Year: 2024 | Month: May | Volume: 14 | Issue: 5 | Pages: 98-108
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijhsr.20240511
Significance of Mushrooms in Urological Diseases and Disorders
Sensuke Konno1, Andrew Penunuri2, Jonathan Wong3, Sean Fullerton4, Muhammad Choudhury5, Majid Eshghi6
1,2,3,4,5,6Department of Urology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY 10595, USA
Corresponding Author: Sensuke Konno
ABSTRACT
Background: Since a number of medicinal mushrooms have various pharmacological properties, we have been studying them mainly for urological diseases/disorders over 24 years. Among them, we present herein the interesting study of anticancer effect of a mushroom on urological cancers to illustrate the significance of mushrooms in urology.
Materials and Methods: Anticancer effect of maitake mushroom extract (PDF) on prostate cancer PC-3 cells in vitro was assessed by cell viability assay, and its synergistic potentiation with vitamin C (VC) was also demonstrated. Whether oxidative stress (OXS) may play a significant role in the anticancer mechanism was also explored. In addition, a possible chemosensitizing effect of PDF, capable of enhancing anticancer activity of chemotherapeutic drugs, was examined.
Results: PDF alone led to a significant reduction in PC-3 cell viability, which became even greater when combined with VC, exhibiting <10% cell viability. Such a profound cell viability reduction was primarily attributed to apoptosis induced by OXS. Moreover, anticancer activity of certain drugs against prostate and bladder cancer cells was also improved when combined with PDF, indicating a chemosensitizing effect of PDF.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates anticancer effect of PDF on urological cancer cells, and the PDF/VC combination is highly effective, ultimately leading to apoptosis. A chemosensitizing effect of PDF demonstrated here implies its possible clinical use as an adjuvant agent in current chemotherapy. Therefore, this study represents only anticancer effect of a mushroom but the significance of mushrooms in urological diseases/disorders can be yet understood.
Key words: Mushrooms, Maitake, Anticancer, Medicinal properties, Urological diseases, Chemosensitization.