Lentinula Edodes Mycelia Extract Research Articles

Bioactive Immunomodulatory Compounds: A Novel Combinatorial Strategy for Integrated Medicine in Oncology? BAIC Exposure in Cancer Cells.

The Standardized Cultured Extract of Lentinula edodes Mycelia (also known as Active Hexose Correlated Compound, AHCC) and Wasabia japonica (Wasabi) are natural nutritional supplements known for their immunomodulatory and anticancer potential. The aim of this study was to evaluate the combinatorial effect of the bioactive immunomodulatory compound (BAIC), obtained by combining Wasabi and AHCC, on human breast (MCF-7) and pancreatic (Panc02) adenocarcinoma cell lines. Data obtained revealed that BAIC determines a striking decline in cancer cell growth at minimal concentrations compared with the use of Wasabi and AHCC as single agents. A significant increase in the G0/G1 subpopulation together with a marked augmentation in the percentage of apoptotic cells was demonstrated by flow cytometry, together with a significant upregulation in the expression of genes associated to the apoptotic cascade in both cell lines. The inhibitory role BAIC plays in mammospheres formation from MCF-7-derived cancer stem cells was shown with a marked reduction in size and number. Interestingly, when BAIC was exposed to monocytic cells, no cytotoxic effects were observed. A monocytes-to-macrophages differentiation was rather observed with the concomitant acquisition of an anti-inflammatory phenotype. Taken together, our findings suggest that BAIC could be used as a potential integration of standard chemotherapy treatments because of the improved inhibitory activity on cancer cell proliferation and reduced potential adverse effects.

がん患者におけるシイタケ菌糸体抽出物配合顆粒のQOL改善作用：多施設共同研究

シイタケ菌糸体抽出物は癌化学療法との併用時に，患者のQOLを維持・改善することが報告されている．本研究では，様々な治療背景および様々なステージのがん患者のQOLに及ぼすシイタケ菌糸体抽出物の影響を検討した．16施設で73症例を対象にシイタケ菌糸体抽出物を4週間（1,200 mg/day）連日経口摂取させ，摂取前後のQOLをEORTC-QLQ-C30調査票でスコア化した．シイタケ菌糸体抽出物摂取後のQOLスコアは被験者全体では，摂取前スコアに比べ，心理的，疲労スコアで有意に改善した．特にステージ3，4の被験者では，総体的，身体的スコアの改善も観察された．シイタケ菌糸体抽出物の経口摂取の併用は，進行性がん患者のQOLを改善することが示唆された．

Efficacy of Oral Administration of Lentinula eododes Mycelia Extract for Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Postoperative Hormone Therapy

Extract of Lentinula edodes mycelia (LEM) is currently utilized as an oral biological response modifier (BRM) medicine for cancer patients. However, its effectiveness for breast cancer patients with postoperative adjuvant hormone therapy has not yet been scientifically verified. In this study, we investigated the influence of LEM on the quality of life (QOL) and immune response in breast cancer patients undergoing postoperative adjuvant hormone therapy. Twenty patients were studied in total. They received only hormone therapy in the first 4 weeks followed by hormone therapy and LEM during the next 8 weeks. Laboratory tests, QOL score and peripheral blood cytokine production levels were evaluated during the study period. No changes in QOL or cytokines were noted after the first 4 weeks. In contrast, during the following combined therapy period, improvements were noted in QOL and cytokine levels. Although a future large-scale investigation is necessary to confirm these results, these data suggest that the concomitant use of LEM with postoperative adjuvant hormone therapy improves the QOL and immune function of patients.

Low-molecular-weight lignin-rich fraction in the extract of cultured Lentinula edodes mycelia attenuates carbon tetrachloride-induced toxicity in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes

The extract of cultured Lentinula edodes mycelia (LEM) is a medicinal food ingredient that has hepatoprotective effects. In this study, we fractionated the LEM extract to explore novel active compounds related to hepatoprotection by using primary cultures of rat hepatocytes exposed to carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)). The LEM extract and the fractions markedly inhibited the release of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) from hepatocytes damaged by CCl(4) into the culture medium. The strongest hepatocyte-protective activity was seen in a fraction (Fr. 2) in which a 50% ethanol extract was further eluted with 50% methanol and separated using reverse-phase HPLC. Fr. 2 had an average molecular weight of 2753, and the main components are lignin (49%) and saccharides (36%, of which xylose comprises 41%). Therefore, Fr. 2 was presumed to be a low-molecular-weight compound consisting mainly of lignin and xylan-like polysaccharides. The hepatocyte-protective activity was observed even after digestion of xylan-like polysaccharides in Fr.2 and confirmed with low-molecular-weight lignin (LM-lignin) alone. In addition, Fr. 2, the xylan-digested Fr. 2 and LM-lignin showed higher superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity than the LEM extract. These results suggested that the effective fraction in the LEM extract related to hepatocyte protection consisted mainly of LM-lignin, and its antioxidant activity partially contributes to the hepatocyte-protective activity of the LEM extract.

Structural analysis of glycogen-like polysaccharides having macrophage-activating activity in extracts of Lentinula edodes mycelia

An extract of Lentinula edodes mycelia (L.E.M.) was obtained with hot water after culturing in medium comprising bagasse and rice bran. It has been reported that L.E.M. exhibits physiological effects such as anticancer activity and immunoregulatory activity, and that such effects involve macrophage activation. We examined the active components in L.E.M. by fractionation using an anion exchange carrier and gel chromatography, and determined whether they stimulate production of the cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in RAW264.7 cells. We obtained 2 polysaccharide fractions, IA-a and IA-b, which potently stimulated cytokine production. We also confirmed that IA-a and IA-b significantly stimulate phagocytosis in RAW264.7 cells. To determine the structures of these fractions, we performed sugar component analysis, methylation analysis, FT-IR, (13)C-NMR analysis, and molecular weight analysis. The results showed that the major component of IA-a is a 1,4-alpha-glucan exhibiting 1,6-branching and having a molecular weight of approximately 250,000. This branching structure suggests that IA-a has a glycogen-like structure. In addition, the major component of IA-b appears to be an arabinoxylan-like polysaccharide, mainly consisting of arabinose and xylose, with a molecular weight of approximately 8,500.