Begell House Inc.
International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms
IJM
1521-9437
6
2
2004
Chemopreventive and Tumoricidal Properties of Ling Zhi Mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (W. Curt.:Fr.) Lloyd (Aphyllophoromycetideae). Part I. Preclinical and Clinical Studies (Review)
12
10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v6.i2.10
Yihuai
Gao
Institute of Food, Nutrition and Human Health, Massey University; Landcare Research, Private Bag 92170, Auckland, New Zealand
Wenbo
Tank
New Zealand Institute of Natural Medicines, Auckland, New Zealand
He
Gao
Division of Traditional Chinese Medicine, New Zealand Institute of Natural Medicines, Auckland, New Zealand
Jin
Lan
Institute of Human Nutrition and Department of Biochemistry, Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, China
Shufeng
Zhou
Division of Pharmacy, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Australia; Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore; University of South Florida FL 33612, USA
There is an increasing interest in identifying effective and safe constituents from medicinal mushrooms for cancer prevention and treatment. Ganoderma lucidum has been used for this purpose, which is given as a single agent, or in combination with herbs or synthetic chemotherapeutic agents. Various polysaccharides (in particular β-D-glucans and glycoproteins) and triterpenoids have been found to be the major active constituents responsible for the chemopreventive and tumoricidal activity of G. lucidum. These compounds exerted promising cancer preventive and anticancer activity in animal (mouse and rat) studies. However, randomized, placebo-controlled, and multicenter clinical studies using G. lucidum have rarely been reported. In a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study, 38 (26.6%) of 143 cancer patients had stable disease for 12 weeks or more (range, 12−50 weeks) when treated with Ganoply (a G. lucidum polysaccharide extract) orally at 1800 mg three times daily for 12 weeks. Palliative effects on cancer-related symptoms, such as sweating and insomnia, have been observed in many patients. Ganopoly was well tolerated, with five moderate adverse events recorded. These initial findings indicate that G. lucidum may represent a practical and promising approach for cancer prevention and cancer treatment. Further studies are required to establish the relationship between G. lucidum intake dose and cancer risks and to investigate the efficacy and safety when used alone or in combination with chemotherapy.
The Influence of Medicinal Mushroom Preparations on Mouse Tumors
10
10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v6.i2.20
Sinisa
Ivankovic
Division of Molecular Medicine, Ruder Boskovic Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
Nevenka
Hirsl
Division of Molecular Medicine, Ruder Boskovic Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
Ivan
Jakopovich
Dr Myko San—Health from Mushrooms, Zagreb, Croatia
Mislav
Jurin
Division of Molecular Medicine, Ruder Boskovic Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
Extracts from various medicinal mushrooms (Lentinus edodes, Grifola frondosa, and Coriolus (Trametes) versicolor), and particularly their proper blends, are of significant interest in selecting the best of them for treatment, or even prevention, of different pathological aberrations, including cancer. In this study, mushroom preparation effects on the proliferation of tumors and normal cells, respectively, as well as the survival rate of the mice with transplanted tumors, were determined. The incorporation of radioactive 3H thymidine in tumor cells (mouse squamous cell carcinoma [SCCVII], fibrosarcoma [FsaR], and melanoma [B16F10]) was inhibited in the presence of particular mushroom preparations. The effect was dose dependent and was different for tumor cell cultures used. On the other hand, the incorporation of radioactive 3H thymidine in normal Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts (V79 cell) increased, and the effect was generally dose dependent. The application of mushroom preparation to the mice bearing either SCCVII or FsaR tumor could influence their survival. On day 30 after SCCVII tumor cell transplantation, there was a 20% survival rate of mice in the control group, but 60—80% survived if particular mushroom extracts were applied. There were no survivors in the control group on the 36th day, but 40—60% were alive in the experimental groups. Furthermore, there was a 60% survival rate for mice with FsaR tumor when treated with mushroom preparations and a 20% survival rate in the control group on day 36 after tumor cell transplantation.Thus, the findings that the mushroom preparation tested induced a selective inhibition of tumor cell proliferation observed in vitro and a pronounced prolongation of the survival rate of tumor-bearing mice are of particular interest. These findings, together with the data that these compounds are not toxic to the organism, deserve further attention.
