Orthomolecular - Mycotherapy

Question 1

Mycotherapy

Answer 1

The kingdom Fungi is one of the seven kingdoms of living organisms. About 20,000 of fungal species are mushrooms, with around 1000 of them considered medicinal.
* Mycotherapy is the use of mushrooms and their compounds as medicines or health-promoting agents.
* Fungi are believed to have survived the meteor hits that extinguished many other species, and helped to renew the planet.
* Fungi create a mycelial (root-like) network that releases enzymes and acids to externally digest dead organisms. They move the nutrients back into the life cycle (i.e. into soil).
* Fungi compensate for their inability to move by growing quickly and branching their filaments and threads in any direction.
myco-=fungus (mushrooms)

Question 2

Medicinal mushroom compounds:

Answer 2

Medicinal mushrooms produce compounds that can be harnessed therapeutically. The most useful medicinal compounds are:
* Beta-glucans
* Triterpenes
* Sterols
* Lectins

Question 3

Beta-glucans

Answer 3

Beta-glucans:
* Beta-glucans are polysaccharides that sometimes contain protein.
* 1,3 and 1,6 beta-glucans are the most common forms.
* Their most important action on the body is on the immune system, where they can support optimal immune function, promote immunomodulation and exert anti-tumour activity.
* They are captured by various cells in the lymphatic tissue of the intestines and stimulate macrophages, neutrophils, monocytes, natural killer (NK) cells and dendritic cells.
beta =refers to the chemical bonds formed
glucans =polysaccharides

Question 4

Triterpenes

Answer 4

Triterpenes:
* Mushrooms such as reishi are composed of over 120 different triterpenes which have various medicinal properties, e.g. hepato-protective, anti-tumour.

tri =three / terpenes =hydrocarbon of the formula C10H16

Question 5

Sterols

Answer 5

Sterols:
* Mushrooms contain sterols such as ergosterol (a precursor of vitamin D). Studies have shown that these mushroom-derived sterols can have anti-cancer properties.

sterols =a subgroup of steroids, e.g. vitamin D

Question 6

Lectins

Answer 6

Lectins:
* Those in certain medicinal mushrooms agglutinate tumour cells, preventing their proliferation. They are also immune-modulatory.

Lectins = carbohydrate-binding proteins
agglutinate = stick together

Question 7

Drug interactions.

Answer 7

• Research has explored the possible interactions of the most common medicinal mushroom strains with drugs that are metabolised by CYP450 enzymes.
• The results have highlighted that the mushrooms demonstrate no appreciable inhibition, and so the possibility of a drug interaction by inhibition of CYP450 is extremely unlikely.
• This means that unless there is an interaction via another mechanism, the medicinal mushrooms covered can be used alongside other drug treatments.