Supplements

The Effects of AHCC®, a Standardized Extract of Cultured Lentinura edodes Mycelia, on Natural Killer and T Cells in Health and Disease: Reviews on Human and Animal Studies

by Min Sun Shin, Hong-Jai Park, Takahiro Maeda, Hiroshi Nishioka, Hajime Fujii, Insoo Kang 20/12/2019 Journal of Immunology Research

Mushrooms have been used for various health conditions for many years by traditional medicines practiced in different regions of the world although the exact effects of mushroom extracts on the immune system are not fully understood. AHCC® is a standardized extract of cultured shiitake or Lentinula edodes mycelia (ECLM) which contains a mixture of nutrients including oligosaccharides, amino acids, and minerals obtained through liquid culture. AHCC® is reported to modulate the numbers and functions of immune cells including natural killer (NK) and T cells which play important roles in host defense, suggesting the possible implication of its supplementation in defending the host against infections and malignancies via modulating the immune system. Here, we review in vivo and in vitro effects of AHCC® on NK and T cells of humans and animals in health and disease, providing a platform for the better understanding of immune-mediated mechanisms and clinical implications of AHCC®.

AHCC® Supplementation to Support Immune Function to Clear Persistent Human Papillomavirus Infections

by Judith A. Smith 21/6/22 frontiers

Objective: To determine the efficacy, safety, and durability of the use of AHCC supplementation for 6 months to support the host immune system to clear high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infections. The AHCC supplement is a proprietary, standardized extract of cultured lentinula edodes mycelia (AHCC®, Amino Up, Ltd., Sapporo, Japan) that has been shown to have unique immune modulatory benefits.

Lentinula edodes extract increases goblet cell number and Muc2 expression in an intestinal inflammatory model of Trichinella spiralis infection

by Beatriz López-Cauce 6/22 ScienceDirect

AHCC® is a standardized extract of cultured mushroom (Lentinula edodes) mycelia with a wide variety of therapeutic effects including anti-inflammatory, antitumor and antiviral effects. Trichinellosis, a food-borne parasitic zoonosis is caused by the nematode Trichinella spp. Infection with Trichinella is characterized by the induction of a Th1-type response at the beginning of the intestinal phase, followed by a dominant Th2-type response which is essential for parasite expulsion.

Supplementation with Active Hexose Correlated Compound Increases the Innate Immune Response of Young Mice to Primary Influenza Infection

by Ritz Barry 11/06 ScienceDirect

The emergence of H5N1 avian influenza and the threat of new or adapted viruses in bioterrorism have created an urgent interest in identifying agents to enhance the immune response to primary virus infection. Active hexose correlated compound (AHCC) is a natural mushroom extract reported to increase natural killer (NK) cell activity, survival, and bacterial clearance in young mice. However, the effects of AHCC on the response to viral infections have not been studied. In this study, young C57BL/6 mice were supplemented with 1 g AHCC/(kg body weight · d) for 1 wk prior to and throughout infection with influenza A (H1N1, PR8).