Screening for Lectins in Wild and Cultivated Mushrooms from Japan and Their Sugar-Binding Specificities
14
10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v6.i2.30
Yuka
Kobayashi
Faculty of Agriculture, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka
Takayuki
Ishizaki
The Mushroom Research Institute of Japan, Gunma, Japan
Hirokazu
Kawagishi
Research Institute of Green Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka 422-8529, Japan; Graduate School of Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka 422-8529, Japan; Graduate School of Integrated Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, Shizuoka 422-8529, Japan
Lectin activity of extracts from 101 species of wild and cultivated edible, poisonous, and medicinal mushrooms was examined by using a hemagglutinating assay with human erythrocytes. Forty-six of the extracts caused hemagglutination. Sugar-binding specificities of the lectins were investigated by hemagglutination inhibition assay with various monosaccharides, disaccharides, and glycoproteins.
Antiprotozoal Activity and Mitogenic Effect of Mycelium of Culinary-Medicinal Shiitake Mushroom Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Singer (Agaricomycetideae)
8
10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v6.i2.40
Susanna M.
Badalyan
Laboratory of Fungal Biology and Biotechnology, Institute of Pharmacy, Yerevan State University, 1 A. Manoogian St., 0025 Yerevan, Armenia
Antiprotozoal activity (APA) and mitogenic effect (MGE) of stationary cultivated mycelium of the medicinal mushroom Lentinus edodes (Shiitake) were investigated. The different amounts of cultural filtrate (CF) and different concentrations of dry ethanol mycelial extract (ME) obtained on the 25th and 28th days of cultivation were used. The fungal samples were tested in vitro against unicellular protozoan, Paramecium caudatum. Mycelium of L. edodes possesses strong APA and MGE. The tested CF samples showed only APA, whereas ME samples revealed both APA and significant MGE activities. The dose/effect correlation between tested mycelial samples and their activities was noted. The APA was observed at high amounts, while the MGE appeared in lower concentrations. The APA of CF was significantly higher than the APA of ME. The mitotic division of P. caudatum was stimulated by 1.7−2.5 times at low concentrations of ME. The highest APA (during 5 minutes) and intensive MGE (after 2 hours) were observed when 0.09 mL of undiluted CF and 0.03 mL of 0.01% of ME, obtained from 28-day-old mycelium, were used. Nevertheless, no significant differences were found between APA and MGE levels of CF and ME obtained on the 25th and 28th days of mycelial cultivation. The mycelium of L. edodes may be recommended for formulation of antiprotozoal and mitogenic (wound healing and other regenerative) biopreparations.
Antimutagenic Activity of Methanolic Extract of Culinary-Medicinal Oyster mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.:Fr.) Kumm. (strain florida Eger nom. nud.) and Its Protective Effect Against Benzo [a] Pyrene-Induced Hepatic Damages
12
10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v6.i2.50
Bhaskaran
Lakshmi
Amala Cancer Research Centre, Kerala, India
Nayana
Jose
Amala Cancer Research Centre, Amala Nagar, Thrissur 680 553, Kerala, India
Thekkuttuparambil Ananthanarayanan
Ajith
Department of Biochemistry, Amala Institute of Medical Sciences, Amala Nagar, Thrissur-680 555, Kerala, India
Kainoor Krishnankutty
Janardhanan
Amala Cancer Research Centre, Thrissur 680555,India
Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus species) are excellent culinary-medicinal and commercially cultivated mushrooms. Investigations were carried out to evaluate the antimutagenic activity of the methanolic extract of Pleurotus ostreatus strain florida and its protective effect against Benzo [a] pyrene (B[a]P)-induced hepatic damages. The antimutagenic activity of the extract was assayed by Ames Salmonella mutagenicity test using histidine mutant standard Salmonella typhimurium tester strains, TA98, TA100, and TA102. The extract of the P. ostreatus strain florida significantly reduced (p 3), N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and 4-nitro-o-phenylene-diamine (NPD), 2-acetamidoflourene (2-AF), and B[a]P-induced his+ revertants in a dose-dependent manner. In vivo antimutagenic activity of extracts was also determined by assaying the mutagenicity of the urine of rat to which B[a]P had been administered as mutagen.The prior administration of P. ostreatus strain florida extract to rat markedly inhibited in vivo mutagenicity caused by B[a]P. The results thus indicated that P. ostreatus strain florida extract possessed significant antimutagenic activity. The status of hepatic transaminases such as serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminases (SGOT), glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) and alkaline phosphatase activities (ALP) were evaluated in the group of animals treated with B[a]P. Treatment with the extract prevented the increase in SGOT, SGPT, and ALP activities consequent on B[a]P administration. The extract enhanced the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione-s-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase, and catalase (CAT).The extract also showed a profound inhibiting effect on lipid peroxidation induced by B[a]P. The results indicated that the P. ostreatus strain florida extract restored depleted antioxidant defense consequent to the challenge by the carcinogen.
