Abstract

Anti-tumor activity of mushroom fruit bodies and mycelial extracts evaluated using different cancer cell lines. These polysaccharide extracts showed potent antitumor activity against sarcoma 180, mammary adenocarcinoma 755, leukemia L-1210 and a host of other tumors. The antitumor activity was mainly due to indirect host mediated immunotherapeutic effect. These studies are still in progress in many laboratories and the role of the polysaccharides as immunopotentiators is especially under intense debate. The purpose of the present review is to summarize the available information in this area and to indicate the present status of the research.

Key words: Mushroom, polysaccharide, antitumor, lentinan, schizophyllan, maitake, apoptosis, and metastasis.