Medicinal Value of Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Sing. (Agaricomycetideae). A Literature Review

Antioxidant Properties of Selected African Vegetables, Fruits and Mushrooms: A Review

“…Polysaccharides are the best known and most potent mushroom derived substances with antitumor and immunomodulating properties [232,233]. Historically, hot-water-soluble fractions (decoctions and essences) from medicinal mushrooms, i.e., mostly polysaccharides, were used as medicine in the Far East, where knowledge and practice of mushroom use primarily originated [234). Mushrooms such as Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi), Lentinus edodes (Shiitake), Inonotus obliquus (Chaga) and many others have been collected and used for hundreds of years in Korea, China, Japan, and eastern Russia.…”

The formulation for cancer prevention & therapy

“…Indeed, spontaneous tumors in immunosuppressed individuals indicate that the immune system can provide a significant mechanism for host resistance against cancer and infectious diseases [110,111]. Lentinan ( Figure 6) is derived from a water extract of Lentinus edodes mycelium before the mushroom fruiting bodies develop and is protein-free being completely devoid of any nitrogen, phosphorous, sulphur [112].…”

Anti-cancer effect of polysaccharides isolated from higher basidiomycetes mushrooms

“…The polysaccharides from mushrooms do not attack cancer cells directly, but produce their antitumour effects by activating different immune response in the host (Wasser, 2002). Hobbs (2000) reported that L. edodes produces two bioactive preparations, which are efficient immune modulators, mycelium extract and Lentinan. These two bioactive polymers appear to act as host defence potentiators restoring and enhancing the responsiveness of host cells to lymphocytokines, hormone and other biologically active substances.…”