages, 2012. doi:10.5402/2012/251632
  7. Fritz H. Polysaccharide K and Coriolus versicolor extracts for lung cancer: a systematic review. Integrative Cancer Therapy. 2015 May;14(3):201-11.
  8. Fisher M. Anticancer effects and mechanisms of polysaccharide-K (PSK): implications of cancer immunotherapy. Anticancer Research. 2002 May-Jun;22(3):1737-54.
  9. Ohwada S. Beneficial effects of protein-bound polysaccharide K plus tegafur/uracil in patients with stage II or III colorectal cancer: analysis of immunological parameters. Oncolology Report. 2006 Apr;15(4):861-8.
  10. Borchers AT, Stern JS, Hackman RM, Keen CL, Gershwin ME. Review Mushrooms, tumors, and immunity. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med. 1999 Sep; 221(4):281-93.
  11. Lindequist U, Niedermeyer THJ, Jülich W-D. The Pharmacological Potential of Mushrooms. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2005;2(3):285-299. doi:10.1093/ecam/neh107.
  12. Youn M-J, Kim J-K, Park S-Y, et al. Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) induces G0/G1 arrest and apoptosis in human hepatoma HepG2 cells. World Journal of Gastroenterology : WJG. 2008;14(4):511-517. doi:10.3748/wjg.14.511.
  13. Se Young Choi, Sun Jin Hur, Chi Sun An, et al., “Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Inonotus obliquus in Colitis Induced by Dextran Sodium Sulfate,” Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, vol. 2010, Article ID 943516, 5 pages, 2010. doi:10.1155/2010/943516