Mushrooms Can Prevent the Development of Prostate Tumors

Did you know, mushrooms are used in Asia for the treatment have been found 100 percent effective in reducing the development of prostate tumors in mice during the initial trial.

As reported by Science Daily, the discovery was based on research at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Compounds, polysaccharopeptide (PSP), which is distilled from the turkey tail fungus, was found to target the prostate stem cells and reduces tumor formation in mice. The findings were based on an article written by a senior researcher Dr. Patrick Ling in the online journal PLoS ONE, published by the Public Library of Science.

Dr Ling, from the Australian Prostate Cancer Research Centre, Queensland and the Institute for Health & Biomedical Innovation (IHBI) at QUT, said the result could be an important step towards combating the disease which kills 3,000 men in Australia every year.

Dr Ling said the usual therapy is only effective in attacking specific cancer cells, not the cancer stem cells, which trigger cancer and cause disease progression. During the research trial, conducted in collaboration with the University of Hong Kong and Provital Pty Ltd, transgenic mice that develop prostate tumors were fed subs PSP 20 weeks.

Dr Ling said there were no tumors in rats fed the PSP, while mice not given the PSP to develop prostate tumors. He said research showed that treatment of the PSP can actually inhibit the formation of tumors.

"Our findings support that the PSP can be potentially as an element of prevention against prostate cancer, possibly through the targeting of prostate cancer stem cell population," he said. He said the PSP had previously shown to have properties of anti-cancer and turkey tail mushroom (known as Coriolus versicolor or Yun-zhi) has been widely used in Asia for treatment.

However, Dr Ling said the first time the PSP was shown to have the effect of anti-cancer stem cells. Although the turkey tail mushroom has a valuable health properties, Dr Ling said it's impossible to get the same benefits as shown research of just eating the fungus.