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Health Cancer
17 Everyday Chemicals Could Be Linked to Breast Cancer
Barbara Tasch
May 12, 2014
Scientists who looked at data linking mammary tumors in animals to vehicle exhaust, paint removers, disinfectants and other common items, and compared it to more limited data for humans, say there's cause for concern
New research sheds light on possible nongenetic causes of breast cancer: everyday chemicals.
Scientists at the nonprofit Silent Spring Institute and the Harvard School of Public Health did a deep dive on epidemiological data, looking at chemicals linked to mammary tumors in animals and then comparing their findings against existing data for humans, which is far more limited. The study authors, who published their research in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives, identified 17 groups of chemicals they say are cause for concern.
These everyday chemicals include those found in vehicle exhaust, flame retardants (which are commonly used on furniture, rugs and mattresses), stain-resistant textiles (like the kind used to upholster furniture), paint removers and disinfection byproducts in drinking water. The study also identified chemicals formed by combustion (benzene and butadiene), which humans are exposed to from gasoline, lawn equipment, tobacco smoke, and charred or burned food.
More research is needed before a conclusive cause-and-effect link can be established between these chemicals and breast cancer, but the authors urge men and women to take care in the meantime. In addition to standard breast-cancer prevention — maintaining a healthy weight, moderating alcohol consumption and not smoking — the study authors offer seven tips women and men should follow to minimize the risk of exposure to those substances:
1) Reduce your exposure to fumes from gasoline and to exhaust from diesel or other fuel combustion. That means: don’t idle your car, and if possible, use electric, not gas-powered, lawnmowers, leaf blowers and weed whackers.
2) Use a fan when you cook, and avoid eating burned or charred food.
3) Don’t buy furniture with polyurethane foam — or ask for foam not treated with flame retardants.
4) Avoid stain-resistant rugs, furniture and fabrics.
5) Find a dry cleaner who doesn’t use solvents; ask for “wet cleaning.”
6) Purify your drinking water with a solid carbon-block filter.
7) Keep your house clean to avoid bringing in outside chemicals. Remove your shoes at the door, vacuum with a HEPA filter, and clean with wet rags and mops.
Personally, I make a tea out of the mushrooms, using just one type at a time. I don't use pills or capsules because getting the natural nutrition is incredibly healthier. (Also, the Nutrionist from SCCA, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, said, "I don't want you taking any pills except for your one of 1,000 mg. of vitamin D-3 daily.") I buy the mushrooms on eBay because the prices there are lower than anywhere else.
American Cancer Society
Shiitake Mushroom
Other common name(s): Japanese mushroom, Black Forest mushroom, golden oak mushroom, oakwood mushroom
Scientific/medical name(s): Lentinus edodes, Lentinula edodes
Description
A shiitake mushroom is an edible fungus native to Asia and grown in forests. Shiitake mushrooms are the second most commonly cultivated edible mushrooms in the world. Extracts from the mushroom, and sometimes the whole dried mushroom, are used in herbal remedies.
Overview
Studies in animals have found antitumor, cholesterol-lowering, and virus-inhibiting effects in compounds in shiitake mushrooms. However, clinical studies are needed to determine whether these properties can help people with cancer and other diseases. It is reasonable to include shiitake mushrooms as part of a balanced diet.
How is it promoted for use?
Shiitake mushrooms are promoted to fight the development and progression of cancer and AIDS by boosting the body's immune system. These mushrooms are also said to help prevent heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels and to help treat infections such as hepatitis by producing interferon, a group of natural proteins that stops viruses from multiplying. Promoters claim that eating both the cap and stem of the mushroom may be helpful, but they do not say how much must be eaten to have an effect. They say the strength and effects of the mushroom depend on how it is prepared and consumed.
Promoters claim that shiitake mushrooms contain several compounds with health benefits. A compound called lentinan is believed to stop or slow tumor growth. Another component, activated hexose-containing compound (also known as 1,3-beta glucan), is also said to reduce tumor activity and lessen the side effects of cancer treatment. The mushrooms also contain the compound eritadenine, which is thought to lower cholesterol by blocking the way cholesterol is absorbed into the bloodstream. These claims are currently being studied.
What does it involve?
The fresh or dried whole mushroom is widely available in grocery stores, while extracts of the mushroom are sold in capsule form in health food stores and on the Internet. Kits for growing shiitake mushrooms indoors at home are available from some Internet sellers.
