Obligatory Legal Disclaimer: This research information is provided for personal educational purposes only, and does not constitute a medical claim for any product of any nature whatsoever. Consult a qualified healthcare practitioner for the diagnosis and treatment of any disease, ailment or medical condition. These Statements have not been approved by the FDA.
Antrodia Camphorata
Extract anti oxidant and liver protecting qualities,fungus induces apoptosis in liver cancer lines
Mushroom Description:
Antrodia camphorata is a highly valued polypore mushroom native to only
Taiwan. These orange-red to brown-red colored mushrooms are very bitter in taste
with a camphor aroma. The mushroom grows only on one species of rainforest tree
that is also native only to Taiwan, Cinnamomum kanehirai, usually in hollow
areas of the trunks of mature trees. The host tree is related to the Camphor
tree and contains highly aromatic oils. In Taiwan, this endemic tree species is
highly valued for manufacturing furniture. The tree is becoming increasingly
rare and is now protected by the government. Consequently, it has become
increasingly difficult to find Antrodia fruitbodies in the forest and the price
for high-quality fruitbodies has increased dramatically. Scientists have
recently developed techniques to culture the mycelia of this mushroom in
submerged liquid culture and also with Solid State Fermentation (SSF)
methodologies. Both the fruitbodies and mycelia have been proven to contain
powerful, medicinally-active compounds. Golden Gourmet Mushrooms, Inc. is the
first company in the West to successfully cultivate the mycelia of this unique
species.
Known Active Constituents:
Polysaccharides
Triterpenoids
Sterols
Medicinal Properties and Modes of Actions:
Antrodia is well-known and highly valued as a medicinal mushroom in Taiwan, but
it is relatively unknown outside of Taiwan and virtually unknown in the Western
world.
In Traditional Taiwanese Medicine, Antrodia is commonly used as a anti-cancer,
anti-itching, anti-allergy, and liver protective drug. Scientific research has
also shown that the mushroom can be useful in the treatment of diabetes,
cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, hepatitis, and many types of
cancers including liver, lung, cervical, colon, and breast cancers and also
leukemia and adenoma.
Recent research from Taiwan has shown that Antrodia camphorata crude extract (ACCE)
does indeed have strong activity against prostate, breast and bladder cancer.
Kuan-Chou Chen et al. (2007) found that it inhibits prostate cancer cells and concluded
that Antrodia camphorata due to its nontoxicity, might be used as a good
adjuvant anticancer therapy for prostate cancers. Chiumg-Chi Peng et al. (2007)
found that ACCE showed rather significant inhibitory effects on the growth and
proliferation of invasive transitional bladder cell carcinomas cells. You-Cheng
Hsu et al. (2006) reported that Antrodia exerts growth inhibition on
highly-invasive estrogen-nonresponsive human breast cancer cells through
apoptosis induction associated with COX-2 inhibition. Chen, Kuan-Chou et al.
2007. Unique Formosan mushroom Antrodia camphorata differentially inhibits
androgen-responsive LNCaP and independent PC-3 prostate cancer cell. Nutrition
and Cancer 57(1): 111-121.