Herb Blurb: Shiitake Mushrooms

Shiitake Mushrooms, Lentinus edodes, contain a powerful anti-tumor polysaccharide (a type of large complex carbohydrate molecule) called lentinan.

An important component of traditional Chinese herbal medicine, and one of the most common anti-cancer drugs in Japan, lentinan is used in combination with other types of chemotherapy in the treatment of lung cancer, melanoma, stomach cancer, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer. It is effective in helping to suppress cancer recurrence, and in prolonging the lifespan of cancer patients.

Lentinan and a group of similar polysaccharides help the body resist and fight off cancer and other invasions by stimulating various parts of the body's defense system including the production of T lymphocytes, macrophages, and the natural killer cells.

Lentinan is also being studied as an adjuvant therapy during chemotherapy, since it may decrease the cytotoxicity and other unwanted side effects of chemotherapy. Its immune-boosting activities are used to help AIDS and heart-bypass patients fight off infections. Other studies suggest that shiitake extracts can help lower blood cholesterol and aid in the reduction of blood clots.

Each year, Medical College of Wisconsin physicians care for more than 180,000 patients, representing nearly 500,000 patient visits. Medical College physicians practice at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital, the Milwaukee VA Medical Center, and many other hospitals and clinics in Milwaukee and southeastern Wisconsin.