For medicinal purposes, the extracts of compounds in shiitake mushrooms would usually be recommended, rather than the mushroom itself. For example, some Japanese researchers give lentinan along with chemotherapy to treat patients with lung, nose, throat, and stomach cancer. Extracts of the active compounds, such as lentinan and eritadenine, are mainly sold in Japan. Activated hexose-containing compound is sold as a nutritional supplement in the United States, Europe, and Japan.
What is the history behind it?
Medicinal use of shiitake mushrooms dates at least to 100 AD in China (see Chinese Herbal Medicine). The mushrooms have been widely consumed as a food for thousands of years in the East and more recently in the West. Today, shiitake mushrooms are very popular in the United States as well. Research into the anticancer properties of shiitake mushrooms has been going on since at least the 1960s.
What is the evidence?
Animal studies have shown some positive results regarding the antitumor, cholesterol-lowering, and virus-inhibiting effects of several active compounds in shiitake mushrooms.
There have been some studies in humans. At least one randomized clinical trial of lentinan has shown it to prolong life of patients with advanced and recurrent stomach and colorectal cancer who were also given chemotherapy. Lentinan is a beta glucan (sometimes called beta glycan) that is found in several mushrooms, yeasts, and other foods. Beta glucan is a polysaccharide, a large and complex molecule made up of smaller sugar molecules. The beta glucan polysaccharide is believed to stimulate the immune system and activate certain cells and proteins that attack cancer, including macrophages, T-cells, and natural killer cells. In laboratory studies, beta glucan appears to slow the growth of cancer in some cell cultures.
Several potential cancer-fighting substances have been found in shiitake mushrooms, and purified forms of these compounds are being studied as treatment for stomach and colorectal cancer. It is not known whether any of these results will apply to the mushrooms bought in supermarkets or the extracts that are sold as supplements. One nonrandomized study published in 2002 looked at use of shiitake mushroom extract by men with prostate cancer but did not find any positive effect. Sixty-two men took the extract 3 times a day. After 6 months, they did not have any significant decrease in their level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a protein in the body that typically increases as prostate cancer grows, and nearly a quarter of them had increases in their PSA level. More human clinical trials are under way to understand which, if any, compounds in shiitake mushrooms may be effective for which types of cancers.
To reduce cancer risk, the American Cancer Society's nutrition guidelines recommend eating a balanced diet that includes five or more servings a day of vegetables and fruit, choosing whole grains over processed and refined foods, and limiting red meats and animal fats. Choosing foods from a variety of fruits, vegetables and other plant sources such as nuts, seeds, whole grain cereals, and beans is healthier than consuming large amounts of one particular food. (For more information, see American Cancer Society Guidelines on Nutrition and Physical Activity for Cancer Prevention).
Are there any possible problems or complications?
This product is sold as a dietary supplement in the United States. Unlike companies that produce drugs (which must provide the FDA with results of detailed testing showing their product is safe and effective before the drug is approved for sale), the companies that make supplements do not have to show evidence of safety or health benefits to the FDA before selling their products. Supplement products without any reliable scientific evidence of health benefits may still be sold as long as the companies selling them do not claim the supplements can prevent, treat, or cure any specific disease. Some such products may not contain the amount of the herb or substance that is written on the label, and some may include other substances (contaminants). Though the FDA has written new rules to improve the quality of manufacturing processes for dietary supplements and the accurate listing of supplement ingredients, these rules do not take full effect until 2010. And, the new rules do not address the safety of supplement ingredients or their effects on health when proper manufacturing techniques are used.
Most such supplements have not been tested to find out if they interact with medicines, foods, or other herbs and supplements. Even though some reports of interactions and harmful effects may be published, full studies of interactions and effects are not often available. Because of these limitations, any information on ill effects and interactions below should be considered incomplete.
Shiitake mushrooms and their extracts are generally considered safe, although there are reports of diarrhea or bloating. In some people, allergic reactions have developed affecting the skin, nose, throat, or lungs. Relying on this type of treatment alone and avoiding or delaying conventional medical care for cancer may have serious health consequences.
American Cancer Society
Maitake Mushroom
Other common name(s): maitake D-fraction, maitake, maitake extract, beta-glucan,
Scientific/medical name(s): Grifola frondosa
Description
Maitake is an edible mushroom from the species Grifola frondosa. Maitake D-fraction® is an extract of this large mushroom native to the mountains of northeastern Japan. The maitake mushroom is eaten as a food, and maitake-D fraction is marketed as a dietary supplement in the United States and Japan. The substance in the maitake mushroom is thought to be active in humans and is called beta-glucan.
