Agaricus Mushrooms May Help In The Fight Against Cancer

Three decades ago, researchers began investigating a medical curiosity among the people of Piedade, Brazil. Residents of the small community near Sao Paulo enjoyed extraordinarily good health. They developed few diseases and lived unusually long lives. Outsiders began to wonder what was enhancing the Brazilians' immunity and lifespan. When researchers went looking for an answer, they stumbled upon the 'Mushroom of God,' a small mushroom that Piedade locals ate regularly.

That's the first part of an answer to this question from an HSI member named Hayden: 'I have an appointment to see a Doctor here in Australia in reference to Agaricus Blazei Murrill (ABM). He is not aware of the product and has asked me to get some information on it and bring it with me to the appointment. Could you please help me with some background info on it please?'

As you've probably guessed, agaricus is the Mushroom of God. It was eventually subjected to pharmacological tests that revealed components that enhance the immune system. Citizens of Piedade didn't have to be told about this. They'd been using agaricus for years to avoid infection, diabetes, high cholesterol, chronic hepatitis, and arteriosclerosis (flexibility loss in the arteries).

There have been several laboratory and animal studies in the past, but now we have a report on the first human testing, and the results promise that this modest mushroom may have a very bright future - especially for cancer patients.

Mushroom of God bolsters immunity and fights tumours

Recent Japanese research has confirmed that agaricus contains a host of health-promoting components: vitamins B1 and B2, niacin, phosphorous, iron, calcium, protein, amino acids, and ergosterol (which converts into vitamin D2 when the mushroom is dried). Most importantly, researchers discovered that agaricus contains active polysaccharides; complex carbohydrates that prompt the immune system to fight off bacterial and viral illnesses.

Agaricus stimulates the immune system by triggering the production of:

* T-cells, which directly attack cells that have been taken over by viruses or cancers
* Interleukin, which bolsters the immune system by stimulating growth and activity of white blood cells
* Tumour necrosis factor (TNF), which activates white blood cells and fights tumours
* Macrophages, which protect the body from infection by consuming foreign material

At Japan's Ehime University School of Medicine, researchers tested ABM's impact on tumours. Twenty days of treatment with agaricus extracts (800 mg/kg per day taken orally) significantly retarded tumour growth in cancerous mice. Researchers determined that the tumour-retarding agent was ergosterol, a steroid alcohol that occurs naturally in mold and yeast.

In a second Ehime test, mice given the largest doses of agaricus had significantly less tumour growth compared to mice treated with placebo. Ergosterol was found to inhibit the development of new blood vessels within the tumour - a process that can stop and eventually reverse tumour growth. Agaricus therapy also produced another benefit: After 20 days of treatment none of the mice suffered any of the typical side effects of chemotherapy.

Agaricus effective in human trials

The promising results from the Ehime University tests and other agaricus trials prompted researchers at the Catholic University of Korea, College of Medicine, in Seoul, South Korea, to conduct a human study in 2004.

One hundred subjects with cervical, ovarian or endometrial cancer received at least three cycles of chemotherapy. Half the group also received three doses of agaricus supplements daily, while the other half received a placebo. Blood samples revealed that natural killer cell activity was significantly higher in the agaricus group.

Another important result: In subjects treated with agaricus, chemotherapy-associated side effects such as appetite loss, hair loss, emotional instability, and general weakness were all improved compared to those who didn't receive the supplement.

Thriving in extremes

For many years, supplies of agaricus mushrooms or supplements were scarce because growers were unable to successfully cultivate this wild mushroom. It typically thrives in extreme conditions; intense Brazilian sunlight, humidity averaging 80 percent, and temperatures that soar to 100 degrees during the day and drop to 68 degrees overnight. It was only in the early '90s that growers devised a method of producing biologically active agaricus mushrooms.

Today, Japanese consumers purchase 90 percent of Brazil's agaricus crop, so you're not likely to find fresh agaricus mushrooms in the UK market. But a quick search on the Internet reveals that several companies offer agaricus supplements in different forms. Apparently no clinical trials have been conducted yet on any of these supplements, so be sure to double check the reliability of the source before placing an order.