Dr. Mushroom

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April 22, 2008

Latest Research on Cancer-Fighting Potential of Mushrooms Catches the Attention of U.K. Media

Media sources throughout the United Kingdom have been busy this week reporting on the latest research to examine the cancer-fighting potential of medicinal mushrooms. The research found evidence that extracts from the mushroom species phellinus linteus can help stop the formation of tumor cells by cutting off their blood supply.

The research was performed by an American team at the Methodist Research Institute in Indianapolis led by Dr. Daniel Sliva. The results were published in the British Journal of Cancer and this week, newspapers throughout the United Kingdom have been reporting on the results.

Medicinal mushrooms have long been used in Oriental medicine in the prevention and cure of numerous diseases, including cancer. The American research team experimented with the use of mushrooms on human breast-cancer cells in an effort to understand how mushrooms play this role in battling cancer. The research team found evidence that the mushroom works by stopping an enzyme called AKT from working.

AKT is known to control the signals that lead to cell growth and to the development of new blood vessels to feed tumors. Cancer tumors need an ample blood supply to survive. By blocking the activity of AKT, the mushrooms help cut off cancer tumors from their needed blood supply.

In The Scotsman, Dr. Sliva was quoted as saying that researchers "saw a number of positive results from our investigation on aggressive human breast-cancer cells, including a lower rate of uncontrolled growth of new cancer cells, suppression of their aggressive behavior and the formation of fewer blood vessels that feed cancer cells essential nutrients."

Dr. Sliva also told the British Journal of Cancer that previous research indicated that the same mushroom extracts also helped to kill a greater number of prostate cancer cells when used with chemotherapy drugs.

Medicinal mushrooms have long been used by Asian health practitioners in the prevention and cure of illness and disease. In the past few decades, this ancient medical wisdom has spread to the Western world with the result that modern medical researchers have begun to examine these health claims of medicinal mushrooms. And much of that research indicates that ancient healers were on to something - mushrooms do appear to aid in promoting good health. This study by researchers at the Methodist Research Institute is part of a new effort to understand why mushrooms are so effective in promoting good health.

It is this belief in the health benefits of mushrooms that led to the development of the Mushroom Matrix line of nutritional supplements. The Matrix provides an easy way for humans, horses and small animals to get a daily dose of mushroom health. Matrix products are 100 percent certified organic and the proprietary blends used to create Matrix products contain up to ten of the most nutritious varieties of medicinal mushrooms. For more information, visit www.mushroommatrix.com.