Overview
Research has shown that maitake D-fraction has effects on the immune system in animal and laboratory studies. There is no convincing clinical evidence to date in available peer-reviewed medical journals reporting that the maitake mushroom is effective in treating or preventing cancer in humans, although some human research is now underway.
How is it promoted for use?
Promoters claim that maitake mushroom extract boosts the immune system and limits or reverses tumor growth. It is also said to enhance the benefits of chemotherapy and lessen some side effects of anti-cancer drugs, such as hair loss, pain, and nausea.
What does it involve?
Maitake D-fraction is available in liquid extract, tablet, and capsule in health food stores, although the amount of beta glucan contained in each form may vary. The usual dosage of dried mushroom is between 3 and 7 grams daily. Maitake mushrooms are also available in grocery stores and can be eaten as food or made into tea.
What is the history behind it?
For thousands of years, Asian healers have used certain edible mushrooms in tonics, soups, teas, prepared foods, and herbal formulas to promote health and long life. Until recently, the healing properties of mushrooms have been the subject of folklore only. In the past few decades, however, researchers in Japan have been studying the medicinal effects of mushrooms on the immune system, cancer, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.
The Japanese word "maitake" means "dancing mushroom" because people in ancient times were said to dance for joy when they found these mushrooms, which were literally worth their weight in silver. Modern research on the maitake mushroom and its D-fraction extract began in Japan in the mid-1980s and has only recently spread to the United States.
As of the early 21st century, much has been written about maitake and its purported magic healing qualities. This has sparked a great deal of interest in its use for various human illnesses.
What is the evidence?
Maitake mushrooms and the maitake D-fraction prepared from them contain a type of polysaccharide (a large molecule formed by multiple sugar molecules linked together), called beta glucan (sometimes called beta glycan). Beta glucan is found in several mushrooms, yeasts, and other foods. A polysaccharide is a large and complex molecule made up of smaller sugar molecules. Beta glucan is believed to stimulate the immune system and activate certain cells and proteins that attack cancer, including macrophages, T-cells, natural killer cells, and interleukin-1 and -2. In laboratory studies, it appears to slow the growth of cancer in some cell cultures and in mice.
Most of the research on maitake D-fraction has been done in Japan using an injectable form of the extract. A 1997 study published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Science found that maitake D-fraction was able to enhance the immune system and inhibit the spread of tumors in mice implanted with breast cancer. In a 1995 report published in the same journal, researchers concluded that maitake D-fraction was able to activate the immune systems of mice that had been injected with liver cancer cells. The extract seemed to prevent the spread of tumors to the liver and prevent the development of cancer in normal cells. A nonrandomized study of fifteen dogs with lymphoma did not find any evidence of benefit from the use of maitake extract.
While animal and laboratory studies may show a certain compound holds promise as a beneficial treatment, further studies are necessary to determine whether the results apply to humans. In 2002, a group of Japanese people with different types of cancer were given maitake D-fraction and maitake powder in addition to standard cancer treatment. Although the researchers thought some patients showed improvement, the study did not include a control group. Because of limitations in the study design, no reliable conclusions can be drawn. It is impossible to say for certain whether any effect was caused by the maitake treatments or standard cancer treatments the patients also received. More scientifically designed studies are needed to determine maitake's potential usefulness in preventing or treating cancer.
The National Cancer Institute is sponsoring a very early (Phase I) study at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center to learn whether beta glucan can increase the effectiveness of rituximab (a drug used for treating some types of lymphoma and leukemia) by increasing cancer cells' sensitivity to it. This clinical trial is studying the side effects and best dose of beta glucan when given with rituximab. It will look at young patients with relapsed or progressive lymphoma, leukemia, or similar disorders.
In another clinical trial, beta glucan is being tested together with other drugs to learn whether they increase the effectiveness of a monoclonal antibody (3F8). Combining different types of biological therapy may kill more tumor cells. This is a small open label trial (so called because both patients and researchers know which treatment is being administered) in patients with neuroblastoma that has not responded to treatment. A trial of maitake extract as treatment for breast cancer is also in progress.
Are there any possible problems or complications?
