Anticancer Activities of Mushrooms: A Neglected Source for Drug Discovery

Abstract

Approximately 270 species of mushrooms have been reported as potentially useful for human health. However, few mushrooms have been studied for bioactive compounds that can be helpful in treating various diseases. Like other natural regimens, the mushroom treatment appears safe, as could be expected from their long culinary and medicinal use. This review aims to provide a critical discussion on clinical trial evidence for mushrooms to treat patients with diverse types of cancer. In addition, the review also highlights the identified bioactive compounds and corresponding mechanisms of action among the explored mushrooms. Furthermore, it also discusses mushrooms with anticancer properties, demonstrated either in vitro and/or in vivo models, which have never been tested in clinical studies. Several mushrooms have been tested in phase I or II clinical trials, mostly for treating breast cancer (18.6%), followed by colorectal (14%) and prostate cancer (11.6%). The majority of clinical studies were carried out with just 3 species: Lentinula edodes (22.2%), Coriolus versicolor, and Ganoderma lucidum (both 13.9%); followed by two other species: Agaricus bisporus and Grifola frondosa (both 11.1%). Most in vitro cell studies use breast cancer cell lines (43.9%), followed by lung (14%) and colorectal cancer cell lines (13.1%), while most in vivo animal studies are performed in mice tumor models (58.7%). Although 32 species of mushrooms at least show some promise for the treatment of cancer, only 11 species have been tested clinically thus far. Moreover, most clinical studies have investigated fewer numbers of patients, and have been limited to phase III or IV. Therefore, despite the promising preclinical and clinical data publication, more solid scientific efforts are required to clarify the therapeutic value of mushrooms in oncology.

Anticancer and apoptotic effects of a polysaccharide extract isolated from Lactarius chrysorrheus Fr. in HepG2 and PANC-1 cell lines

“…Alternative and complementary therapies, such as traditional herbal medicine, are becoming increasingly important in the development of new cancer treatments [27,28]. While mushrooms have been used in traditional medicine for a long time, research in this area is still growing and achievements in studies of the biological activity of potential therapeutics are increasing [29][30][31]. Mushrooms are nutritious foods used for their culinary value and health benefits [32,33].…”

Fungal Mushrooms: A Natural Compound With Therapeutic Applications

“…With respect to Alexander Fleming’s serendipitous Penicillin discovery from Penicillium notatum, antibiotics from microbes became widely studied in academia and industry. This marked the start of the antibiotic golden age, which lasted more than 60 years ( Panda et al, 2022 ). Traditional phenotypic screening, on the other hand, has been superseded by more rational and intelligent ways of exploring bioactive chemicals from fungus and microbes.…”

“…Future clinical trials should focus on evaluating the effectiveness of a big number of lowmolecular-weight drugs in appropriate dosages, either alone or in conjunction with existing anti-cancer treatments. Currently, evidence of mushrooms as anticancer usage is partial, and the scientific and analytical procedural quality of a few clinical research may be better ( Panda et al, 2022 ). Although multiple articles have proven in vitro activity, the available information in many investigations only allows for preliminary judgments.…”

CD3Ɛ immune restorative ability induced by Maitake Pro4x in immunosupressed BALBc mice

“…More recently, has been reviewed that Maitake D-Fraction reduces the size of mammary, hepatic, and pulmonary cancers, while, at the same time, the purified extract Maitake D-Fraction Pro4X, exerts a significant role in reducing angiogenesis, carcinogenesis, and invasiveness [10].…”