[#1988-02] Antitumor Activity Exhibited by Orally Administered Extract from Fruit Body of Grifola frondosa (Maitake), I. Hishida et al.

Antitumor Activity Exhibited by Orally Administered Extract from Fruit Body of Grifola frondosa (Maitake)

Hishida, I, Nanba, H, Kuroda, H

Laboratory of Microbiology, Kobe Women’s College of Pharmacy, Japan

The acid-insoluble, alkali-soluble, hot water-extractable polymer (a polysaccharide containing approximately 30% of protein; D-fraction) obtained from the fruit bodies of Grifola frondosa ( maitake ) exhibited antitumor activities against allogenic and syngeneic tumors on oral administration to mice. Winn assay conducted to examine the tumor growth-suppressing effect revealed a complete inhibition of the tumor by the oral administration of D-fraction. This fact indicates that stimulation of the immune response system triggered by the tumor-bearing state is activated by D-fraction. Consequently, the activity of D-fraction on cells associated with immune response was examined. The cytolytic activity and interleukin-1 productivity of macrophages or T cells which exhibit antigen-specific cytotoxicity were enhanced. D-fraction was found to potentiate the delayed-type hypersensitivity response which is associated with tumor growth suspension.