This product is sold as a dietary supplement in the United States. Unlike drugs (which must be tested before being allowed to be sold), the companies that make supplements are not required to prove to the Food and Drug Administration that their supplements are safe or effective, as long as they don't claim the supplements can prevent, treat, or cure any specific disease.
Some such products may not contain the amount of the herb or substance that is written on the label, and some may include other substances (contaminants). Actual amounts per dose may vary between brands or even between different batches of the same brand.
Most such supplements have not been tested to find out if they interact with medicines, foods, or other herbs and supplements. Even though some reports of interactions and harmful effects may be published, full studies of interactions and effects are not often available. Because of these limitations, any information on ill effects and interactions below should be considered incomplete.
The maitake mushroom itself has been used as food for centuries and is generally presumed to be safe. So far, studies have not shown any adverse effects from maitake D-fraction or beta glucan, but human studies of their effectiveness in treating cancer have not yet been completed.
In animal studies, beta glucans of the type in maitake mushrooms lowered blood sugar and should be used with caution in people with low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) or those who are on medicines to reduce or control blood sugar. Beta glucans also reduced blood pressure in animals and may have a similar effect in people. Additional studies are needed to find out whether these effects occur in humans.
Allergies to many types of mushrooms, including maitake, have been reported. Relying on this type of treatment alone and avoiding or delaying conventional medical care for cancer may have serious health consequences.
American Cancer Society
Coriolus Versicolor
Other common name(s): "Turkey Tail" mushroom, Yun zhi, polysaccharide K (PSK), polysaccharide-peptide (PSP), versicolor polysaccharide (VPS)
Scientific/medical name(s): Coriolus versicolor, Trametes versicolor
Description
Coriolus versicolor is a mushroom used in traditional Asian herbal remedies (see Chinese Herbal Medicine). Two substances extracted from the mushroom, polysaccharide K (PSK) and polysaccharide-peptide (PSP), are being studied as possible complementary cancer treatments. Verisicolor polysaccharid (VPS), another extract from the mushroom that is sold as a dietary supplement in the United States, is also being studied. A polysaccharide is a carbohydrate formed by a large number of sugar molecules.
Overview
Available scientific evidence does not support claims that the raw mushroom itself is an effective anti-cancer agent in humans. But there is some scientific evidence that substances derived from parts of the mushroom may be useful against cancer. Clinical trials suggest that PSK may help people with certain types of cancer by increasing survival rates and lengthening periods of time without disease, without causing major side effects. PSK is commonly used with other cancer treatments in Japan. PSP and VPS have not been studied as thoroughly.
How is it promoted for use?
Herbalists claim Coriolus versicolor and its extracts are useful against a number of conditions, including cancer and certain infections. PSK, one of the substances that can be extracted from Coriolus versicolor, is believed to be a strong anti-oxidant, a compound that blocks the action of free radicals, activated oxygen molecules that can damage cells.
What does it involve?
Coriolus versicolor can be taken as a capsule, as an extract, or as a tea. The doses usually range from 1 to 9 grams per day, depending on the patient's condition. Coriolus versicolor can be obtained in herbal medicine shops, health food stores, and on the Internet. A variety of extracts of the mushroom, including PSP and VPS, are also sold as dietary supplements in the United States.
What is the history behind it?
Coriolus versicolor has been a component of traditional Asian medicine for centuries. In the 1980s, the Japanese government approved the use of PSK for treating several types of cancer. In Japan, PSK is a best-selling anti-cancer drug where it is currently used as a cancer treatment along with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. PSP was discovered more recently and has been studied mainly in China.
What is the evidence?
We are unable to find reports of controlled clinical trials with the Coriolus versicolor mushroom itself that have been published in the available peer-reviewed journals. However, there have been many studies looking at the usefulness of the extract PSK.
Researchers have found that PSK, one of the substances that can be extracted from Coriolus versicolor, has several anti-cancer properties. In some animal studies, it slows the spread of cancer cells. PSK also appears to have some immune system–boosting properties in people undergoing chemotherapy and may lessen some side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. PSK is also believed to be a strong anti-oxidant, a compound that blocks the action of free radicals, activated oxygen molecules that can damage cells.
More than 2 dozen human studies of PSK have been reviewed by experts at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Almost all of these studies were done in Japan and focused on cancer of the esophagus, stomach, colon, or breast. Most of them found that people with cancer were helped by PSK. People who received PSK with other treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy, generally had longer periods of time without disease and had increased survival rates compared with patients who received only standard treatment. Side effects from PSK in these studies were very mild. Smaller studies have suggested PSK may not be as effective against liver cancer or leukemia.
