Lentinan Explained

Lentinan is a polysaccharide isolated from the fruit body of shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes).

Chemistry

Lentinan is a β-1,3 beta-glucan with β-1,6 branching. It has a molecular weight of 500,000 Da and specific rotation of +14-22° (NaOH).

Research

Preclinical studies

An in vitro experiment showed lentinan stimulated production of white blood cells in the human cell line U937.^[1] Lentinan is thought to be inactive in humans when given orally and is therefore administered intravenously. The authors of an in vivo study of lentinan suggested that the compound may be active when administered orally in mice.^[2]

Human clinical trials

Lentinan has been the subject of a limited number of clinical studies in cancer patients in Japan;^{[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]} however, evidence of efficacy is lacking.^{[11] [12]}

Adverse effects

Lentinan has been reported to cause shiitake mushroom dermatitis.^[13]

See also

• Medicinal mushrooms

External links

• Lentinan effects (antitumor and others)
• Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center's page for Lentinan.

Notes and References

1. Sia GM, Candlish JK . Effects of shiitake (Lentinus edodes) extract on human neutrophils and the U937 monocytic cell line . Phytotherapy Research . 13 . 2 . 133–137 . March 1999 . 10190187 . 10.1002/(SICI)1099-1573(199903)13:2<133::AID-PTR398>3.0.CO;2-O . free .
2. Ng ML, Yap AT . Inhibition of human colon carcinoma development by lentinan from shiitake mushrooms (Lentinus edodes) . Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine . 8 . 5 . 581–589 . October 2002 . 12470439 . 10.1089/107555302320825093 .
3. Yang P, Liang M, Zhang Y, Shen B . Clinical application of a combination therapy of lentinan, multi-electrode RFA and TACE in HCC . Advances in Therapy . 25 . 8 . 787–794 . August 2008 . 18670743 . 10.1007/s12325-008-0079-x . 33140754 . free .
4. Nimura H, Mitsumori N, Takahashi N, Kashimura H, Takayama S, Kashiwagi H, Yanaga K . [S-1 combined with lentinan in patients with unresectable or recurrent gastric cancer] . ja . Gan to Kagaku Ryoho. Cancer & Chemotherapy . 33 Suppl 1 . 1 . 106–109 . June 2006 . 16897983 .
5. Nakano H, Namatame K, Nemoto H, Motohashi H, Nishiyama K, Kumada K . A multi-institutional prospective study of lentinan in advanced gastric cancer patients with unresectable and recurrent diseases: effect on prolongation of survival and improvement of quality of life. Kanagawa Lentinan Research Group . Hepato-Gastroenterology . 46 . 28 . 2662–2668 . 1999 . 10522061 .
6. Oba K, Kobayashi M, Matsui T, Kodera Y, Sakamoto J . Individual patient based meta-analysis of lentinan for unresectable/recurrent gastric cancer . Anticancer Research . 29 . 7 . 2739–2745 . July 2009 . 19596954 .
7. Hazama S, Watanabe S, Ohashi M, Yagi M, Suzuki M, Matsuda K, Yamamoto T, Suga Y, Suga T, Nakazawa S, Oka M . 6 . Efficacy of orally administered superfine dispersed lentinan (beta-1,3-glucan) for the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer . Anticancer Research . 29 . 7 . 2611–2617 . July 2009 . 19596936 .
8. Kataoka H, Shimura T, Mizoshita T, Kubota E, Mori Y, Mizushima T, Wada T, Ogasawara N, Tanida S, Sasaki M, Togawa S, Sano H, Hirata Y, Ikai M, Mochizuki H, Seno K, Itoh S, Kawai T, Joh T . 6 . Lentinan with S-1 and paclitaxel for gastric cancer chemotherapy improve patient quality of life . Hepato-Gastroenterology . 56 . 90 . 547–550 . 2009 . 19579640 .
9. Isoda N, Eguchi Y, Nukaya H, Hosho K, Suga Y, Suga T, Nakazawa S, Sugano K . 6 . Clinical efficacy of superfine dispersed lentinan (beta-1,3-glucan) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma . Hepato-Gastroenterology . 56 . 90 . 437–441 . 2009 . 19579616 .
10. Shimizu K, Watanabe S, Watanabe S, Matsuda K, Suga T, Nakazawa S, Shiratori K . Efficacy of oral administered superfine dispersed lentinan for advanced pancreatic cancer . Hepato-Gastroenterology . 56 . 89 . 240–244 . 2009 . 19453066 .
11. Web site: Lentinan. WebMD. June 10, 2017.
12. Web site: Lentinan. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. June 10, 2017.
13. Nakamura T . Shiitake (Lentinus edodes) dermatitis . Contact Dermatitis . 27 . 2 . 65–70 . August 1992 . 1395630 . 10.1111/j.1600-0536.1992.tb05211.x . 7320474 .