Can This Mushroom Extract Eradicate HPV?

A compound isolated from shiitake mushrooms should be on oncologists’ radars by now. AHCC (active hexose correlated compound) has been called “the most researched specialty immune supplement,” and the latest human trial on AHCC, just presented at the Society for Integrative Oncology’s annual conference, suggests that this mushroom ingredient can combat human papilloma virus (HPV).

In a study on women with HPV, 10 participants were assigned to a once-daily dose of AHCC for six months. At the end of six months, half of the subjects were confirmed free of HPV.

“We’ve been studying the efficacy of AHCC’s integration with common chemotherapy agents for over a decade and had previously eradicated HPV infections with AHCC in three orthotopic mouse models,” said principal researcher Judith Smith, PharmD, of the UT Health Science Center at Houston Medical School. “This study confirms the previous results.”

Researchers believe AHCC can strengthen the body’s immune system to fight infections in a variety of ways, including increasing the activity of natural killer cells, dendritic cells, and cytokines. AHCC research is still ongoing, and, thanks to the positive results of this recent HPV study, a phase II placebo-controlled study on HPV treatment is now in the process of enrollment.

Robby Gardner
Associate Editor
Nutritional Outlook magazine
robby.gardner@ubm.com


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