Antiproliferative Activities of Hot Water Extracts from Culinary-Medicinal Mushrooms, Ganoderma tsugae and Agrocybe cylindracea (Higher Basidiomycetes) on Cancer Cells

Using anticancer agents to progress chemotherapy to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells is an effective means. Two medicinal mushrooms, Ganoderma tsugae and Agrocybe cylindracea, exhibited various physiological effects, and the antiproliferation effect on HL-60, Hep 3B, and C6 cells was studied. The viability of different cancer cells was decreased significantly by hot water extracts from different forms of G. tsugae and A. cylindracea. The hot water extracts from the fruit body, mycelium, and filtrate of A. cylindracea were less effective in inhibiting the antiproliferation of C6, Hep 3B, and HL-60 cells than were those from G. tsugae, as evidenced by their IC50 values. The IC50 values of G. tsugae on C6, Hep 3B, and HL-60 cells were 1.13, 2.73, and 2.60 mg/mL, respectively, whereas those of baby G. tsugae were 1.87, 2.63, and 3.12 mg/mL, respectively. In addition, the filtrates of G. tsugae on C6 and Hep 3B cells were 2.81 and 2.80 mg/mL, respectively. The morphological transformation of 3 cancer cells was observed clearly, and the possible mechanism would be necrosis, apoptosis, or differentiation. Owing to the noticeable effect on antiproliferation of hot water extracts, especially those from G. tsugae, the extract could be of great potential to be used as an alternative cancer therapy.