Fungus May Help Slow Prostate Cancer Spread

Buy an ad on DigitalJournal.com

Fungi have been studied for decades now by those seeking to uncover any potential benefits that the fungi may possess. The majority of this research has focused on the ability of fungi to fight cancer but very little has been done to study how fungi affect the immune system.

A research team at the University of Haifa has uncovered what may be a breakthrough in the battle against prostate cancer.

The researchers have discovered that that molecules found in common fungus Ganoderma lucidum aid in suppressing some of the mechanisms involved in the progression of prostate cancer by disrupting androgen receptor activity and impeding the proliferation of cancerous cells.-

"Up to now, research has been based on enhancing the immune system with high-molecular-weight polysaccharides that act through specific receptors in cell membranes. We concentrated our research on low-molecular-weight secondary metabolites that can penetrate the cells and act at the molecular level from within the cell itself," explained Dr. Ben-Zion Zaidman.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers found among men in the Western World. Prostate cancer is controlled by the androgen receptor, especially at the initial stages of development of the disease.

This means that all of the current medications used to treat prostate cancer work to reduce the production of androgens or to interfere with their function via the androgen receptor.

The research began by producing 201 organic extracts from 68 types of fungi by using solvents such as ether, ethyl acetate and ethanol. Next, these solvents are used to select molecules that are small enough to act from within the cells.

Eleven (11) of the 201 extracts, were found to deter androgen receptor activity by more than 40%. In this study, 14 extracts were found to be active in inhibiting prostate cancer cells.

The active extracts from Ganoderma lucidum were found to be the most effective in inhibiting the function of the androgen receptor and controlling vital development of cancerous cells.

"The results of this research are particularly interesting from a commercial aspect. Potential possibilities exist to establish research and development of bioactive metabolites from Ganoderma lucidum that could yield an anti-prostate cancer drug," remarked Dr. Zaidman.