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Telomerase inhibitory effects of medicinal mushrooms and lichens, and their anticancer activity

Baojun Xu1, Chantian Li2, Changkeun Sung3

  • 1Food Science and Technology Program, Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University United International College, Zhuhai, China.

International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms
|June 19, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Mushrooms and lichens show potential as anticancer agents by inhibiting telomerase. Certain extracts, particularly from Umbilicaria esculenta, demonstrated significant anticancer effects in gastric cancer cell lines.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Mycology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Telomerase is a key biomarker and therapeutic target in cancer.
  • Natural products from fungi are increasingly explored for medicinal properties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the in vitro telomerase inhibitory effects of various mushrooms and lichens.
  • To assess the anticancer properties of these natural extracts against gastric cancer cells.

Main Methods:

  • Telomerase activity was measured using a polymerase chain reaction-based telomeric repeat amplification protocol assay.
  • Antiproliferation effects were determined using the MTT assay on the SNU-1 gastric cancer cell line.

Main Results:

  • Several mushroom and lichen extracts, including those from Pleurotus ostreatus, Lasiosphaera fenzlii, Strobilomyces floccopus, Sarcodon aspratus, and Umbilicaria esculenta, exhibited strong telomerase inhibitory activity.
  • Hexane extract of S. floccopus and water extracts of U. esculenta demonstrated significant antiproliferation effects against SNU-1 cells.

Conclusions:

  • Certain fungal and lichen extracts possess potent telomerase inhibitory and anticancer activities.
  • The water extract of Umbilicaria esculenta shows promise as a potential anticancer agent targeting telomerase.

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