Medicinal Mushrooms as an Attractive New Source of Natural Compounds for Future Cancer Therapy
- Author: mycolabadmin
- 2018-06-26
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Summary
This research examines how certain medicinal mushrooms could provide new treatments for cancer. Scientists found that compounds from these mushrooms can fight cancer in multiple ways while causing fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy. The mushrooms work by boosting the immune system, preventing cancer spread, and directly killing cancer cells.
Impacts on everyday life:
• Could lead to new cancer treatments with fewer side effects
• Suggests adding certain mushrooms to diet may help prevent cancer
• Shows potential for natural supplements to complement existing cancer treatments
• Provides scientific backing for traditional medical practices
• Opens new possibilities for developing targeted cancer therapies
Background
Medicinal mushrooms have been used throughout human history for treating various diseases including cancer. They are now being intensively studied to understand their chemical properties and mechanisms of action. While conventional chemotherapy can harm healthy tissues, targeted cancer treatments using compounds from fungi could provide more specific therapeutic approaches.
Objective
To analyze the anticancer potential and therapeutic properties of four medicinal mushrooms – Fomitopsis pinicola, Hericium erinaceus, Trametes versicolor and Inonotus obliquus – and evaluate their compounds, mechanisms of action, and clinical applications for cancer treatment.
Results
The review found that these mushrooms contain multiple bioactive compounds including polysaccharides, terpenoids, proteins and polyphenols that can target cancer through various mechanisms including immunomodulation, anti-metastatic effects, apoptosis induction, and angiogenesis inhibition. T. versicolor showed the most clinical progress with approved immunotherapy treatments. H. erinaceus demonstrated strong gastrointestinal cancer-fighting properties. I. obliquus contained compounds targeting specific cancer pathways. F. pinicola showed preliminary anticancer potential requiring further research.
Conclusion
The studied medicinal mushrooms demonstrate significant potential as sources of natural anticancer compounds through multiple mechanisms of action. While some like T. versicolor have reached clinical applications, others require more research to fully understand their therapeutic potential. The complex and synergistic effects of mushroom compounds make them promising candidates for development of targeted cancer treatments with minimal side effects.
- Published in:Oncotarget,
- Study Type:Review,
- Source: 10.18632/oncotarget.25660