Bottom Line: There is some proof showing Agaricus extract may benefit patients with certain cancers. But more studies are needed to confirm these observations.
Agaricus blazei is an edible mushroom grown in Brazil and Japan. It is used to treat arteriosclerosis, hepatitis, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, dermatitis, and cancer. Laboratory studies and experiments done in mice have shown that Agaricus can stimulate the immune system and may have anticancer effects. Compounds present in Agaricus prevent formation of blood vessels needed for tumor development. There are case reports showing Agaricus may cause liver damage and death.
Arteriosclerosis There is no clinical data to support this use.
Cancer treatment One study showed that Agaricus extract taken orally, improved the quality of life in patients with gynecological cancers.
Chronic hepatitis Agaricus is used in traditional medicine to treat hepatitis and a small clinical study showed that Agaricus helps improve liver function in patients with hepatitis B.
Diabetes There are limited in vitro and animal data suggesting that Agaricus mushroom has antidiabetic effect. One small clinical study showed that Agaricus reduced blood glucose levels in healthy subjects.
Hyperlipidemia One small clinical study showed that Agaricus reduced cholesterol level in healthy subjects.
Stimulant There is no clinical data to support this use.
Cancer treatment: Hundred patients with cervical, ovarian, and endometrial cancers were treated with either carboplatin plus VP16 (etoposide), or carboplatin plus taxol every 3 weeks for at least three cycles. They were divided into two groups that received oral Agaricus extract or placebo along with the treatments. Based on blood tests, researchers found that the Agaricus group had a significantly higher natural killer cell activity compared to those on placebo. In addition there was a reduction in chemotherapy associated side effects such as emotional instability, alopecia, general weakness, and decrease in appetite. However, there was no difference in lymphokine-activated killer and monocyte activities between the two groups.
Type 2 diabetes: Because anti-diabetic activities of Agaricus have been previously reported, 72 participants diagnosed with type 2 diabetes for more than 1 year and currently taking gliclazide and metformin for more than 6 months received with Agaricus extract or placebo. After 12 weeks, improvements in insulin resistance were detected in the Agaricus-treated group.
Agaricus blazei is an edible mushroom native to Brazil and cultivated in Japan for its medicinal uses. It has been used to treat arteriosclerosis, hepatitis, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, dermatitis, and cancer. In vitro experiments and studies done in mice have shown that Agaricus has immunomodulatory, antitumor, and antimutagenic properties. The polysaccharides and anti-angiogenic compounds present in Agaricus are thought to be responsible for its antitumor properties. Such effects are believed to be exerted by immunopotentiation or direct inhibition of angiogenesis (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6). A recent randomized study showed that oral administration of Agaricus extract improved the natural killer cell activity and quality of life in gynecological cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy (7). However, more studies are needed to confirm these observations. Agaricus was also shown to have antidiabetic effects in vitro and in animal studies (8)(9). In addition, results from a study done in human subjects with type 2 diabetes suggest benefits of agaricus extract in improving insulin resistance (10)(11), and a pilot study indicates that Agaricus extract may reduce weight, BMI, body fat, and serum glucose and cholesterol levels in healthy individuals (12). While a small pilot study reported that Agaricus extract may improve liver fuction in patients with hepatitis B (13), liver damage and deaths (14) along with cheilitis (15) following consumption of Agaricus have been reported. Due to its immunopotentiating effects, Agaricus can potentially interfere with immunomodulating drugs although such interactions have not been studied.
Agaricus is an edible fungus. It is available as freeze-dried mushroom or as concentrated liquid extracts, teas, or capsules. The whole mushroom is often added to soups, sauces, or hot teas.
A major constituent of Agaricus, ergosterol, was found to inhibit tumor growth in mice via direct inhibition of tumor-induced angiogenesis (6). Other studies demonstrated that polysaccharides present in Agaricus extract caused activation of macrophages (5) or natural killer cells (16) and induced cytotoxic T-lymphocyte activity in tumor-bearing mice. Specifically, activation of natural killer cells by Agaricus extract was mediated through IL-12-induced IFN-gamma expression (17). Both aqueous and organic extracts of Agaricus offered protection to cells exposed to methyl methanesulphonate, a mutagenic agent. The stimulus produced by linoleic acid on â DNA polymerase, an enzyme involved in repair mechanism following exposure of DNA to alkylating agents, is thought responsible for such an effect (18). Furthermore, Agaricus extract stimulates caspase 3 activation and reduces telomerase activity (19) possibly through regulation of Akt signaling (20) thereby inducing apoptosis in cancer cell lines.
Ahn WS, et al. 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 2004; 14(4):589-594. In this study 100 patients with cervical, ovarian, and endometrial cancers were treated with either carboplatin plus VP16 (etoposide), or carboplatin plus taxol every three weeks for at least three cycles. They were randomized to receive oral Agaricus extract (three packs per day, one pack each time) or placebo along with the treatments. Blood samples were drawn one day before first chemotherapy and one day before second chemotherapy. Researchers found that the Agaricus group had a significantly higher natural killer cell activity compared to those on placebo. In addition there was improvement in chemotherapy associated side effects such as emotional instability, alopecia, general weakness, and decrease in appetite. However, there was no difference in lymphokine-activated killer and monocyte activities between the two groups. Further studies are required to confirm these observations.
