Shiitake vs Virus

Researchers can make some quite large claims. Not all of them jump out of bath tubs and run naked through the streets shouting “Eureka!” to display their prowess but they can make some big statements about their research reveals. You can count some researchers from the University of Texas right up there in “large claim” stakes as they have recently claimed that their research suggests that an extract of shiitake mushroom could eradicate human papilloma virus, a leading cause of cervical, and other, cancer.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a common virus that affects both males and females, and is passed from person to person through sexual contact. HPV can stay in the body, causing changes to cells that can lead to HPV-related cancers and disease in both males and females. Different types of HPV can affect different parts of the body, and some types are more harmful than others. HPV can cause genital warts, which can be distressing but do not cause cancer. HPV can cause penile, anal, cervical, vulval and vaginal cancers. Estimates are that HPV is responsible for around 70 per cent of all cervical cancer cases, 65 per cent of vaginal cancers, 95 percent of anal cancers, and 35 per cent of penile cancers. It is also estimated that four out of five people will have a HPV infection at some point in their lives although it doesn’t usually cause symptoms, so people infected with the virus may not know they have it. That is why Australia has a HPV vaccination because the vaccine is most effective when given before a person becomes sexually active. Males and females aged 12-13 years receive the HPV vaccine at school.

According to these researchers though, although we have the vaccines, there are currently no viable treatments for the virus once infection is present. That is, they say, until they set out to investigate shiitake mushrooms.

Shiitake mushrooms have been used medicinally by the Chinese for more than 6,000 years. Shiitake have many effects on the body but their effect on the immune system is well documented. On the one hand, numerous studies have shown the ability of whole shiitake mushrooms to help prevent excessive immune system activity. Equally, studies have shown that shiitake help stimulate immune system responses under certain circumstances. In other words, as a food shiitake mushrooms appear able to enhance immune function in both directions, giving it a boost when needed, and cutting back on its activity when needed. In this study however, the researchers did not look at the whole food but at an extract of a compound dubbed AHCC, an active hexose correlated compound.

For the research women who had tested positive for HPV took AHCC once a day for six months. After three months 50 per cent of the women tested negative for HPV, after between three and six months a further 30 per cent had HPV fully eradicated, and the remaining 20 per cent rested HPV negative after the six month treatment had finished.

Although this was a very small trial the researchers felt that the results were so encouraging that they will begin a phase 2 trial and led to their statement that AHCC could potentially eradicate HPV.

It’s a big statement but maybe there’s something to it and after all, why not make a big statement? There’s no point in keeping us in the dark…we’re not mushrooms.