The effects of PSP are less well known. While some early Chinese studies of PSP have reportedly shown it may help protect the immune system from the effects of cancer treatment, most studies published in medical journals thus far have been in cell cultures or animals. These types of studies can suggest possible helpful effects, but they do not provide proof that such effects can be achieved in humans. Studies in animals have suggested that PSP may slow the growth of lung cancer and sarcoma, and may help make radiation therapy more effective in treating certain brain tumors. One small study in humans found that lung cancer patients taking PSP seemed to maintain their health longer than those who did not take PSP, although they did not get better and did not report improvement in cancer-related symptoms. Larger human studies will be needed determine whether PSP can be helpful for people.
A 2005 study using mice treated with a chemical that causes colon cancer did not find any reduction in colon tumors in mice also given VPS. A 2006 study found that VPS may have actually increased the number of large colon tumors in mice.
Are there any possible problems or complications?
This product is sold as a dietary supplement in the United States. Unlike drugs (which must be tested before being allowed to be sold), the companies that make supplements are not required to prove to the Food and Drug Administration that their supplements are safe or effective, as long as they don't claim the supplements can prevent, treat, or cure any specific disease.
Some such products may not contain the amount of the herb or substance that is written on the label, and some may include other substances (contaminants). Actual amounts per dose may vary between brands or even between different batches of the same brand.
Most such supplements have not been tested to find out if they interact with medicines, foods, or other herbs and supplements. Even though some reports of interactions and harmful effects may be published, full studies of interactions and effects are not often available. Because of these limitations, any information on ill effects and interactions below should be considered incomplete.
No serious risks have been linked with the use of Coriolus versicolor or products derived from this mushroom. Rarely, side effects include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and diarrhea. Even less common are darkening of the fingernails and low blood cell counts.
Relying on this type of treatment alone and avoiding or delaying conventional medical care for cancer, may have serious health consequences.
Reishi
Reishi Mushroom
Medicinal mushrooms like reishi, maitake can help fight cancer
Adams, M. (2009, October 23). Medicinal mushrooms like Reishi, maitake can help fight cancer. Natural News. Retrieved from http://www.naturalnews.com/
Medicinal mushrooms have long been used in Asia as an energy tonic to help promote longevity and overall health. Amongst the many types of medicinal mushrooms, including Maitake, Cordyceps, and Shiitake, Reishi is one of the most versatile medicinal mushrooms. Medicinal mushrooms have been shown to improve specific immune markers and contribute significantly to healing processes by stimulating the body’s immune system. They contain high concentration of fiber and act as prebiotic, antioxidant, and antibiotics. They hold anti-hyperlipidemic, hypotensive, and hypoglycemic ability in addition to helping many health conditions such as asthma, ulcers, and kidney inflammation. Furthermore, medicinal mushrooms are potent antagonists that helps diminish the formation of cancerous cells and compounds.
Reishi
Reishi Mushroom
Medicinal mushrooms like reishi, maitake canhelp fight cancer
by Mike Adams, the Health
Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Originally published October 23 2009
(NaturalNews) The cure for cancer already exists. But it wasn't created in a lab, and
it wasn't funded by pink-ribbon products or walkathons. It was created for free by
Mother Nature, and it exists as a collection of literally thousands of powerful anti-cancer phytonutrients found in
medicinal mushrooms.
.
Medicinal mushrooms contain some of the most potent medicine in the world. They
are living pharmaceutical factories, but they file no patents and ask for no royalties.
They just mind their own business, manufacturing healing medicines day by day, and
waiting for someone wise and humble enough to come along and pick them.
Here, we've assembled a unique collection of
supporting statements about medicinal
mushrooms and cancer from some of the
top authors in the industry. If you (or
someone you know) suffers from any form of
cancer, make sure to send them this
information so they can learn what their conventional cancer doctor won't dare tell
them... that medicinal mushrooms make chemotherapy virtually obsolete!
Beating cancer with the help of medicinal mushrooms
Many of the medicinal mushrooms, including chaga mushroom, maitake mushroom, ganoderma mushroom, and cordyceps mushroom,
contain cancer-preventive and cancer-fighting actions. Research has focused on the polysaccharides with
beta 1,3 glucan linkages. Indole-3-carbinol is a nutrient found in large quantities in
cruciferous vegetables. It is a potent antagonist of breast cancer, reducing formation
of cancerous compounds from hormones and participating in blockage of cancer cell
progression.
