Shiitake mushroom is an edible, medicinal mushroom of Asian origin. Shiitake mushrooms are widely prescribed for the treatment of cancer in Japan. They protect normal cells from oxidative damage caused by free radicals and reduce side effects of chemotherapy, according to researchers at University of California, Davis. If you want to use shiitake mushrooms, talk to your doctor first.
Anti-Cancer Property
The scientists, led by University of California Davis Cancer Center director Ralph deVere White, M.D., examined the anti-tumor effect of a polysaccharide extract obtained from shiitake mushroom on human prostate cancer cell lines. The study results showed that the anti-cancer activity of shiitake mushroom polysaccharides show direct anti-tumor activity against prostate carcinomas possibly through the activation of the body's immune system.
D-fraction
D-fraction, a polysaccharide extract from maitake mushrooms, shows a great potential as an effective chemopreventive agent against prostate cancer cell growth, according to a study published online in UC Davis website on December 12, 1998. In one study, D-fraction increased the activity of immune cells such as macrophages and helper T-cells that help the body fight off cancer.
Genistein Concentrated Polysaccharide
White and colleagues analyzed a food extract derived from soybeans and shiitake mushrooms called genistein concentrated polysaccharide, or GCP, that demonstrates potent anti-prostate cancer activity in vitro and in vivo. They made a novel high-impact discovery that GCP decreases serum levels of prostate-specific antigen in prostate cancer patients, and therefore can be an effective aid in reducing the risk of recurrence of prostate cancer. Prostate-specific antigen levels are increased in men with prostate cancer.
Safety Issues
Several clinical trials demonstrate that shiitake mushrooms are generally safe for human consumption and show no toxicity, according to Drugs.com. However, the safety of shiitake mushrooms during pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been established. Also, there have been some case reports of allergic reactions, dermatitis, asthma, rhinitis and hypersensitivity in people taking concentrated shiitake mushroom extracts.
