title: Immunomodulatory effects of Agaricus blazei Murill in Balb/cByJ mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Agaricus blazei Murill has been reported to possess biological effects that include immunomodulatory and tumoricidal activities, but its potential effects have not been systematically analyzed in vivo. We evaluated the immunomodulatory effects of A. blazei in Balb/cByJ mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  160 male Balb/cByJ mice were divided into four groups and treated with various quantities of intragastric A. blazei extract or distilled water for 8 to 10 weeks. Nine parameters, relating to general immune function or adaptive immunity against immunogen chicken oval albumin, were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results revealed that mice receiving A. blazei extract exhibited significantly greater serum immunoglobulin G levels, increased T-cell numbers in spleen, and elevated phagocytic capability compared with controls. Consumption of A. blazei was also associated with significant increases in oval albumin-specific serum immunoglobulin G level, delayed-type hypersensitivity, splenocyte proliferation rate, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha secretion by splenocytes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consumption of A. blazei extract was associated with significant enhancement of seven out of nine immune functions tested. We conclude that A. blazei Murill possesses a wide range of immunomodulatory effects in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: You
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Chi Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Yi Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Chien Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Biehuoy
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shieh
authors.forename: Ching
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000364:Agaricus / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology; D007107:Immune System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D010587:Phagocytosis; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D010047:Ovalbumin