Mushrooms and cure
Exotic fungi such as shitake and oyster
mushrooms could provide a powerful new weapon in the fight against cancer, according to an
analysis of research in the Far East. The Health Charity Cancer Research, U K has reviewed
how fungi are used to treat and prevent cancers in ancient and modern eastern medicine.
The report says pure extracts of exotic mushrooms such as shitake, enoke maitake and
oyster have been shown by researchers in China, Japan and Korea to have anti-tumour
properties and to be capable of stimulating the immune system to fight disease. It also
reproduces research findings from the Far East that suggest medicinal mushrooms can help
reduce side-effects from radiotherapy and chemotherapy and improve the quality of life for
patents in the advanced stages of cancer. Prof. John Smith from the University of
Strathclyde, who led the review, said there was increasing evidence that some mushrooms
offered medicinally important compounds that had yet to be evaluated in the West. The
active compounds in exotic mushrooms are complex sugars called polysaccharides, which are
said to enhance the activity of the immune system.
(Courtesy- The Hindu, August 27) |
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