The application of fungal β-glucans for the treatment of colon cancer

Anticancer Agents Med Chem. 2013 Jun;13(5):725-30. doi: 10.2174/1871520611313050007.

Abstract

Mushrooms have been consumed for their health benefits for thousands of years in China, and the main active component was recently identified as beta-glucan. The immune-stimulating effect of beta-glucans has been well studied, and several beta-glucan receptors have been identified on the surface of immune cells. In addition, mushroom extracts with high levels of beta-glucans have also been shown to have direct cytotoxic effects on cancer cells, and beta-glucans are used for the treatment of cancer. This review summarizes the use of beta-glucans in colon cancer. Evidence has supported the idea that beta-glucans can decrease the size of xenografted colon cancer tumors via the stimulation of the immune system and direct cytotoxicity. Beta-glucans can also have synergistic effects with chemotherapeutic agents and other immune stimulators, and an innovative strategy is to use beta-glucans to deliver nanoparticles containing chemotherapeutic agents to the site of the colon cancer and, thus, improve the therapeutic efficacy.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Agaricales*
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / isolation & purification
  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / therapeutic use*
  • Colonic Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Colonic Neoplasms / immunology
  • Humans
  • Treatment Outcome
  • beta-Glucans / chemistry
  • beta-Glucans / isolation & purification
  • beta-Glucans / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
  • beta-Glucans