Mushroom extracts having anticancer activity

Abstract

The invention relates to compositions comprising a mycelium extract from at least one higher Basidiomycetes medicinal mushroom selected from the group consisting of Ganoderma adspersum, Hypsizygus ulmarium, Kuehneromyces mutabilis, Omphalotus olearius, Panus conchatus, Piptoporus betulinus, Pleurotus eryngii, and Trametes zonata, said composition having selective antiproliferative activity on the human chronic myelogenous leukemia K562 cells and on the human prostate cancer LNCaP cells. The compositions are useful for treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), Ph+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), prostate cancer and β-globin disorders such as sickle cell anemia and β-thalassemia.