Mushrooms and common pills offer men hope

Tuesday May 24th, 2011

Mushrooms and paracetamol may both help men at risk from cancer, researchers reported yesterday.

One study shows taking the pain-killer paracetamol (acetaminophen in the USA) regularly is linked to a reduced risk of developing prostate cancer.

A second piece of research suggests an Asian mushroom may also help with prevention of the disease.

Australian researchers have been studied the turkey tail mushroom - or Yun-zhi, which is widely used in Asia for its alleged medicinal benefits.

The laboratory based study tested the compound polysaccharopeptide - or PSP - extracted from the mushroom.

Researcher Dr Patrick Ling, of Queensland University of Technology, Australia, says the tests on mice show the compound prevented 100 per cent of cancer by targeting the stem cells responsible for the disease.

Dr Ling said the findings, reported in the journal PLoS ONE, were "quite significant".

In the USA, researchers said men who took paracetamol regularly for five years or longer enjoyed a 38 per cent reduced risk of developing prostate cancer.

The findings come from a study of more than 8,000 men who developed the disease over 15 years.

Researcher Dr Eric Jacobs, of the American Cancer Society, has reported his findings in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.

Dr Jacobs said the findings do not yet justify the long term use of the drug to prevent cancer - especially because of the risk of overdosing.

Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev May 17, 2011 cebp.0210.2011; doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-11-0210

Tags: Asia | Australia | Cancer | Diet & Food | Men’s Health | Pain Relief | Pharmaceuticals

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