Medicinal Mushrooms for Immune Modulation & Surveillance
Medicinal mushrooms are indicated in autoimmune disease, chronic infections, immune deficiency, post-viral syndromes, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and as an adjunct in cancer (Bone 2007).
The cell wall of medicinal mushrooms contains approximately 80% polysaccharides, half of which are beta-glucans (Mallard et al. 2019). Mushrooms high in branched β-glucans in the fruiting body possess potent immunological actions (Mallard et al. 2019).
Research has shown a synergistic immune modulatory response from a combination of Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) and Maitake (Grifola frondosa) in human macrophages (Mallard et al. 2019). Macrophages are a type of white blood cell of the innate immune system specialised in detecting and destroying harmful substances via a process call phagocytosis.
Polysaccharide K (PSK) and Polysaccharopeptides (PSP) found in Turkey tail (Coriolus versicolor) have been shown to inhibit cancer cell growth (Habtemariam 2020, Bone & Mills 2013, Fritz et al. 2015, Saleh et al. 2017).
Branched chain beta-glucans from fungi possess immune modulating, antifungal and antitumor activities. These beta-glucans are recognised via the pattern recognition receptor (PRR) Dectin-1 (Okabe et al. 2014). The dectin-1 receptor is a natural killer (NK)-cell-receptor-like C-type lectin, expressed on macrophages and dendritic cells. Dendritic cells are antigen-presenting cells of the adaptive immune system and are involved in immune surveillance.
Dectin-1 receptors are highly responsive to β-glucans cell fragments. Eating a variety of whole mushrooms and/or blending them up to make a soup can be a great way to support immune modulation and boost immune surveillance. I regularly prescribe high quality mushroom formulations with impressive clinical outcomes.
AVOID mushrooms that you find in the garden or while foraging as many mushrooms are extremely poisonous.
Major Constituents in Mushrooms
Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)
· Triterpene acids
· Polysaccharides – beta-glucans (American Herbal Pharmacopoeia 2000, Bone 2007)
NOTE: Reishi mushroom as a food is bitter and indigestible and for medicinal purposes is administered in a powder, decoction or extract to improve bioavailability (American Herbal Pharmacopoeia 2000).
Shiitake (Lentinula edodes)
· Polysaccharides – lentinan (highly branched beta-glucan) (Bone 2007).
Maitake (Grifola frondosa)
· Polysaccharides – beta glucans D-fraction (Mallard et al. 2019, Bone 2007).
Turkey tail (Coriolus versicolor)
· Polysaccharide K (PSK)
· Polysaccharopeptides (PSP) (Habtemariam 2020).
If you are interested in supporting your immune system make an appointment with me today to find out what treatment options are best for you. Head to the bookings page of this website to make a booking.
References:
American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (2000). Reishi Mushroom – Ganoderma lucidum: Standards of Analysis, Quality Control, and Therapeutics. American Herbal Pharmacopoeia, Santa Cruz.
Bone, K. (2007). The Ultimate Herbal Compendium: A Desktop Guide for Herbal Prescribers. Queensland, Australia: Phytotherapy Press.
Bone, K. Mills, S. (2013). Principles & Practice of Phytotherapy, (2nd ed.): Modern Herbal Medicine. UK: Churchill Livingstone, Elsevier.
Borody, T. (2007). PSK added to standard anti-cancer therapy extends survival: Randomised trials and meta-analysis. ANTA.
Fritz, H. Kennedy, D.A. Ishii, M. (2015). Polysaccharide K and Coriolus versicolor Extracts for Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review. Integrative Cancer Therapies. 4(3) 201-211. Doi: 10.1177/1534735415572883. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1534735415572883
Goodridge, H.S. Wolf, A.J. Underhill, D.M. (2009). Β-glucan Recognition by the Innate Immune System. Immunol Rev. 230(1): 38-50. Doi: 10.1111/j.1600-065X.2009.00793.x.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6618291/pdf/nihms-1035364.pdf
Habtemariam, S. (2020). Tramates versicolor (Synn. Coriolus versicolor) Polysaccharides in Cancer Therapy: Targets and Efficacy. Biomedicines. 8(5):135. Doi: 10.3390/biomedicines8050135. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7277906/
Mallard, B. Leach, D.N. Wohlmuth, H. Tiralongo, J. (2019). Synergistic immune-modulatory activity in human macrophages of a medicinal mushroom formulation consisting of Reishi, Shiitake and Maitake. PLoS One.14(11):e0224740. Doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224740.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6837746/pdf/pone.0224740.pdf
Okabe, Y. Medzhitov R. (2014). How the Immune System Spots Tumors. Elife. 3:e04177. Doi: 10.7554/eLife.04177.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4172991/pdf/elife04476.pdf
Saleh, M.H. Rashedi, I. Keating, A. (2017). Immunomodulatory Properties of Coriolus versicolor: The Role of Polysaccharopeptide. Front. Immunol. Doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.01087. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2017.01087/full
Zhang, J. Tyler, H.L. Haron, M.H. Jackson, C.R. Pasco, D.S. and Pugh, N.D. (2020). Macrophage activation by edible mushrooms is due to the collaborative interaction of toll-like receptor agonists and dectin-1b activating beta glucans derived from colonizing microorganisms. Food Funct. 10(12):8208-8217. Doi: 10.1039/c9fo01701k.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6914310/pdf/nihms-1061936.pdf