The use of the beneficial nutrient Lentinula Edodes dates back to ancient times. In 1969, scientists at Tokyo’s National Cancer Research Institute isolated a polysaccharide compound from Lentinula Edodes, called Lentinan. In laboratory trials, Lentinan caused tumors in mice to reduce or vanish in 80% to 100% of the cases studied. “Lentinan appears to stimulate immune system cells to clear the body of tumor cells.”
Research from the early 70’s showed multiple effects of Lentinan on lowering cholesterol. A study conducted in Japan in 1974 and reported by Kenneth Jones identified a specific amino acid in Lentinan that assists in speeding up the processing of cholesterol in the liver.
Forty elderly women and 420 young women were the subject of the study. The study shows that Lentinan appears to be effective against some of the more serious viruses we are faced with today, such as HIV and Hepatitis B. Test-tube studies in Japan conclude that Lentinan could be more lethal to HIV infected cells than some other HIV drugs.
In other studies, Lentinula Edodes legnins have been shown to block HIV cells from reproducing and damaging helpful T-cells. These legnins also stop cell damage resulting from Herpes Simplex I and II, two viral infections that often plague individuals infected with HIV.