PSK increased median duration for complete remission and survival when given alongside mercaptopurine chemotherapy after remission had been induced by combination therapy without side effects in one trial and there was a trend to longer survival in a second1,2;. Nanba et al also reported reductions in CD4+ (26%) and IL-2 (17%) in 3 leukaemia cases with a combination of Maitake (Grifola frondosa) D-fraction and G. frondosa fruiting body3.
In vitro experiments with polysaccharide extracts from several mushrooms, including Agaricus subrufescens, Ganoderma lucidum, Poria cocos, Trametes versicolor and Ophiocordyceps sinensis show activity against human leukaemia cell lines through induction of apoptosis, as do triterpenes from G. lucidum and Taiwanofungus camphoratus, syn.: Antrodia camphorata4-13, while in vivo and in vitro studies with Agaricus subrufescens polysaccharide extracts showed tumour-selective growth inhibitory activity against human leukaemia cells14.
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