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Encapsulation of progesterone in reishi mushroom composite for optimized hormone replacement and targeted anticancer therapy

Summary

Researchers created a new treatment by combining progesterone (a hormone) with reishi mushroom powder to make it work better in the body. The mushroom acts like a protective wrapper that slowly releases the hormone, making it more effective for treating menopausal symptoms and fighting breast cancer cells. The combination also fights harmful bacteria and fungi while remaining stable during storage. This approach combines traditional medicine with modern pharmaceutical science.

Background

Conventional hormone replacement therapy and hormone-dependent cancer treatments suffer from poor bioavailability, rapid metabolism, and adverse side effects. Reishi mushrooms contain bioactive compounds with anticancer and immunomodulatory properties but have limited therapeutic potential due to poor solubility and bioavailability. This study aims to develop an innovative progesterone-reishi mushroom composite to enhance therapeutic efficacy.

Objective

To develop and characterize a progesterone-encapsulated reishi mushroom composite that provides sustained drug release, enhanced anticancer activity, and improved stability for hormone replacement therapy and targeted cancer treatment.

Results

The composite achieved 98.10% loading efficiency with sustained release of 88.25% over 48 hours compared to complete release of free progesterone in 2-4 hours. The composite showed enhanced anticancer activity with IC50 of 81.11 μg/mL versus 123.12 μg/mL for free progesterone. Molecular docking revealed strong binding affinities with key receptors, and accelerated stability testing showed >94% progesterone retention after 6 months.

Conclusion

The progesterone-reishi mushroom composite demonstrates promising dual-action therapeutic potential through sustained release, enhanced anticancer and antimicrobial effects, and excellent stability. This natural-synthetic hybrid formulation offers a novel approach for hormone replacement therapy and cancer treatment with improved bioavailability and reduced adverse effects.
  • Published in:RSC Advances,
  • Study Type:Experimental Research Study,
  • Source: PMID: 40547210
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