Oyster Mushroom Tested On Leukemia Cells

Oyster Mushroom Tested On Leukemia Cells AUTHOR BRIDGET GREENWOOD can oyster mushroom help with leukemia A study published in the International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms found that the medicinal and culinary oyster mushroom has anti cancer effects. Could extracts from this medicinal mushroom be developed into a treatment for leukemia? The in vitro experiment by Morris HJ, Hernandez E (et al) from the Centre of Studies for Industrial Biotechnology, Cuba, tested hot water extracts of the oyster mushroom Pleurotus on human leukemia cells. Leukemia is a cancer of blood-forming cells, must often a cancer of white blood cells. There are several types of leukemia, but the researchers focused on acute myeloid leukemia. This type of leukemia starts in the bone marrow, but moves quickly into the blood. It can progress rapidly, and if not treated can lead to death within a few months. Currently, acute myeloid leukemia is treated with chemotherapy, though chemotherapy for leukemia has serious side effects. Chemotherapy targets rapidly dividing cells, which in addition to cancer cells also includes bone marrow cells. However, new treatments are being developed to improve results, such as stem cell transplants. Stem cell transplants allow doctors to use higher doses of chemotherapy as transplanted stem cells allow the body to restore bone marrow. Oyster mushroom extracts have antitumor effects on leukemia cells Yes 300x200 Oyster Mushroom Tested On Leukemia Cells Yes, oyster mushroom extracts may be helpful when fighting certain types of leukemia The researchers incubated NB4 leukemia cells with various concentrations of oyster mushroom extracts for 24 hours. NB4 leukemia cells are a subtype of acute myeloid leukemia. Cancer cell viability, cell cycle, and programmed cell death (apoptosis) were measured. The medicinal mushroom extract reduced cancer cell viability by 82% compared to control cells. Additionally, cancer cell death occurred. The researchers suggest that carbohydrates are the most important antitumor compound in the oyster mushroom extract, although compounds known as phenolics also prevented cancer cells from proliferating. The study concluded with the hope that oyster mushrooms may prove to be a useful renewable resource for developing new antitumor treatments.