Effect of mushroom Agaricus blazei on immune response and development of experimental cerebral malaria

Abstract

BackgroundCerebral malaria (CM) is debilitating and sometimes fatal. Disease severity has been associated with poor treatment access, therapeutic complexity and drug resistance and, thus, alternative therapies are increasingly necessary. In this study, the effect of the administration of Agaricus blazei, a mushroom of Brazilian origin in a model of CM caused by Plasmodium berghei, strain ANKA, was investigated in mice.MethodsC57BL/6 mice were pre-treated with aqueous extract or fractions of A. blazei, or chloroquine, infected with P. berghei ANKA and then followed by daily administration of A. blazei or chloroquine. Parasitaemia, body weight, survival and clinical signs of the disease were evaluated periodically. The concentration of pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines, histopathology and in vitro analyses were performed.ResultsMice treated with A. blazei aqueous extract or fraction C, that shows antioxidant activity, displayed lower parasitaemia, increased survival, reduced weight loss and protection against the development of CM. The administration of A. blazei resulted in reduced levels of TNF, IL-1β and IL-6 production when compared to untreated P. berghei-infected mice. Agaricus blazei (aqueous extract or fraction C) treated infected mice displayed reduction of brain lesions. Although chloroquine treatment reduced parasitaemia, there was increased production of proinflammatory cytokines and damage in the CNS not observed with A. blazei treatment. Moreover, the in vitro pretreatment of infected erythrocytes followed by in vivo infection resulted in lower parasitaemia, increased survival, and little evidence of clinical signs of disease.ConclusionsThis study strongly suggests that the administration of A. blazei (aqueous extract or fraction C) was effective in improving the consequences of CM in mice and may provide novel therapeutic strategies.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12936-015-0832-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Ethanolic extract of the fungus Trichoderma stromaticum decreases inflammation and ameliorates experimental cerebral malaria in C57BL/6 mice

“…Here, we reported a notable decrease in parasitaemia levels in the first 8 days of infection in PbA-infected mice treated with Ext-Ts. In accordance, previous research found that C57BL/6 mice inoculated with 1 × 10 5 PbA-infected RBCs and treated with aqueous extract of the fungus Agaricus blazei also showed reduced parasitaemia and enhanced survival, this effect being associated with diminished expression of IL-1β, TNF and IL-6 in the brain 29 .…”

Blood parameters of sheep with high infection of Haemonchus contortus and treated with “mushroom of the sun” (Agaricus blazei)

“…In another study, mice infected with Leishmania amazonensis, L. chagasi, and L. major showed a significant reduction in the number of parasites in different organs. Moreover, no side effects were observed and an enhanced effectiveness was attained compared to those by conventional drugs such as amphotericin B (VALADARES et al, 2011). The aqueous extract of A. blazei was also effective in the control of Plasmodium berghei in experimentally infected mice, thus, representing an alternative for the treatment of malaria (VAL et al, 2015).…”

Can medicinal mushrooms have prophylactic or therapeutic effect against COVID‐19 and its pneumonic superinfection and complicating inflammation?

“…52 As mentioned, AbM did improve cerebral inflammation from malaria. 47 Moreover, HE mycelium and HE-derived erinacine A protected against neural cell death induced by brain ischaemia in a rat model by inhibiting iNOS and MAP kinase, proinflammatory cytokines TNFα, IL-1β and IL-6, and promoting nerve growth properties. 53 In a randomized clinical study (RCT), multiple myeloma patients undergoing high-dose chemotherapy and given add-on placebo-controlled treatment with the AbMbased Andosan™ for 2 months, were found to have the following immunomodulatory effects 12 : Reduced IL-1ra levels in plasma and increased T regulatory cells indicating anti-inflammatory effect, and increased plasmacytoid DC in blood and increased expression of genes in bone marrow aspirate at end of study vs before for KIRs and MHC antigens, the latter being important for antigen presentation.…”

“…instillation. 47 A GF furanone is found to inhibit opportunistic Pseudomonas sp. pathogens in a plaque formation test.…”