Special Cultivation Process Creates Extraordinary Immune Modulators

By Kimberly Pryor

Immunity is a subject of intense concern to everyone—with good reason. Whether it is overall immune support, liver concerns such as hepatitis, autoimmune issues such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, allergies, food poisoning or keeping the body strong enough to defend against mutagenic concerns, everyone in the general population has a stake in keeping their immune systems working properly.

Even heart disease is linked to immunity. Atherosclerosis begins when free radicals damage the intima (inner lining) of blood vessel walls. Oxidized LDL cholesterol sticks to the injured portion of blood vessel walls, setting up a toxic reaction that initiates an immune response. Immune cells called macrophages attack the oxidized cholesterol and become foam cells. These foam cells die, contributing even further to blood vessel plaque formation.

Mushrooms have long been used in the Orient to support immunity. Some of the most powerful mushrooms are prized for their immune modulating properties. These include Agaricus blazei, Cordyceps sinensis, Grifola frondosa, Ganoderma lucidum, Coriolus versicolor and Lentinula edodes. These have been studied for their ability to act as immune modulators in hepatitis and cancer in various in vitro, animal and human studies.

Unfortunately, while these are some of the most powerful immune-modulating substances available, there is a wide range in quality in most mushroom formulas. This is especially true regarding Cordyceps sinesis. In fact, some Cordyceps capsules have been found to contain nothing but rice flour and nutmeg. One analysis showed that all of the commercially available Cordyceps products available in the United States, all of which were imported from China, contained no detectable amounts of Cordyceps. American-grown products tested somewhat better but consisted almost entirely of unconverted grain substrate upon which the Cordyceps is grown. Even different strains of Cordyceps produce variations in quality. The same strain grown by different cultivators turns out to be entirely different from a standpoint of active ingredients.¹

Consequently, when we started contemplating introducing a new mushroom formula, we were highly aware of all the beneficial research on mushrooms and wanted to offer a formula that would consistently contain beneficial amounts of these mushrooms. However, as mentioned above, most mushrooms grown in cultivation were rather weak in the medicinal compounds. Therefore, we were excited to contract with a company that developed a method for hybridization of six of the most beneficial mushrooms to bring out the most potent aspects of their immune enhancement potential. This allows them to grow super-mushrooms with greater medicinal potential than any other mushrooms grown elsewhere today, including wild crafted varieties. This hybridization technique is so unique, it was granted the first patent ever issued for hybridizing mushrooms.

Keep in mind this hybridization process is not the same as genetically modifying the mushrooms. Rather it is a method to cross breed between different cultivars to enhance the natural properties. This process has been around since the inception of agriculture. Wild potatoes, for example, prior to hybridization, were the size of the little finger. Hybridization, therefore, allows for enhancement of the inherent immnune-balancing qualities of the mushrooms.

By doing this, a mushroom formula could be produced that has at least as much of the beneficial immune compounds found in nature. In nearly all cases, the concentration of any target medicinal compounds in the hybridized mushrooms exceeded that found in the naturally grown mushrooms. The end result is that hybrid Cordyceps, for example, has 4 to 5 times the potency of wild harvested Cordyceps.

These highly purified “super” mushrooms, rich in the immune-modulating polysaccharides known as beta glucans, are incorporated into an organic formula called ImmuneAssist^® 24/7.

Beta Glucans: Immune Modulators Extraordinaire

A class of compounds known as polysaccharides are responsible for the immune balancing effects of most health-promoting mushrooms. In mushrooms, the cell walls are composed of the polysaccharide 1-3 beta glucan. It is these 1-3 beta glucans that are mandatory for proper immune system function.

Each mushroom has a slightly different structure to its 1-3 beta glucan. For instance, some are attached to a protein, or have a branching chain structure. Each of these different structures has a slightly different effect on the body’s immune system. Some activate this type of cell or that type of cell, some differentiate different immune responses, some are involved in the “memory” effect of the immune system, the process by which the body recognizes foreign invaders.

The fact that each mushroom has a different effect on immunity essentially covers all the bases. This is because, when disease occurs, how can we possibly say what aspect of immune dysfunction allowed it to happen? Is it lowered natural killer cell activity or is it lowered T-cell count or perhaps a lack of the body’s normal tumor necrosis factor. Therefore, it is advantageous to consume a variety of mushrooms, which each affect different aspects of immunity. Multiple mushroom formulas always work better than single mushroom entities. However, even in the case of these formulas quantities of 1-3 beta glucans are still fairly low.

ImmuneAssist 24/7 is much more complex, being a combination of over 200 different polysaccharide immune activators. The formula combines seven different compounds from 6 different mushrooms (two different compounds from Cordyceps sinensis) into a patented formulation that has a higher beta glucan content than any of the title compounds alone. By cultivating mushrooms with these different structural beta glucans, we were able to enhance their potency.

