title: Effect of mushroom Agaricus blazei on immune response and development of experimental cerebral malaria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cerebral malaria (CM) is debilitating and sometimes fatal. Disease severity has been associated with poor treatment access, therapeutic complexity and drug resistance and, thus, alternative therapies are increasingly necessary. In this study, the effect of the administration of Agaricus blazei, a mushroom of Brazilian origin in a model of CM caused by Plasmodium berghei, strain ANKA, was investigated in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  C57BL/6 mice were pre-treated with aqueous extract or fractions of A. blazei, or chloroquine, infected with P. berghei ANKA and then followed by daily administration of A. blazei or chloroquine. Parasitaemia, body weight, survival and clinical signs of the disease were evaluated periodically. The concentration of pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines, histopathology and in vitro analyses were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mice treated with A. blazei aqueous extract or fraction C, that shows antioxidant activity, displayed lower parasitaemia, increased survival, reduced weight loss and protection against the development of CM. The administration of A. blazei resulted in reduced levels of TNF, IL-1β and IL-6 production when compared to untreated P. berghei-infected mice. Agaricus blazei (aqueous extract or fraction C) treated infected mice displayed reduction of brain lesions. Although chloroquine treatment reduced parasitaemia, there was increased production of proinflammatory cytokines and damage in the CNS not observed with A. blazei treatment. Moreover, the in vitro pretreatment of infected erythrocytes followed by in vivo infection resulted in lower parasitaemia, increased survival, and little evidence of clinical signs of disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study strongly suggests that the administration of A. blazei (aqueous extract or fraction C) was effective in improving the consequences of CM in mice and may provide novel therapeutic strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Bloco O4, 190 Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627-Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil. Cynthia_honorato7@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Cynthia H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Val
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Bloco O4, 190 Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627-Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil. fatimacbrant@gmail.com.|Programme in Health Sciences: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical School, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. fatimacbrant@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Fátima
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brant
authors.affiliation: Programme in Health Sciences: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical School, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. alines.miranda@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Aline S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Bloco O4, 190 Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627-Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil. flarodri2007@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Flávia G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Bloco O4, 190 Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627-Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil. bcabraloliveira@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Bruno C L
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Bloco O4, 190 Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627-Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil. elandiaas@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Elândia A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Bloco O4, 190 Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627-Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil. assisdrr@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Diego R R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Assis
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Bloco O4, 190 Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627-Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil. lisiaesper@gmail.com.|Programme in Health Sciences: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical School, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. lisiaesper@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Lísia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Esper
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. brunobiopsy@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Bruno C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. milenerachid@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Milene A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rachid
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA. herbert.tanowitz@einstein.yu.edu.
authors.forename: Herbert B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Tanowitz
authors.affiliation: Programme in Health Sciences: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical School, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. altexr@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Antônio L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Bloco O4, 190 Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627-Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil. mmtex.ufmg@gmail.com.|Programme in Health Sciences: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical School, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. mmtex.ufmg@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mauro M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós Graduação em Biologia de Vertebrados da Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. wregis@pucminas.br.
authors.forename: Wiliam C B
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Régis
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Bloco O4, 190 Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627-Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, MG, 31270-901, Brazil. machadofs@icb.ufmg.br.|Programme in Health Sciences: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Medical School, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. machadofs@icb.ufmg.br.
authors.forename: Fabiana S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Machado
mesh_terms: D000364:Agaricus / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001688:Biological Products / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D016779:Malaria, Cerebral / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000962:Antimalarials; D001688:Biological Products; D016207:Cytokines