Study: Immun modulating effect of Maitake-mushroom extract

Deng G., Lin H., Seidman A., et al. A phase I/II study of a polysaccharide extract from grifola frondosa (maitake-mushroom) for breast Cancer patients: immunological effects. J Cancer res Clin oncol. 2009; 135 (9): 1215-1221.

dose escalation study of the phase I/II

Thirty -four postmenopausal breast cancer patients (≥ 18 years) with resected breast cancer in stage I, II or III, which were symptom -free after the first treatment, were recorded in 5 cohorts.

Grifola frondosa (maitake) liquid extract was taken orally with 0.1, 0.5, 1.5, 3 or 5 mg/kg for 3 weeks. Peripheral blood was collected for ex-vivo analyzes on the days –7, 0 (before the first dosage), 7, 14 and 21. The primary endpoints were security and tolerance. In addition and of greater interest, dose-effect curves for 20 immunological endpoints were calculated.

The researchers found that the oral administration of Maitake healing extract would be well tolerated over a period of 3 weeks. Up to 10 mg/kg per day no dose -limiting toxicity was found. The middle dose (5–7 mg/kg per day) was associated with the most striking functional changes, such as an increased production of interleukin (IL) -2, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α and interferon-γ by subgroups of T cells.

Another remarkable finding is that this means apparently connects to the production of both stimulating (IL-2) and oppressive (IL-10) cytokines. This contradicts the usual public perception that medicinal mushroom extracts strengthen immune function.

The clinical effect of the balance of this cytokines is unknown. In general, the observed immunological changes were moderate. None of the immunological parameters increased by more than 100 % compared to the initial value before treatment.

Among the 20 immunological parameters there were fluctuations in the dose response curves: some parameters showed a gentle acceptance or increase in response to rising may-doses; Others showed the greatest effect with a medium dose and a lower effect with a higher dose. The variation in the form of dose-effect curves shows that Maitake has a different influence on different aspects of the immune system, such as: B. CD+ T cells and granulocytes.

This study illustrates that the effects of botanical extracts are complex. Substances such as extracts based on water or ethanolic extracts or entire maitake are considered immunosimizing, but this study indicated mixed effects. The oppressive cytokines are involved in the reduction of inflammatory reactions. The meaning of these results is not entirely clear; Further examinations are required to determine whether these diverse effects of Maitake have an amphoter (generally balancing) effect or actually a disadvantageous effect on those with certain low cytokin levels. What this clarifies the most clearly for practice is that we should not clearly consider these substances to be immune down-regulators. With many clinical conditions, we may want to reduce the inflammation and an increased effect of some defense infections or cytokines that control tumor. As the authors emphasize, "immune modulator" is perhaps a more suitable term for this medicinal mushroom as a "immunosimulator".

In this study, no obvious clinical changes were observed, but the study was not designed to look for clinical endurance points. It is clearly a small sample size (34) that is divided into 5 groups. As an in-vivo study that was carried out on a patient population that often consumes immune-strong nutritional supplements, the fact that the pharmacological effects and the dose-effect curves from one extract and one dose to the other are so different to see what the biological effects really are.