Synergistic Effects

The mushrooms in the ImmuneAssist 24/7 formula have been extensively researched for their positive effects on immunity. Furthermore, the specially cultivated medicinal fungi have been tested together to determine the full extent of their immune modulating properties.

In one study, researchers looked at the combined effects of the specially cultivated Agaricus blazei, Cordyceps sinensis, Grifola frondosa, Ganoderma lucidum, Coriolus versicolor and Lentinula edodes in cancer patients undergoing other therapies.

The study authors gave 30 subjects the specially cultivated mushrooms. Another 26 comparable patients, serving as a control, received an immune-enhancing pharmaceutical drug. The subjects took the extracts while undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy. All patients were in the middle-late stages (Stage 3 and 4) of cancer.

There were significant differences between the experimental group and the control group. The experimental group of patients receiving the medicinal fungi had improvements in the disease progression and Quality of Life measurements as compared to the control group of cancer patients.² Additionally, the mixed polysaccharide from the mushrooms inhibited the protein synthesis of cancer cells, inhibited the growth and transference of cancer cells, reduced the side effects of the anti-cancer drugs, improved the patients’ sleep and appetite and resulted in overall improvement of the symptoms.²

The researchers also noted enhanced nonspecific immunity, improvements in the secretion of IGA, increases in the function of monocyte-macrophage and in the activity of natural killer cells in the subjects taking the specially cultivated mushrooms. They also noted an increase in immunological balance and stability. The mushrooms also appeared to increase the activity of the natural killer cells, and the ratio of the Th/Ts immune cells.²

In another study, 32 hepatitis patients were given the specially cultivated fungi while another 28 served as controls. After 9 months of taking the mushroom formula, hepatitis antibodies (HBeAg) in the group given the mushrooms went from positive at the study’s start to negative in 20 subjects (62.5 percent). Only 8 subjects (28.6 percent) in the control group tested as being negative for hepatitis antibodies.³

Powerful Immune-Modulating Components

Agaricus blazei, Cordyceps sinensis, Grifola frondosa, Ganoderma lucidum, Coriolus versicolor and Lentinula edodes also have been studied individually for their immune-balancing effects.

In 39 cervical, ovarian, and endometrial cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, Agaricus blazei significantly increased natural killer cell activity compared with the 61 subjects in the placebo group. Chemotherapy-associated side effects such as loss of appetite, alopecia, emotional instability, and general weakness were all improved by Agaricus blazei.⁴

Cordyceps sinensis is one of the most valued Chinese medicinal mushrooms. In 25 patients with chronic hepatitis B, 3 months of using Cordyceps resulted in an improvement in immunity as indicated by the fact that CD4 and CD4/CD8 ratio increased significantly compared with the controls.⁵

Animal studies also have shown that Cordyceps can regulate cellular immunity, enhance production of spleen lymphocytes and increase production of IL-2 from splenocytes. IL-2 (interleukin-2) is a cytokine, a protein released by white blood cells, which plays an important role in immunity by enhancing natural killer cell function and the production of T cells.⁶

Grifola frondosa, better known as maitake mushroom, has been found to regulate the immune system⁷ and also has blood sugar balancing effects.⁸

Ganoderma lucidum extract, known as Reishi mushroom, was found to increase the immune responses of patients with advanced stage cancer and to significantly increase the mean natural killer cell activity compared to baseline along with improving other aspects of immunity.⁹

Another mushroom, Coriolus versicolor, induced programmed cell suicide (apoptosis) in human leukemia cells but not of normal human T-lymphocytes.¹⁰

Furthermore, in a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial, Coriolus versicolor polysaccharide peptide slowed progression of advanced non-small cell lung cancer.¹¹ In tumor-bearing animals with suppressed or enhanced immune responses, Coriolus restored these responses to normal levels. In these animals, the killer T cell activity was augmented by intraperitoneal or oral administration of Coriolus versicolor, and there was correlation between the Coriolus versicolor’s antitumor effect and the killer T cell activity.¹²

Lentinula edodes (Shitake) is well documented in the literature as immune modulating. Lentinula edodes has been found to stimulate immunomodulating cytokines in vitro.¹³ In Sarcoma-bearing mice given the mushroom, the ability of macrophages to phagocytize (or “eat”) foreign invaders was enhanced and a significant decrease in tumor formation was observed. The concentration of TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma in serum increased significantly in the Lentinus edodes group compared with the control group. IFN-gamma (interferon gamma) supports immunity through stimulating the activity of macrophages and CD4+ T cells. The researchers concluded that Lentinus edodes effects were mediated by immunomodulation in inducing T-cells and macrophage-dependent immune system responses.¹⁴

ImmuneAssist 24/7

ImmuneAssist 24/7 (IA 24/7) is USDA certified organic and contains some of the most powerful health-promoting fungi known. As mentioned above, the mushrooms in the formula are specially cultivated to exaggerate the levels of immune modulating polysaccharides. We have chosen to offer IA 24/7 in tablets since for this particular product it was determined to be the best form of delivery. Furthermore, ImmuneAssist 24/7 tablets are produced with a special, high quality, natural coating, which is made from organic silica and organic tapioca starch.