- The One Earth Herbal Sourcebook: Everything You Need to Know About Chinese,
Western, and Ayurvedi
c Herbal Treatments
by Alan Keith Tillotson, Ph.D., A.H.G., D.Ay.
Other mushroom extracts that have been
shown to have clinical effectiveness
against human cancers are D-fraction extracted from the Maitake mushroom, and
extracts from the split gill, turkey tail and Reishi mushrooms. In 1998, Maitake
Products received FDA approval for an Investigational New Drug Phase II pilot study
of maitake mushroom extract in the treatment of advanced breast and prostate
cancer. There is also some evidence that
the consumption of mushrooms in the diet
may ward off cancer.
- You Don't Have to be Afraid of Cancer Anymore
by Bill Sardi
As with many of the medicinal mushrooms, Shiitake has been shown to be of benefit
as an adjuvant cancer therapy. It has
been shown to improve specific immune
markers (including natural killer cells, tumor necrosis factor, T-helper cells, and a
variety of interleukins), and patient outcomes.
- The Health Benefits Of
Medicinal Mushrooms
by Mark Stengler
Reishi is one of the most versatile medicinal mushrooms. It has long been used in
Asia as an energy tonic to promote longevity and overall health. Studies indicate that
reishi is an antioxidant and contains polysaccharides and other compounds that may
boost the immune system. Reishi is taken
to counter bacteria and viruses and has
shown promise as an agent to help prevent
or treat cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome,
and other conditions. Russian researchers at
the Cancer Research Center in Moscow
have had positive results using reishi extracts to boost the immunity of cancer
patients.
- The Health Benefits Of
Medicinal Mushrooms
by Mark Stengler
Cancer patients may also wish to investigate medicinal mushrooms (such types as
reishi, shiitake, cordyceps, maitake, agaracus, and coriolus)
as immune-boosting
companions to chemotherapy. These medicinal mushrooms are sources of antitumor
and immunity-modulating polysaccharides (a type of carbohydrate) that have been
extensively researched. Formulas containing concentrated extracts of medicinal
mushrooms are available; talk with your oncologist about which he or she might
recommend.
- Supplement Your Prescription: What Your Doctor Doesn't Know About Nutrition
by Hyla Cass, M.D.
Like many other medicinal mushrooms, reishi
mushroom can be used to treat cancer
patients due to its ability to activate
NK cells, macrophages, T-lymphocytes, and
cytokines, all important immune system components. Kee Chang Huang reports that
reishi "exerts a synergistic effect with other anticancer
chemothera-peutic agents or
radiotherapy, to augment the clinical therapeutic effect in the treatment of cancer
patients."
- The One Earth Herbal Sourcebook: Everything You Need to Know About Chinese,
Western, and Ayurvedi
c Herbal Treatments
by Alan Keith Tillotson, Ph.D., A.H.G.,
D.Ay.
It takes about 15 pounds of reishi mush
rooms to produce 1 pound of the powdered
concentrate. Medicinal mushrooms make a
significant contribution to the healing
process by enhancing and stimulating the body's own immune system. This is a very
important factor in diseases like cancer and HIV, which have components unique to
each individual. In my protocols for people with cancer, I
always include one or more
medicinal mushroom extract products. Descriptions of some of the more frequently
used mushrooms follow.
- Herbal Medicine, Healing and Cancer: A
Comprehensive Program for Prevention and
Treatment
by Donald R. Yance, j r.,C.N., M.H., A.H.G., with Arlene Valentine
Although the Mayo Clinic regards the
use of medicinal mushrooms as more
traditional than scientific, they operate in a manner similar to prescription drugs
known as monocle. Cancer
patients need to understand the disconnect between the
supposed mission to cure cancer and the
objective of the companies that make
monoclonal antibodies, which
appears to be profits above delivery of an effective
treatment. The total therapeutic monoclonal antibodies market was estimated at
$296 million in 2002, and was projected
to surge to $2.8 billion by 2010.
- You Don't Have to be Afraid of Cancer Anymore
by Bill Sardi
In another study, researchers exposed mice
to a known urinary bladder carcinogen,
N-butyl-N'-butanolnitrosoamine
(BBN), every day for eight weeks and then fed them
medicinal mushrooms, including maitake, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms. All of the
mice treated with BBN developed bladder cancer. While each of the mushrooms
reduced the number of bladder cancers,
maitake was clearly most effective
(carcinomas were observed in 46.7 percent
of the maitake-treated mice compared to
52.9 percent and 65 percent for shiitake and oyster, respectively).
