Table 1.
Commercially available mushroom preparations used in this study.
Table 2.
β-and α-Glucan composition of commercially available mushroom preparations used in this study.
Table 3.
EC50 and IC50 values associated with the effect of mushroom extracts and formula on cytokine expression in non-LPS (−) and LPS (+) stimulated human macrophages.
Fig 1.
Effect-based response additivity for cytokine expression induced by mushroom extracts and formula in LPS stimulated and non-stimulated human macrophages.
The expected additive effect (dashed line) represents the level of expression expected if the response derived from the mushroom formula (M18–13) was simply the sum of the individual responses of its components (M18–1, M18–2, M18–3). A response above the additive line indicates a potential synergistic effect between the extracts and beneath the line a potential antagonistic effect. (A) TNF-α, (C) IL-1α, (E) IL-6 and (G) IL10 expression in LPS stimulated macrophages; (B) TNF-α, (D) IL-1α, (F) IL-6 and (H) IL-10 expression in non-LPS stimulated macrophages. Mushroom preparation concentration 100 μg/mL. Results shown as mean + SEM, statistics are Student’s t-test *P < 0.07, **P < 0.05 and ***P < 0.01.
Fig 2.
Curve-shift analysis for cytokine expression induced by mushroom extracts and formula in LPS stimulated and non-stimulated human macrophages.
The dose–effect curve for mushroom formula (M18–13) (▼ solid black line) compared to the expected additive effect of the individual extract responses (◆ dashed black line), and the individual mushroom extracts Shiitake (M18–2) (⚪ grey line), Reishi (M18–1) (□ grey line) and Maitake (M18–3) (◇ grey line). (A) TNF-α, (C) IL-1α, (E) IL-6 and (G) IL10 expression in LPS stimulated macrophages; (B) TNF-α, (D) IL-1α, (F) IL-6 and (H) IL-10 expression in non-LPS stimulated macrophages. Curve-shift analysis allows synergistic effect to be measured in two separate ways, as an increase in potency and/or efficacy indicated by an increase in the slope of the curve relative to the combined effect of the individual extract responses.