What is lentinan?

Lentinan is a substance that comes from the shiitake mushroom. Some medical professionals use lentinan to boost the effects of regular medicines used for treating cancer and HIV infection, and for other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses. How does it work?

What are the risks of lentinan?

There isn’t enough information available to know if lentinan is safe. It might cause stomach and intestinal cramps, rash, muscle pain, and tiredness; and it can slow blood clotting.

Can lentinan improve the way cancer drugs work?

Developing evidence suggests that lentinan may improve the way regular cancer drugs work in people with breast cancer. Stomach cancer, when given by injection. Developing evidence suggests that lentinan may improve the way regular cancer drugs work in people with stomachcancer.