Medicinal Sulphur Polypore Mushroom Laetiporus sulphureus (Agaricomycetes) Plus Tiny Amounts of Essential Oils Decrease the Activity of Crohn Disease.

Abstract

A mixture of Laetiporus sulphureus (LS) and essential oils of Origanum vulgare, Cinnamomum verum, and Syzygium aromaticum (LOCS) was recommended for 24 patients with Crohn disease (CD). Patients were followed up for at least 24 months (median 32 months; range, 24-54 months). Nineteen patients were compliant with the treatment, although 3 stopped taking it, relapsed, began the LOCS regimen again, and recovered; 5 patients were not compliant at all. Compliant patients experienced flares of CD, with a CD Activity Index > 220, for 5.6% of the surveillance period (median 34 months). Noncompliant patients experienced flares of CD, with a CD Activity Index > 220, for 75.0% of the surveillance period (median 26 months; P < 10-6). Each case was then analyzed with a Bayesian approach that considered the probability of CD spontaneously disappearing within 2 weeks after intake of LOCS, the reappearance of CD within 2 weeks after stopping LOCS, and the disappearance of CD again after rechallenge. For the 19 compliant patients, the global posterior probability (probability that all the events observed were due to coincidence only) was equal to 10-6. Thus it can be concluded that LOCS decreases the CD Activity Index. Further investigations are necessary to unravel the mechanism of action of LOCS and to confirm its positive effect over periods as long as 5 to 10 years.