Overview:
Modern clinical research has revealed that shiitake mushroom extracts has significant benefits in immune-modulation (1), improving circulation health (2), antiviral properties (3), and maintaining liver functions (4). Further pharmacological research has indicates that shiitake extracts may be a great candidate for a potential pharmacological agent.
Active Constituents:
Shiitake contains beta-D-glucan and Lentinan, a protein-bound polysaccharide(5) which is believe to be the key to modulate the body’s immune response by bounding to the surface receptor, Dectin-1 of the macrophage and regulate the release of cytokines and interleukin.
Pharmacological and Clinical Research: Original Research on Shiitake mushrooms
References:
1. Cantorna et al., The effects of whole mushrooms during inflammation., BMC Immunol. 2009 Feb 20;10:12.
2. Itakura et al., Effects of Lentinus edodes mycelia on dietary-induced atherosclerotic involvement in rabbit aorta., J Atheroscler Thromb. 2002;9(3):149-56.
3. Prasad et al., Lentinus edodes: a macrofungus with pharmacological activities., Curr Med Chem. 2010;17(22):2419-30.
4. Yagi et al., Hepatoprotective effect of syringic acid and vanillic acid on concanavalin a-induced liver injury., Biol Pharm Bull. 2009 Jul;32(7):1215-9.
5. Cao et al., The shiitake mushroom-derived immuno-stimulant lentinan protects against murine malaria blood-stage infection by evoking adaptive immune-responses., Int Immunopharmacol. 2009 Apr;9(4):455-62.
