Mycelial antineoplastic activity of Agaricus blazei

Abstract

Basidiocarp of Agaricus blazei (=Agaricus brasiliensis; =Agaricus subrufescens) is used as teas or capsules due to its antineoplastic effect but there are few reports of using mycelium for this purpose. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antineoplastic activity on sarcoma 180 cells implanted in mice of two forms of preparation of the mycelium from two A. blazei strains grown in culture medium with different concentrations of isolated soy protein. Mycelia were grown in Pontecorvo medium with different concentrations of isolated soybean protein (ISP). Mycelial hot water extract, moistened mycelial powder, hot water extract of green tea, Ifosfamida(®) (ifosfamide drug), and saline solution were administered daily by gavage in mice with sarcoma 180 cells to evaluate antineoplastic activity. It was concluded that antineoplastic activity was the same for both strains, except when used as moistened mycelial powder, which rules out the use of mycelial powder in capsules. Mycelial hot water extract had high antineoplastic activity with lower metabolic demand on the spleen and maintenance of normal blood parameters. Mycelial growth in different ISP concentrations had the same antineoplastic activity. Also the vegetative mycelium was as effective as the basidiocarp for sarcoma 180 tumor inhibition. Green tea was as effective as mycelial hot water extract.

Agaricus subrufescens: substratum nitrogen concentration and mycelial extraction method on antitumor activity

“…It suggests that the culture medium formulation can affect mycelial biomass yield, mycelial chemical components and, therefore, enhance antineoplastic activity on S180. However, Bertéli et al (2014) did not find Table 1. He = erythrocyte, Hb = hemoglobin, Ht = hematocrit, Lc = total leukocyte, Nt = neutrophil (segmented), Lf = lymphocyte.…”

“…Bertéli et al (2014) reported A. blazei mycelia of 19.6 mg/mL when ISP was used as nitrogen source in submerged cultivation. Hamedi et al (2007) verified A. blazei mycelial production utilizing non-protein sources such as ammonium oxalate, potassium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride and urea with maximum yield of 1 mg/mL.…”

“…The following procedures described by Bertéli et al (2014) were used to produced inoculum and mycelial biomass. Two 6 mm diameter MAE discs containing mycelium, which was used as inoculum, were transferred to 15 mL Falcon tubes containing previously hydrated wheat grains (1:10), cooked at 90 ºC for 45 min, and autoclaved for 1 h and 30 min at 121 ˚C.…”

“…Fan et al (2003) reported mycelial submerged cultivation of A. subrufescens using mostly glucose-peptone-yeast extract medium. However, few studies investigated alternative and cheap sources and concentrations of nitrogen in liquid culture medium on antitumor activity of A. subrufescens mycelia (Bertéli et al 2014).…”

“…However, extraction and cultivation methods affect biological activity of A. subrufescens against sarcoma 180 (Bertéli et al 2014) and Walker-256 (Jumes et al 2010) tumors. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of nitrogen concentration on the cultivation medium of A. subrufescens and the extraction method of mycelial antineoplastic actives on sarcoma 180 cells implanted in mice.…”