Thursday Sep 18, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- A new study led by H.J. Park of College of BioNano Technology Gachon University in Korea suggests a mushroom supplement can be at least as effective in treating melanoma, the most dangerous skin cancer in the world, as the cancer drug called doxorubicin.

In the study, the supplement named CARI III exhibits an anticancer activity against melanoma, an effect that is similar to that of doxorubicin, in mice that intraperitoneally receives B16F10 melanoma cells, which are used to induce solid intra-abdominal tumors.

Specifically, 300 mg of CARI III per kg per day p.o. reduces tumor weight, an effect that is similar to that of doxorubicin and mice receiving CARI III lives 51% longer than control mice.

Doxorubicin is a cancer drug used to treat a range of malignancies including some leukemias and Hodgkin's lymphoma, cancers of the bladder, breast, stomach, lung, ovaries, thyroid, soft tissue sarcoma, multiple myeloma, and others.

The anticancer supplement consists of  mushroom mycelia from Phellinus linteus, Inonotus obliquus, and Antrodia camphorata all grown on germinated brown rice, and Ganoderma lucidum.

The anticancer supplement renders the anti-proliferative activity against B16F10 melanoma cells by inducing G0/G1 cell cycle arrest.  CARI III inhibits the production of cyclin D1, CDK4 and CDK2 and induces p21.

The study concludes "CARI III could be a potential chemopreventive supplement to melanoma patients."  (David Liu, PHD)

Park HJ.  CARI III Inhibits Tumor Growth in a Melanoma-Bearing Mouse Model through Induction of G0/G1 Cell Cycle Arrest.  Molecules. 2014 Sep 12;19(9):14383-95.