Analysis of Quality and Techniques for Hybridization of Medicinal Fungus Cordyceps sinensis (Berk.)Sacc. (Ascomycetes)
14
10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v6.i2.60
Phillip D.
Cleaver
Aloha Medicinals Inc., Haiku, Hawaii, USA
Megan
Loomis-Powers
Aloha Medicinals Inc., Haiku, Hawaii, USA
Dinesh
Patel
Integrated Biomolecule Corporation, Tucson, Arizona, USA
In the course of our research with cultivated medicinal fungus Cordyceps sinensis, we have noted a greater diversity of compounds from different strains of this single species than in almost any other organism we have analyzed. Because of this great difference in chemical composition, a wide range of quality is found in cultivated C. sinensis. This article details the unique methods used to develop hybridized strains of C. sinensis using rattlesnake venom to trigger somatic fusion of dissimilar mycelial strains.This results in the reproducible production of cultivated C. sinensis containing quantities of recognized bioactive compounds equal to or greater than the quantities found in wild collected strains.These techniques and methods offer great promise in allowing cultivators of C. sinensis and other Cordyceps species to take their artificially cultivated products to a higher and more consistent level of quality and provide protocols for analysis of C. sinensis quality using HPLC and GC techniques.
Extracellular Polysaccharide Production by Culinary-Medicinal Shiitake Mushroom Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Singer and Pleurotus (Fr.) P. Karst. Species Depending on Carbon and Nitrogen Source
8
10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v6.i2.70
Vladimir I.
Elisashvili
The Institute of Microbial Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Georgia, 0131 Tbilisi, Georgia
Kok- Kheng
Tan
MycoBiotech Pte Ltd 12 Science Park Drive # 04-01 The Mendel- Singapore Science Park 1 118 225, Singapore
David
Chichua
Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Academy of Science of Georgia, Agmashenebeli Alley 10 km, 380059 Tbilisi, Georgia
Eva
Kachlishvili
The Institute of Microbial Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Georgia, 0131 Tbilisi, Georgia
The effects of different carbon and nitrogen sources on culinary—medicinal shiitake mushroom Lentinus edodes and Pleurotus species growth and polysaccharide production in submerged cultivation has been investigated. Maximal biomass and extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) production was achieved when sodium gluconate or glucose was used as the only carbon source and peptone or corn steep liquor as the nitrogen source. The cultivation process in shake flasks could be successfully reproduced in a laboratory bioreactor.
Strains and Substrate Interaction on Culinary-Medicinal Shiitake Mushroom Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Singer (Agaricomycetideae) Axenic Sawdust Cultivation in Brazil
8
10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v6.i2.80
Renato M. C.
Montini
Departamento de Produção Vegetal (Módulo de Cogumelos), FCA/UNESP, C.P. 237, CEP 18603-970 Botucatu, SP, Brazil
Augusto Ferreira
da Eira
Department of Plant Production, Agriculture Microbiology, FCA/UNESP, Botucatu, SP, Brazil
This study examined the interaction between four different substrate formulations and the strains LE 96/17, LE 98/51, LE 98/53, and LE 98/56 of culinary-medicinal shiitake mushroom Lentinus edodes yield at the first flush (142 days after substrate inoculation) on axenic sawdust cultivation. The strains were from the mycological collection of the Modulo de Cogumelos, Faculdade de Ciencias Agronomicas, Unesp-Botucatu. Shiitake was cultured by supplemented Eucalyptus spp. sawdust mixed with different proportions of rice and wheat bran with and without sugarcane bagasse. Overall, Lentinus edodes may present interstrain variability in productivity, as revealed by biological efficiency (BE) and basidiome size, when the substrate is prepared with different bran proportions. The BE and basidiome size were higher for substrates with the lowest quantities of bran (10% wheat and 10% rice bran). However, the highest proportion of bran (20% wheat and 20% rice bran) reduced the BE and decreased the basidiome size. The incorporation of sugarcane bagasse in the substrate was found to play a minor role, if any, on productivity and basidiome size. Strains LE 96/17 and 98/56 had the highest BE (40.3 and 33.3%, respectively) on 14 days of harvesting phase. The protein content of LE 96/17 and 98/56 basidiomes were superior for substrates with the highest proportion of bran.
