Scientists discover how wild mushroom cancer drug works

[7redorbs]

Scientists have discovered how a promising cancer drug, first discovered in a wild mushroom, works.

The University of Nottingham team believe their work could help make the drug more effective, and useful for treating a wider range of cancers.Cordycepin, commonly used in Chinese medicine, was originally extracted from a rare kind of parasitic mushroom that grows on caterpillars.

The study will appear in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

The cordyceps mushroom has been studied by medical researchers for some time - the first scientific publication on cordycepin was in 1950. Both of these effects probably have the same underlying mechanism - that cordycepin interferes with how cells make proteins.At low doses cordycepin interferes with the production of mRNA, the molecule that gives instructions on how to assemble a protein.And at higher doses it has a direct impact on the making of proteins.

Professor Janet Allen is director of research at the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, which funded the study.She said: "This project shows that we can always return to asking questions about the fundamental biology of something in order to refine the solution or resolve unanswered questions.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8428340.stm

[PolarKnight]

I always love reading about possible NEW cancer cures. It's likely it will be the only time you get to read about them, thanks to big pharma.
Not sure if I have posted this on this site yet but it wont hurt to do it again if i did.


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[savannahbunger]

Seriously happy to make contact with each person here