Shiitake compounds studied for gut inflammation and colon cancer
What it found
Compounds from shiitake mushrooms, mainly glucans, reduced inflammation and tumour growth in lab tests and animals, and improved outcomes in some small human studies.
The authors say larger trials are needed.
What they found
Studies in people
Gut bacteria in people
In a randomised, double-blind trial, 52 people with mild high cholesterol took a beta-glucan mixture from shiitake or a placebo for eight weeks. The shiitake group had increased microbial diversity, but no difference in IL-1-beta, IL-6 or TNF-alpha production.
Survival in people
In a 1986 randomised trial of 166 patients with advanced stomach or colorectal cancer, lentinan combined with chemotherapy prolonged survival compared with chemotherapy alone.
Nerve pain in people
In 44 colorectal cancer patients with nerve pain from oxaliplatin, a high dose of shiitake mycelia extract (900 mg twice a day) reduced numbness and pain, but a low dose (300 mg twice a day) did not differ from placebo.
Animal and lab studies
Inflammation in animals
In mice with colitis, lentinan and other shiitake extracts reduced weight loss, colon shortening and levels of inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-1-beta. They also increased tight-junction proteins and improved colon tissue.
Tumour growth in animals
In mice with colon cancer, lentinan and other shiitake compounds reduced tumour size and growth, and in some studies prolonged survival. They also reduced tumour blood vessel formation.
Cancer cells in lab tests
In colon cancer cell lines, lentinan and selenium-coated lentinan particles reduced cell growth and increased apoptosis. The strongest effect was seen in HCT-116 cells.
What the authors conclude
“Future studies must be focused on understanding the pathways and mechanisms associated with the observed effects. Moreover, both randomized trials and long-term follow-up studies are needed to confirm their effectiveness in the treatment of IBD and CRC.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say shiitake compounds can be used as adjuvants for IBD or CRC treatment.
- They call for future studies to understand the pathways and mechanisms behind the observed effects.
- They advise that randomised trials and long-term follow-up studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm effectiveness.
How it was done
Many people with inflammatory bowel disease or colorectal cancer do not respond to standard treatment or cannot tolerate its side effects. The authors looked at shiitake compounds as possible natural additions to treatment.
The authors reviewed studies of shiitake compounds in colon cancer cells, in mice and rats, and in people. Human studies included 52 people with mild high cholesterol, 166 people with advanced stomach or colorectal cancer, 44 people with colorectal cancer and nerve pain from chemotherapy, and 8 people with colorectal or stomach cancer.
What it can’t tell you
- Many of the findings come from animal and lab studies, which cannot show what happens in people.
- The human studies were small, so the results may not apply to larger groups.
- The extracts used contain many compounds, so it is not clear which one is responsible for the effects.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
- Authors work at
- Medical University of Warsaw, Poland; Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Poland
The paper
- Title
- Lentinula edodes as a Source of Bioactive Compounds with Therapeutical Potential in Intestinal Inflammation and Colorectal Cancer
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Licence
- CC BY. Words in quotation marks are the authors’; the rest is our summary.
- Cite
- Bugajewski M, Angerhoefer N, Pączek L, Kaleta B (2025). Lentinula edodes as a Source of Bioactive Compounds with Therapeutical Potential in Intestinal Inflammation and Colorectal Cancer. International journal of molecular sciences. doi:10.3390/ijms26073320Free full textPubMed 40244191DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error