Yu CH, Kan SF, Shu CH, Lu TJ, Sun-Hwang L, Wang PS (2009). Inhibitory mechanisms of Agaricus blazei Murill on the growth of prostate cancer in vitro and in vivo. The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry 20, 753-764.
Agaricus blazei Murill (A. blazei) has been conventionally used as a health food for the prevention of cancer. However, little is known about the direct effects and action mechanisms of A. blazei on human prostate cancer. In the present study, the effects of A. blazei on the growth of human prostate cancer were examined in vitro and in vivo. A. blazei, especially the broth fraction, inhibited cell proliferation in both androgen-dependent and androgen-independent prostate cancer cell lines. The broth of A. blazei induced lactate dehydrogenase leakage in three cancer cell lines, whereas the activities of caspase 3 and the DNA fragmentation were enhanced the most in androgen-independent PC3 cells. The protein expressions of apoptosis-related molecules were elevated by the broth of A. blazei in PC3 cells. Oral supplementation with the broth of A. blazei (with the higher ratio of beta-glucan) significantly suppressed tumor growth without inducing adverse effects in severe combined immunodeficient mice with PC3 tumor xenograft. Tumor xenografts from A. blazei-fed mice showed decreased proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive cells and reduced tumor microvessel density. Based on these results, we found that the broth of A. blazei may directly inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cell via an apoptotic pathway and suppress prostate tumor growth via antiproliferative and antiangiogenic mechanisms. We therefore suggest that A. blazei might have potential therapeutic use in the prevention and treatment of human prostate cancer.
Liu Y, Fukuwatari Y, Okumura K, Takeda K, Ishibashi K, Furukawa M, Ohno N, Mori K, Gao M, Motoi M (2008). Immunomodulating Activity of Agaricus brasiliensis KA21 in Mice and in Human Volunteers. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 5(2):205-19.
We performed studies on murine models and human volunteers to examine the immunoenhancing effects of the naturally outdoor-cultivated fruit body of Agaricus brasiliensis KA21 (i.e. Agaricus blazei). Antitumor, leukocyte-enhancing, hepatopathy-alleviating and endotoxin shock-alleviating effects were found in mice. In the human study, percentage body fat, percentage visceral fat, blood cholesterol level and blood glucose level were decreased, and natural killer cell activity was increased. Taken together, the results strongly suggest that the A. brasiliensis fruit body is useful as a health-promoting food.
Vincent M, Philippe E, Everard A, Kassis N, Rouch C, Denom J, Takeda Y, Uchiyama S, Delzenne NM, Cani PD, Migrenne S, Magnan C (2013). Dietary supplementation with Agaricus blazei murill extract prevents diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance in rats. Obesity (Silver Spring) 21(3):553-61.
OBJECTIVE: Dietary supplement may potentially help to fight obesity and other metabolic disorders such as insulin-resistance and low-grade inflammation. The present study aimed to test whether supplementation with Agaricus blazei murill (ABM) extract could have an effect on diet-induced obesity in rats.
DESIGN AND METHODS: Wistar rats were fed with control diet (CD) or high-fat diet (HF) and either with or without supplemented ABM for 20 weeks.
RESULTS: HF diet-induced body weight gain and increased fat mass compared to CD. In addition HF-fed rats developed hyperleptinemia and insulinemia as well as insulin resistance and glucose intolerance. In HF-fed rats, visceral adipose tissue also expressed biomarkers of inflammation. ABM supplementation in HF rats had a protective effect against body weight gain and all study related disorders. This was not due to decreased food intake which remained significantly higher in HF rats whether supplemented with ABM or not compared to control. There was also no change in gut microbiota composition in HF supplemented with ABM. Interestingly, ABM supplementation induced an increase in both energy expenditure and locomotor activity which could partially explain its protective effect against diet-induced obesity. In addition a decrease in pancreatic lipase activity is also observed in jejunum of ABM-treated rats suggesting a decrease in lipid absorption.
CONCLUSIONS: Taken together these data highlight a role for ABM to prevent body weight gain and related disorders in peripheral targets independently of effect in food intake in central nervous system.
Ahn WS, Kim DJ, Chae GT, Lee JM, Bae SM, Sin JI, Kim YW, Namkoong SE, Lee IP (2004). Natural killer cell activity and quality of life were improved by consumption of a mushroom extract, Agaricus blazei Murill Kyowa, in gynecological cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Int J Gynecol Cancer 14:589-94.
