An April press release from Cancer Research UK reports that an extract of the mushroom Phellinus linteus has been found to halt the growth of breast cancer cells in vitro. Previous studies have also shown the species to be effective against prostate, skin, and lung cancer cells, but up until now nobody knew how it worked.
Researchers at Methodist Research Institute in Indianapolis appear to have shed some light on this problem. With the conclusion of their latest study, a team led by Dr. Daniel Sliva found evidence that the extract augments the action of an enzyme known as AKT, which controls cell and blood vessel growth vital to the survival of cancer cells. The study was published in the British Journal of Cancer.
Phellinus linteus, which is commonly called Mesima in the West, has been used for centuries in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and other ancient systems of medicine. This study is exciting because it finally brings us to an understanding of why the mushroom works — prerequisite knowledge in order to conduct clinical research in modern Western medicine.