Ganoderma lucidum is a medicinal mushroom widely prescribed in China and other Asian countries for the treatment of cancer. Its anti-proliferative activity against lung cancer cell lines is supported by some studies on polysaccharides and other biologically active compounds isolated from the fruiting bodies and mycelia of this fungus, the Bellarmine University reports. Ganoderma lucidum is an edible mushroom, however, it is safer to consult your doctor before taking it to treat your lung cancer.
Apoptosis
Bellarmine University researchers have examined the effects of Ganoderma lucidum extracts on proliferation in lung cancer cells. The study results showed that Ganoderma lucidum extract could induce apoptosis in lung cancer cells. Apoptosis is a normal physiological process that is responsible for the ordered removal of superfluous, aged and damaged cells.
Nuclear Factor Kappa B
Ganoderma lucidum inhibits proliferation of human lung cancer cells by blocking NF-kB and AP-1 activation, reports a 2003 study published in the medical journal "Interactive Cancer Therapies." Nuclear factor kappa B, or NF-kB, is a protein complex that protects cancer cells from apoptosis and plays a role how cancer cells proliferate in the lung, says D. Silva, Ph.D., a mushroom researcher at the Methodist Research Institute.
Anti-angiogenesis Effect
J.W. Yuen and colleagues at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in China demonstrated that Ganoderma lucidum has anti-angiogenesis effect in-vitro in human lung cancer cells. The results of this study have been published in the journal "Nutrition and Cancer" in 2005. Angiogenesis is a process that allows cancer cells to multiply, invade nearby tissue or spread to distant organs of the body through the formation of new blood vessels.
Safety Issues
Side effects of Ganoderma lucidum are broad and include dizziness, dry mouth, stomach upset, nosebleed, bone pain, skin irritation, diarrhea, and constipation. It blocks blood platelets from clotting, which, in turn, increases bleeding time. People who suffer from bleeding disorders such as hemophilia should not consume Ganoderma lucidum without first talking to their doctors.