A mushroom extract, Agaricus blazei Murill Kyowa (ABMK), has been reported to possess antimutagenic and antitumor effects. Here, we investigate the beneficial effects of ABMK consumption on immunological status and qualities of life in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. One hundred cervical, ovarian, and endometrial cancer patients were treated either with carboplatin (300 mg / m(2)) plus VP16 (etoposide, 100 mg / m(2)) or with carboplatin (300 mg / m(2)) plus taxol (175 mg / m(2)) every 3 weeks for at least three cycles with or without oral consumption of ABMK. We observed that natural killer cell activity was significantly higher in ABMK-treated group (ANOVA, n = 39, P < 0.002) as compared with nontreated placebo group (n = 61). However, no significant difference in lymphokine-activated killer and monocyte activities was observed in a manner similar to the count of specific immune cell populations between ABMK-treated and nontreated groups. However, chemotherapy-associated side effects such as appetite, alopecia, emotional stability, and general weakness were all improved by ABMK treatment. Taken together, this suggests that ABMK treatment might be beneficial for gynecological cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity and its amelioration by Agaricus blazei Murrill extract in a mouse model.
Both high- and low-dose ABM treatment reduced hepatic necrosis and fibrosis caused by CCl(4) in comparison with the CCl(4) control group in the histochemical analyses. Our results suggest that the ABM extract affects the levels of ALT and AST in mice.
Influence of aqueous extract of Agaricus blazei on rat liver toxicity induced by different doses of diethylnitrosamine.
Our findings suggest that previous treatment with A. blazei exerts a hepatoprotective effect on both liver toxicity and hepatocarcinogenesis process induced by a moderately toxic dose of DEN.
Antigenotoxicity of Agaricus blazei mushroom organic and aqueous extracts in chromosomal aberration and cytokinesis block micronucleus assays in CHO-k1 and HTC cell
Agaricus blazei (Ab) has become popularly known for its medicinal properties. ScientiWcally, it has been tested with regard to its capacity to protect genetic material against damage. We examined diVerent organic extracts (methanolic extract—ME, hexanic extract—HE and n-butanolic extract—BE) and an aqueous extract (AE) of Ab, for their capacity to induce DNA damage as well as for their protective eVect. Genetic damage was determined by the chromosomal aberration assay (CA) in CHO-k1 cells for all extracts and the cytokinesis block micronucleus assay (CBMN) in non drug-metabolizing (CHO-k1) and drug-metabolizing (HTC) cell lines for extract BE only. The extracts did not show clastogenicity but showed anticlastogenicity. The greatest percent reduction obtained were with BE (105%) and AE (126%) treatments in CA. BE treatment did not display genotoxicity in CHO-k1, but was genotoxic in HTC. However, BE was shown to be antigenotoxic causing decreased micronucleus frequency in HTC and CHO-k1 cells. These results suggest that all the extracts contained protective substances, but in some cases they could show a genotoxic eVect with regard to metabolism. Therefore, these Wndings warrant caution in the use of this mushroom by the population.
Effects of crude extracts of Agaricus blazei on DNA damage and on rat liver carcinogenesis induced by diethylnitrosamine
The effects of crude extracts of the mushroom Agaricus blacei Murril (Agaricaceae) on both DNA damage and placental from glutathione S-Transderase (GST-P)-positive liver foci induced by diethylnitrosamine (DEN) were investigated. Six groups of adult male Wistar rats were used. For two weeks, animals of groups 3 to 6 were treated with three aqueous solutions of A. blazei (mean dry weight of solids being 1.2, 5.6, 11.5 mg/ml, respectively). After this perios, groups 2 to 5 were given a single ip injection 200 mk/kg DEN and groups 1 and 6 were treated with 0.9% NaCl. All animals were subjected to 70% partial hepatectomy at week five and sacrificed 4,24 and 48 h or 8 weeks after DEN or 0.9% NaCl treatments (10th week after the beginning of the experiment). The alkaline comet assay and GST-P-positive liver foci development were used to evaluate the influence of the mushrooms extract on liver cell DNA damage and on the initiation of liver carcinogenesis, respectively. Previous treatment with highest concentration of A.blazei (11.5 mg/ml) significantly reduced DNS damage, indicating a protective effect against DEN-induced liver cytotoxicity/genotoxicity. However, the same dose of mushroom extract significantly increased the number of GST-P-positive liver foci.