ImmuneAssist also contains EGCG, the polyphenol compound found in green tea. EGCG acts as an inhibitor of viral attachment to cells.^15-16 A purified form of EGCG is used to make IA 24/7. The EGCG is suspended in a time-released matrix so that it doesn’t break down in stomach acid, allowing much more of this virus-blocking compound into the blood stream than can be obtained by drinking green tea.

References

1. Holliday JC, Cleaver P, Loomis-Powers M, Patel D. Analysis of Quality and Techniques for Hybridization of Medicinal Fungus Cordyceps sinensis (Berk.) Sacc. International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms. 2004; 6:151-64.

2. Ruwei W, Yiyuan X, Peijun J, Xing W, Holliday JC. Immune-Assist brand Dietary Supplement as an Adjunct for Chemo and Radiation Therapy in Cancer Treatment. Unpublished Study.

3. Ruwei W, Peijun J, Shuifu L, Jinxing X, Jianjun X, Hongpeng Z, Huiling S, Lixing L, Guoyong Z, Songhua L, Jin Y, Yin W, Holliday J. Using IMMUNE-ASSIST brand mushroom extract mixture in conjunction with the drug Lamivudine [Epivir]. Unpublished Study.

4. Ahn WS, Kim DJ, Chae GT, Lee JM, Bae SM, Sin JI, Kim YW, Namkoong SE, Lee IP. Natural killer cell activity and quality of life were improved by consumption of a mushroom extract, Agaricus blazei Murill Kyowa, in gynecological cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2004 Jul-Aug;14(4):589-94.

5. Gong HY, Wang KQ, Tang SG. [Effects of cordyceps sinensis on T lymphocyte subsets and hepatofibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B]. [Article in Chinese] Hunan Yi Ke Da Xue Xue Bao. 2000 Jun 28;25(3):248-50.

6. Cheng Q. [Effect of cordyceps sinensis on cellular immunity in rats with chronic renal insufficiency] [Article in Chinese] Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi. 1992 Jan;72(1):27-9, 63.

7. Deng G, Lin H, Seidman A, Fornier M, D’Andrea G, Wesa K, Yeung S, Cunningham-Rundles S, Vickers AJ, Cassileth B. A phase I/II trial of a polysaccharide extract from Grifola frondosa (Maitake mushroom) in breast cancer patients: immunological effects. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2009 Mar 1. Published Online Ahead of Print.

8. Cui B, Han L, Qu J, Lv Y. Grifola frondosa Rich in Vanadium. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2009 Mar 13. Published Online Ahead of Print.

9. Gao Y, Zhou S, Jiang W, Huang M, Dai X. Effects of ganopoly (a Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide extract) on the immune functions in advanced-stage cancer patients. Immunol Invest. 2003 Aug;32(3):201-15.

10. Yang X, Sit WH, Chan DK, Wan JM. The cell death process of the anticancer agent polysaccharide-peptide (PSP) in human promyelocytic leukemic HL-60 cells. Oncol Rep. 2005 Jun;13(6):1201-10.

11. Tsang KW, Lam CL, Yan C, Mak JC, Ooi GC, Ho JC, Lam B, Man R, Sham JS, Lam WK. Coriolus versicolor polysaccharide peptide slows progression of advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Respir Med. 2003 Jun;97(6):618-24.

12. Tsukagoshi S, Hashimoto Y, Fujii G, Kobayashi H, Nomoto K, Orita K. Krestin (PSK). Cancer Treat Rev. 1984 Jun;11(2):131-55.

13. Liu M, Li J, Kong F, Lin J, Gao Y. Induction of immunomodulating cytokines by a new polysaccharide-peptide complex from culture mycelia of Lentinus edodes. Immunopharmacology. 1998 Nov;40(3):187-98.

14. Zheng R, Jie S, Hanchuan D, Moucheng W. Characterization and immunomodulating activities of polysaccharide from Lentinus edodes. Int Immunopharmacol. 2005 May;5(5):811-20.

15. Nance CL, Siwak EB, Shearer WT. Preclinical development of the green tea catechin, epigallocatechin gallate, as an HIV-1 therapy. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2009 Feb;123(2):459-65.

16. Xu J, Wang J, Deng F, Hu Z, Wang H. Green tea extract and its major component epigallocatechin gallate inhibits hepatitis B virus in vitro. Antiviral Res. 2008 Jun;78(3):242-9.