Lentinan | vital.ly

Lentinan

Family: Polyporaceae

Alternate names: Beta-glucan Lentinan, Lentinane, Lentinus edodes Polysaccharide, Polysaccharide dérivé de Lentinus edodes, Xiangguduotang, Xiangguduotangzhusheye

Family: Polyporaceae

Alternate names: Beta-glucan Lentinan, Lentinane, Lentinus edodes Polysaccharide, Polysaccharide dérivé de Lentinus edodes, Xiangguduotang, Xiangguduotangzhusheye

Background

Lentinan is a substance that comes from the shiitake mushroom.

Some medical professionals use lentinan to boost the effects of regular medicines used for treating cancer and HIV infection, and for other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Safety Safety definitions

When taken by mouth: Lentinan is POSSIBLY SAFE. It might cause stomach and intestinal discomfort and rash.

When given as a shot: Lentinan is POSSIBLY SAFE. It might cause rash, muscle pain, and tiredness.

Special Precautions & Warnings:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if lentinan is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Effectiveness

NatMed Pro rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.

Possibly effective Effectiveness definitions

Build up of fluid and cancer cells in the space between the chest wall and lung (malignant pleural effusions). When given by a health care practitioner into the area around the lungs, lentinan might increase the effects of the drug cisplatin, which is commonly used to treat this condition.

Insufficient evidence Effectiveness definitions

A lung disease that makes it harder to breathe (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD). Some patients with worsening COPD are given the medication budesonide and need to use a machine in the hospital to help with breathing. Taking lentinan might help these patients recover faster.
Cancer of the esophagus. Early research suggests that lentinan may improve the way regular cancer drugs work in people with cancer of the esophagus.
Stomach cancer. Early research suggests that lentinan may improve the way regular cancer drugs work in people with stomach cancer.
HIV/AIDS infection. Early research suggests that lentinan may improve the way some HIV drugs work.
Lung cancer. Early research suggests that lentinan may improve the way regular cancer drugs work in people with lung cancer.
Prostate cancer. Early research suggests that lentinan may improve the way regular cancer drugs work in men with prostate cancer.
Quality of life. Early research shows that taking lentinan might help to improve mood in some people.
Other Conditions.

More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of lentinan for these uses.

Dosing & administration

The appropriate dose of lentinan depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for lentinan. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.