Production of Tuber-Like Sclerotia of Medicinal Value by Pleurotus tuberregium (Fr.) Singer (Agaricomycetideae)
8
10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v6.i2.90
Nai-Lai
Huang
The Sanming Mycological Institute, Sanming, Fujian, China
Alice W.
Chen
Specialty Mushrooms, 1730 Penfield Rd., No.41, Penfield, NY 14526, USA
Pleurotus tuberregium (Fr.) Singer, the only true sclerotia-producing species in the genus Pleurotus, is a tropical and subtropical species that shows a preference for high temperature in cultivation. Although both mushrooms and sclerotia are produced, sclerotia are the main cause of interest in food and in medicinal preparations. This article describes the distribution and habitats of P. tuberregium for collecting and cultivation. Attention is directed to characteristics of the economic importance of sclerotia and to cultivation for sclerotia production. Synthetic log cultivation is highlighted, although natural log cultivation is feasible. Being a lignin-degrading white-rot fungus, P. tuberregium is most adaptable to a wide range of substrates, including lignin-containing broad-leaf sawdust and straw. However, not all substrates or every strain produce sclerotia. Of significance in sclerotia production are strain selection, substrate selection, substrate formulation, and management of growth parameters, particularly the requirement of high temperature. Observation on how the fungus grows provides a guide to new growers. Discussions on how to shorten sclerotia production time and how to improve yield are especially interesting.
Global Marketing of Medicinal Ling Zhi Mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (W.Curt.:Fr.) Lloyd (Aphyllophoromycetideae) Products and Safety Concerns
6
10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v6.i2.100
Tim
Lai
Encore International Co. Ltd., Mt. Eden, Greenmount, Auckland, New Zealand
Yihuai
Gao
Institute of Food, Nutrition and Human Health, Massey University; Landcare Research, Private Bag 92170, Auckland, New Zealand
Shufeng
Zhou
Division of Pharmacy, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Australia; Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore; University of South Florida FL 33612, USA
A number of products prepared from Ganoderma lucidum (Ling Zhi, Reishi) are sold throughout the world as dietary supplements or over-the-counter (OTC) products, while in many Asian countries (China, Japan, and Korea) Ling Zhi preparations can be sold as drugs, and a doctor's prescription is needed. There is increasing interest in the marketing of Ling Zhi, with an estimated annual sales increase of 18%. The global production of Ling Zhi was estimated to be 4900—5000 tons in 2002, and at least 100 brands of Ling Zhi products are sold on the market. The estimated annual global turnover of Ling Zhi products should be approximately US$2.16 billion. Modern research of Ling Zhi's biology, biochemistry, pharmacology, and therapeutics has provided initial scientific basis for its marketing. Ling Zhi has been prepared into various types of formulations. These include slices and powder of fruiting bodies, extracts prepared by water and/or organic solvents, spore products, drinks, syrups, and lotions for external use. Ingredients from other herbal medicines have been added to Ling Zhi products to achieve synergism (pharmacodynamic potentiation). Multiple levels of marketing channels of Ling Zhi exist. These mainly include direct sale, pharmacies, tonic and health food shops, website-based sale, and herbal specialist/traditional medical doctors'clinics. There are strict limitations for herbal product claims. Product labeling may include structure/function claims or statements about well-being. Randomized, multicenter, and controlled clinical trials are the most important studies for claims for the indication of herbal medicines when appropriate. A telephone survey on consumer's evaluation of Ganopoly (a G. lucidum polysaccharide extract) in Auckland has indicated that most consumers (71.6%) used Ganopoly as a drug for the treatment of various chronic diseases, including cancer and hepatopathy. Following the administration of Ganopoly for 1−3 months, 41.3%, 38.1%, and 20.6% of consumers with various diseases claimed to obtain significant improvement, some improvement, and no effect, respectively. Ten percent of the consumers investigated experienced mild side effects, including dry mouth and dizziness. However, there are several safety concerns with Ling Zhi products, such as wrong claims/labeling, lack of public acceptability, interactions with concomitant synthetic drugs, and potential side effects. Therefore, more research is needed to explore the efficacy and safety of Ling Zhi products.