PORTLAND, Ore., Aug. 10 (UPI) -- The extract of a mushroom that is commonly found in North America, Asia and Europe may have beneficial impact on the human immune system, a study finds.
The "Turkey Tail" mushroom is too tough to eat, but it can be ingested in the form of liquid or powdered extracts. The extract has been found to have a beneficial effect when used in conjunction with chemotherapy.
In the study, immune cells were isolated from blood taken from nine healthy human volunteers and were cultured in vitro.
The researchers found the mushroom extract may stimulate changes in immunologically relevant proteins in white blood cells, which fight infection and cancer.
The next step is to extract and sequence the proteins of interest to determine their specific function in immune cells.
The findings are being presented at the 21st Annual Meeting of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians in Portland, Ore.
