Mushroom extracts having anticancer activity

Abstract

The invention relates to compositions comprising a mycelium extract from at least one higher Basidiomycetes medicinal mushroom selected from the group consisting of Ganoderma adspersum, Hypsizygus ulmarium, Kuehneromyces mutabilis, Omphalotus olearius, Panus conchatus, Piptoporus betulinus, Pleurotus eryngii , and Trametes zonata , said composition having selective antiproliferative activity on the human chronic myelogenous leukemia K 562 cells and on the human prostate cancer LNCaP cells. The compositions are useful for treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), Ph+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), prostate cancer and β-globin disorders such as sickle cell anemia and β-thalassemia.

1 . A composition comprising a an extract from at least one higher Basidiomycetes medicinal mushroom mycelium separated from a culture in which said mushroom was grown, 
 said mushroom being selected from the group consisting of  Ganoderma adspersum, Hypsizygus ulmarium, Kuehneromyces mutabilis, Omphalotus olearius, Panus conchatus, Piptoporus betulinus, Pleurotus eryngii , and  Trametes zonata,      said composition having selective antiproliferative activity on human chronic myelogenous leukemia K562 cells and on human prostate cancer LNCaP cells.    
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said medicinal mushroom is  Omphalotus olearius, Piptoporus betulinus , or  Trametes zonata.    
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein said extract is obtained from an extraction solvent comprising one or more organic solvents selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, acetonitrile, ethyl acetate, chloroform, hexane, cyclohexane, isooctane and dichloromethane.  
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 3  wherein said extraction solvent is a non-aqueous organic solvent.  
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 4  wherein said organic solvent is methanol, ethanol or dichloromethane.  
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 3  wherein said extraction solvent is an aqueous organic solvent.  
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 6  alone wherein said extraction solvent is 70% ethanol or a mixture of ethyl acetate and methanol.  
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1  comprising a pharmacologically acceptable carrier for treatment of a Philadelphia Chromosome-Positive Leukemia consisting of chronic myelogenous leukemia and Ph+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia.  
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 8  comprising a mycelium extract of  Piptoporus betulinus  or  Trametes zonata.    
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1  comprising a pharmacologically acceptable carrier for treatment of prostate cancer.  
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 10  comprising a mycelium extract of  Trametes zonata.    
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 1  comprising a pharmacologically acceptable carrier for treatment of a β-globin disorder consisting of sickle cell anemia and β-thalassemia.  
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 12  comprising a mycelium extract of  Omphalotus olearius, Piptoporus betulinus , or  Trametes zonata.    
     
     
         14 . A food or beverage comprising the composition of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         15 . A method of treating chronic myelogenous leukemia comprising administering to a patient in need a therapeutically effective amount of a composition of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         16 . A method in accordance with  claim 15  wherein said composition comprises a mycelium extract of  Piptoporus betulinus  or  Trametes zonata.    
     
     
         17 . A method of treating sickle cell anemia comprising administering to a patient in need a therapeutically effective amount of a composition of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         18 . A method in accordance with  claim 17  wherein said composition comprises a mycelium extract of  Omphalotus olearius, Piptoporus betulinus , or  Trametes zonata.    
     
     
         19 . A method of treating β-thalassemia comprising administering to a patient in need a therapeutically effective amount of a composition of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         20 . A method in accordance with  claim 19  wherein said composition comprises a mycelium extract of  Omphalotus olearius, Piptoporus betulinus , or  Trametes zonata.    
     
     
         21 . A method of treating prostate cancer comprising administering to a patient in need a therapeutically effective amount of a composition of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         22 . A method in accordance with  claim 21  wherein said composition comprises a mycelium extract of  Trametes zonata.