The inhibitory effect of polysaccharides isolated from Phellinus linteus on tumor growth and metastasis

It was previously reported that polysaccharides (PL) isolated from Phellinu s linteus strongly stimulated cell-mediated and humoral immunity. This stud y was undertaken to investigate the immunochemotherapeutic activity of PL a gainst tumor growth and metastasis. PL alone significantly prolonged the su rvival rate of B16F10-implanted mice, inhibited tumor growth in NCI-H23-imp lanted nude mice, and reduced the frequency of pulmonary metastasis of B16F 10 melanoma. Adriamycin significantly inhibited tumor growth, but only slig htly inhibited metastasis. The combination therapy with PL and adriamycin w as more effective in inhibiting tumor growth, but not metastasis. PL did no t induce direct toxicity in cancer cells, which is characteristic of immuno therapeutics. In conclusion, PL might be of use in immunochemotherapy of ca ncer because of its effective activities on tumor growth and metastasis thr ough the immunopotentiation of the patients without toxicity. (C) 1999 Else vier Science B.V. All rights reserved.