Lentinan

Lentinan

Systematic (IUPAC) name
β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)]-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)]-β-D-glucopyranose
Clinical data
AHFS/Drugs.com	International Drug Names
Identifiers
CAS Number	37339-90-5 Y
ATC code	L03AX01 (WHO)
PubChem	CID: 37723
KEGG	D01695 Y
Synonyms	(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-2-[(2S,3R,4S,5R,6R)-2-[(2S,3R,4S,5R,6R)-2-[(2R,3R,4S,5R,6S)-3,5-dihydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-6-[(2R,3R,4S,5R,6R)-2,3,5-trihydroxy-6-[[(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxymethyl]oxan-4-yl]oxyoxan-4-yl]oxy-3,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-4-yl]oxy-3,5-dihydroxy-6-[[(2R,3R,4S,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]oxymethyl]oxan-4-yl]oxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol
Chemical data
Formula	C42H72O36
Molecular mass	1152.99948 g/mol
NY (what is this?)  (verify)

Lentinan is an intravenous anti-tumor polysaccharide isolated from the fruit body of shiitake (Lentinula edodes mycelium (LEM))). Lentinan has been approved as an adjuvant for stomach cancer in Japan since 1985.[1] Lentinan is one of the host-mediated anti-cancer drugs which has been shown to affect host defense immune systems.

Chemistry

Lentinan is a β-1,3 beta-glucan with β-1,6 branching. Molecular weight of lentinan is 500,000 Da. Specific rotation +14-22° (NaOH).

Research

An in vitro experiment showed lentinan stimulated production of white blood cells in the human cell line U937. A pharmacological blend (MC-S) of lentinan, PSK, Ganoderma lucidum and Astragalus propinquus has also been shown to stimulate white blood cell production in vitro.

An in vivo experiment on mice, revealed lentinan is orally active (since clinical use of the drug is administered through an IV).

Limited clinical studies of cancer patients have associated lentinan with a higher survival rate, higher quality of life, and lower re-occurrence of cancer.

Lentinan may have been implicated in shiitake mushroom dermatitis.

Formulations containing Lentinan

Lentinex is a formulation featuring lentinan and is approved as a safe novel food in the EU.

See also

• Medicinal mushrooms

References

• Chihara, G. et al. ”Fractionation and purification of the polysaccharides with marked antitumor activity, especially lentinan, from Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Sing. (an edible mushroom)”, Cancer Research (1970),30(11):2776-2781.
• Ina, K. et al. “Lentinan prolonged survival in patients with gastric cancer receiving S-1-based chemotherapy”, World Journal of Clinical Oncology (2011),2(10):339-343.

External links

• Lentinan effects (antitumor and others)
• Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center's page for Lentinan.
• About Shiitake (by Solomon P. Wasser, 2005)
• Smith JE, Rowan NJ, Sullivan R Medicinal Mushrooms: Their Therapeutic Properties and Current Medical Usage with Special Emphasis on Cancer Treatments Cancer Research UK, 2001