Antitumor and immunomodulating effects of the mushroom product AndosanTM, based on the Basidiomycetes mushroom Agaricus blazei Murill, with special focus on multiple myeloma

Abstract

The mushroom product AndosanTM, which contains 82,4% of Agaricus blazei Murill, has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effect in vivo. In order to study the immunological effects of AndosanTM in multiple myeloma, 40 patients scheduled to receive high dose chemotherapy were randomized to receive either AndosanTM 60 ml daily (19 patients) or placebo (21 patients). In the group receiving AndosanTM increased serum levels of the cytokines Il-1ra ,IL-5 and Il-7, and increased quantities of Treg and plasmocyte derived dendritic cells in the blood were found. The changes may have had an influence on the treatment result, but the number of patients included in the study were not sufficient to reveal any statistically significant survival differences. Further studies showed that AndosanTM also had a cytotoxic effect on human myeloma cells in culture, inhibited the development of intestinal tumors in mice and had a cytotoxic effect on human cancer colon cells in culture. The studies indicate that AndosanTM has a biologic effect in cancer, but it will be necessary to determine further it’s mechanism of action and also to conduct larger patient studies