Antitumor effect of Coriolus versicolor Queil alcoholic extract.

Abstract

Coriolus versicolor Queil is a mushroom traditionally used in Asian herbal remedies. In the present study, C. versicolor alcoholic extract was tested on Ehrlich Ascitic Carcinoma (EAC) model. The experiment was carried out on 30 white Swiss male mice, 106 EAC cells / animal i.p. Animals were divided in three equal groups; first group (C. versicolor + EAC group) received in the day 1, 4 and 7 - 50 ml sol./kg b.w. C. versicolor 1:10. The second group was the EAC group and the last group (Doxorubicin + EAC group) received i.p. Doxorubicin cloride 2.5 mg/ kg b.w. in day 6 of experiment. Other 30 animals were subject of administration of mushroom extract, control and Doxorubicine chloride alone in the same doses, at the same time. C. versicolor alcoholic extract provides the significant increase in white blood cells, and the platelets as compared to control. The survival rate was also higher in treated groups, and the extract was able to prevent in a significant manner the increasing in the body weight do to accumulation of the ascitic fluid. C. versicolor reduced, also, the ascitic volume and cellular concentration of the ascitic fluid, but not statistically significant. C. versicolor alcoholic extract revealed a considerable antitumoral activity, along with the safety profile; therefore C. versicolor is recommended for further studies, in other to find new remedies in complementary cancer therapy.