Seeing Mushrooms in a New Light


I


n Asia, mushrooms have been used as food and medicine for thousands


of years. More than 50 species are considered to have healing properties. In Japan, for example, an extract of the Shiitake mushroom is used clinically as a cancer treatment. Western scientists, however, are just beginning to study the compounds in these distinctive foods.


Some Beneficial Compounds Known One substance in mushrooms that


may make them a good part of a healthy diet is the mineral selenium. When part- nered with another antioxidant, vitamin E, selenium may help neutralize “free radicals” (unstable molecules that dam- age cells) and prevent genetic damage that leads to prostate cancer. Out of all compounds identified and


studied so far in mushrooms, certain polysaccharides seem to possess the most anti-cancer potential. These polysaccha- rides are also known as beta-glucans. The beta-glucan polysaccharides that have been extracted from mushrooms and used in clinical trials include Lentinan, Schizo- phyllan, PSK, PSP and Grifron-D. Some studies suggest that polysaccharides may increase the quality of life of patients and their survival for some cancers, especially when used in combination with conven- tional treatments. But how these polysac- charides work is not entirely known. Research continues, but you don’t


need to wait to make mushrooms part of your regular diet.


—The American Institute for Cancer Research


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