MYCOLab Ai Logo - gold and army green

Chaga mushroom triterpenoids as adjuncts to minimally invasive cancer therapies: A review

Summary

Chaga mushroom, a fungus that grows on birch trees, contains special compounds called triterpenoids that can kill cancer cells in laboratory tests. Some of these compounds, particularly inotodiol and betulinic acid, show anti-cancer activity similar to or better than conventional chemotherapy drugs. While promising, researchers need to improve how these compounds are absorbed in the body and test them more thoroughly in animals and humans before they can be used clinically.

Background

Cancer remains the second leading cause of death globally. Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) is a parasitic fungus traditionally used for health purposes and has been recognized for containing pharmaceutical and nutraceutical value. Triterpenoid constituents of Chaga mushrooms have demonstrated significant cytotoxicity against various cancer cells in vitro.

Objective

This review examines studies investigating the anti-cancer activity of Chaga mushroom triterpenoids to identify which cancer cell lines demonstrate the greatest susceptibility and highlight structure-activity relationships involved. The goal is to evaluate triterpenoid supplementation as a viable adjunct to cancer treatment options.

Results

Inotodiol and 3-β-22 α-dihydroxylanosta-8, 25-diene-24-one showed the most potent anti-cancer activity with IC50 values ≤10 µM against multiple cancer cell lines. Betulinic acid demonstrated the strongest activity (IC50 0.8 µM) against HT29-MTX colorectal cancer cells. Anti-cancer mechanisms include apoptosis induction, cell cycle arrest, and immunomodulatory effects.

Conclusion

Chaga mushroom triterpenoids show promising potential as adjuncts to cancer therapy with comparable or superior cytotoxic effects to conventional drugs. Further in vivo studies and optimization of bioavailability through structural modifications and delivery systems are essential. Integration of triterpenoid supplementation with minimally invasive cancer treatments may enhance therapeutic outcomes.
  • Published in:Current Research in Toxicology,
  • Study Type:Literature Review,
  • Source: PMID: 38046279, DOI: 10.1016/j.crtox.2023.100137
Scroll to Top