- Natural Cancer Cures: The Definitive Guide to Using Dietary Supplements to Fight
and Prevent Cancer
by Freedom Press
There have been 150 species of medicinal mushrooms found to inhibit the growth of
different kinds of tumors, especially cancer
s of the stomach, esophagus, and lungs,
but chaga seems to stand out from the rest. I learned about this mushroom from
herbalist David Winston, who told me it has been used traditionally to treat different
forms of cancer in Siberia, Canada, Scandinavia, the United States, and Russia.
Chaga is a fungal parasite that draws its nutrients out of living trees, rather than
from the ground.
- The One Earth Herbal Sourcebook: Everything You Need to Know About Chinese,
Western, and Ayurvedi
c Herbal Treatments
by Alan Keith Tillotson, Ph.D., A.H.G., D.Ay.
Japanese products containing LEM, a polysaccharide-rich extract from the shiitake
mushroom, and similar extracts from maitake are currently undergoing trials in
Japan and the U.S. to test
their effectiveness in treating various forms of cancer.
They show promise for treating people suffering from various forms of cancer and
AIDS and are currently in strong demand in Japan.
- Medicinal Mushrooms: An Exploration of Tradition, Healing, & Culture (Herbs and
Health Series)
by Christopher Hobbs
Goro Chihara notes that medicinal mushrooms such as shiitake can play an
important role in augmenting "intrinsic host defense mechanisms" - boosting the
body's inherent abilities to fight off invading agents. He says that such "host defense
potentiators" should be a more important focus for cancer research than the current
fascination with cell-killing
substances. Shiitake and reishi are the most common
medicinal mushrooms in the United States today, though other varieties are
beginning to become available either in fresh or packaged forms.
- Medicinal Mushrooms: An Exploration of Tradition, Healing, & Culture (Herbs and
Health Series)
by Christopher Hobbs
In Japan, pushcart vendors on the streets still sell medicinal mushrooms to the
average citizen who uses them to maintain health and promote longevity. Some
Japanese people have even been said to travel hundreds of miles in order to collect
wild mushrooms that only grow on very
old plum trees - such as the Reishi -
renowned as a cure for cancer and degenerative diseases. Likewise, for over 3,000
years the Chinese have used and revered many fungi for their health-giving
properties, especially tonics
for the immune system (Liu
and Bau, 1980; Yun-Chang,
1985).
- Medicinal Mushrooms: An Exploration of Tradition, Healing, & Culture (Herbs and
Health Series)
by Christopher Hobbs
Often called the "king of mushrooms," shiitake is just one of a number of medicinal
mushrooms currently under study at research
centers in Germany, the United States,
Japan, and China. Shiitake is being used for a wide variety of conditions involving
depressed immune function, from frequent colds to cancer. In Japan, physicians
prescribe shiitake in two different forms to treat many health conditions, including
asthma, hepatitis B, ulcers, high cholesterol, AIDS, kidney inflammation, herpes, and
various skin problems.
- The Encyclopedia of Popular Herbs
by Robert S. McCaleb, Evelyn Leigh, and Krista
Morien
In the 1980s, Japanese researchers began to investigate the folklore behind
medicinal mushrooms and found that many
had truly remarkable properties. For
example, maitake mushroom
stimulates the immune system by activating T-cells,
the body's natural defenders against viruses
and cancer cells. Recent animal studies
have shown that maitake extract can shrink
tumors in mice even better than a
common chemotherapy drug.
- Earl Mindell's Supplement Bible: A Co
mprehensive Guide to Hundreds of NEW
Natural Products that Will Help You Live Longer, Look Better, Stay Heathier, ... and
Much More!
by Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D.
Here is a brief summary of published studies on medicinal mushrooms and beta glucans:
Mushroom polysaccharides have remarkable anti-tumor activity. Mushrooms
have anti-hyperlipidemic, hypotensive, and hypoglycemic actions. Beta-glucan from
maitake mushrooms may induce apoptosis in
prostate cancer cells. Shiitake extracts
have reduced cholesterol and have anti-viral effects. Mushrooms are high fiber and
function as prebiotics, antioxidants, and antibiotics.
