Pharmaceutical Mushrooms--Agaricus blazei Murill

ABM is one of the most amazing medicinal mushrooms yet discovered. Due to its anti-tumor effects, this mushroom, which grows wild in Brazil, is now extensively cultivated in Japan and China and is now becoming more popular with American mushroom cultivators. The main medicinal properties of this mushroom are anti-tumor and immune enhancement. In almost all the laboratory studies published to date, the rate of remission for all types of cancer has been in the high 90% range.

While most of these studies have been done with mice, rats, or guinea pigs, similar results may be shown as clinical studies are conducted on humans. One human study showed that human subjects given ABM in their diet experienced an increase of NK (Natural Killer) cells of 3,000% in 2-4 days. The largest and most complete human trials are presently being done in China and Japan. It is likely to be many years before these studies are completed and widely circulated in America.

Laboratory experiments have confirmed that several substances in ABM, in addition to the Beta-Glucans and other polysaccharides, have anti-tumor effects. These include nucleic acids, lectins, sterols, and lipids.