Anticancer Medicinal Mushrooms Can Provide Significant Vitamin D2 (Ergocalciferol)

Abstract

Studies since 1966 have documented antitumor activities by the β-glucan and triterpene components of numerous Basidiomycetes mushrooms. However, these active ingredients may not explain all of the observed pharmacologic eff ects. To date, the potential pharmacologic role of vitamin D₂ (ergosterol) in medicinal mushrooms has not been examined. Vitamin D₂, when transformed by the liver into the potent vitamin D₃, is a seco-steroid that, like thyroid hormone, binds to a specifi c receptor within the superfamily of nuclear receptors for steroid hormones. Th e vitamin D nuclear receptor is found not only on intestine, bone, liver, and kidney tissues but also on lymphocytes, monocytes, and macrophages as well as hematopoietic, skin, muscle, heart, pancreas, adrenal, brain, reproductive, lung, pituitary, thyroid, and cartilage tissues. Vitamin D₃ regulates gene expression for multiple physiological functions, including those for the central nervous system and immune system. Th is study tested the hypothesis that in mushroom species with documented anticancer activity, mushroom ergosterol exposure to UV-B energy from sun drying signifi cantly increases vitamin D₂ content.