- The Anti-Aging Solution: 5 Simple
Steps to Looking and Feeling Young
by Vincent
Giampapa, Ronald Pero, and Marcia Zimmerman
As with most of the medicinal mushrooms,
unique polysaccharides present in H. erinaceus have immune-enhancing properties, and preliminary studies are
demonstrating some anticancer effects. The most intriguing potential of H. erinaceus
is that it may stimulate the production of
a substance known as Nerve Growth Factor
(NGF). This specialized protein is necessary
for the growth of sensory neurons. An invitro study found that an extract from
Hericium erinaceus mushroom promoted
myelin sheath growth on brain cells.
- The Health Benefits Of
Medicinal Mushrooms
by Mark Stengler
Two species of medicinal mushrooms employed for healing purposes by Mazatec
Indian shamans in southern Mexico have go
ne extinct in the past half century. And
tribes themselves continue
to disappear. This is just as great a tragedy, because
almost every plant or plant
derivative employed
for medicinal purposes by Western
society was investigated scientifically after being observed in use by "primitive"
cultures. Everything from codeine for pain to quinine for malaria to podo- phyllotoxin
for cancer is based on plants
discovered by ancient healers.
- Medicine Quest: In Search
of Nature's Healing Secrets
by Mark J. Plotkin
Shiitake and reishi offer a diverse range of
potential health benefits. You can take all
of these supplements in perhaps eight to ten
pills or capsules daily. If you take just
three or four of these natural supplements
at breakfast and the same number later
in the day, you will have substantially increased your energy levels, boosted your
immune system, lowered your risk of he
art disease and cancer, and strengthened
and balanced your overall system.
- Medicine Quest: In Search
of Nature's Healing Secrets
by Mark J. Plotkin
Uncover the mystery of Reishi polysaccharides effect on immunity and anti-cancer activity
2013-08-30 12:25:00
The polysaccharides in Reishi mushroom have been considered to have the ability to activate the human immune system and fight against cancer. However, the detailed functional mechanism remains a mystery to scientists. The research team of Genomic Research Center, Academia Sinica previously discovered that F3, a crude extract of fucose-containing polysaccharides from the Reishi mushroom, could stimulate the growth of many different immunocytes and boost the activity of the nature killer cells. This time, the research team further demonstrated that these polysaccharides, after injected into mice, can induce antibodies to recognize tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens on cancer cells and kill them. The results have just been published in this issue of “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA” and already attracted great attention and highlighted by the same journal.
This work was started in Dr. Hsien-Yeh Hsu’s group of National Yang-Ming University that when they injected F3 to mice with lung cancer could slow the tumor growth, but the anticancer mechanism was not clear. After collaboration with the research team led by Dr. Wong, Chi-Huey and Dr. Wu, Chung-Yi at the Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, it was found that the sera from the mice immunized with F3 contain the antibodies that recognize the tumor antigens GloboH and related structures. as shown in the glycan array designed by the groups led by Wong and Wu. Moreover, the inhibition of the tumor growth is directly related to the amount of these types of antibodies. In other words, the more the Globo H recognizing antibody, the smaller the tumor. The research team further separated the F3 into a fucose enriched fraction called FMS for immunization and found that FMS can induce even more anti-Globo H antibodies and, thus, more effectively inhibit tumor growth. The study further demonstrated that the fucose residue is the key of Reishi mushroom’s cancer fighting ability as the anticancer activity was reduced dramatically when the fucose residue was removed. The array data further showed that FMS could induce even more specific antibodies that recognize fucose-containing tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens on the cancer cells. Moreover, Dr. Kuo-I Lin’s group at the Genomics Research Center found that it is the immunocyte B1 produced antibody IgM to recognize Globo H and related molecules to kill cancer cells in a complement dependent manner. Finally, with the assistance of Dr. Khoo, Kay-Hooi on mass spectrometry analysis, the effective structures of the fucose-containing saccharides were elucidated. This research thus established the molecular mechanism of Reishi polysaccharides with regard to their anticancer activity.
The first authors of this research paper are shared by Ph.D. student Liao, Shih-Fen of the Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, and Dr. Liang, Chi-Hui of the Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica. This research was supported by Academia Sinica and National Science Council.
Contact Person: Dr. Wu, Chung-Yi.
The related article can be retrieved in the following links: “Immunization of fucose-containing polysaccharides from Reishi mushroom induces antibodies against tumor-associated Globo H-series epitopes,” Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 110(34):13809-14, (2013).
