[#2008-18] Coriolus Szeto, M. Coriolus versicolor extracts, relevance in cancer management

Immunoceuticals isolated from more than 30 mushroom species have demonstrated anticancer properties in animals, but many fewer have been involved in human cancer research. Of those that are studied in human cancer, all are classified chemically as β-D-glucans (linear polymers of D-glucose with monosaccharides attached) bound to proteins. Collectively they are known as “proteoglycans.” Polysaccharide K (PSK) and polysaccharide peptide (PSP) are the only two proteoglycans that have been systematically investigated in human cancer 7. They are chemically related constituents extracted from the mushroom Coriolus versicolor.
The mushroom C. versicolor comes from the polypore family and belongs to the Hymenomycetes class 9. Scientifically, it is known as Trametes versicolor or Polyporus versicolor 10. Common names include “turkey tail” mushroom, Yun-zhi, PSP, PSK,
cloud mushroom, Krestin (Kureha Chemical Industry Co., Tokyo, Japan) 9–12, and in Japan, kawaratake, which means “mushroom by the river bank” 13.