Karina​ ​Almanza,​ ​CSUN​ ​Dietetic​ ​Intern​ ​2017

David​ ​X.​ ​Alvarez,​ ​R.D.,​ ​and​ ​Elaine​ ​Stuart

Nicole​ ​Del​ ​Guercio,​ ​R.D.

Does​ ​Turkey​ ​Tail​ ​Supplementation​ ​Help​ ​Cancer​ ​Patients?

Turkey​ ​Tail,​ ​otherwise​ ​known​ ​as​ ​Coriolus​ ​versicolor,​ ​Polyporus​ ​versicolor​ ​or​ ​Trametes
Versicolor​ ​is​ ​a​ ​mushroom​ ​that​ ​is​ ​called​ ​Turkey​ ​Tail​ ​because​ ​of​ ​its​ ​physical​ ​appears​ ​of​ ​having​ ​an
amplitude​ ​of​ ​colors.​ ​This​ ​mushroom​ ​is​ ​found​ ​around​ ​the​ ​world​ ​and​ ​is​ ​commonly​ ​associated​ ​with​ ​a​ ​boost
in​ ​immune​ ​system.
While​ ​there​ ​are​ ​a​ ​variety​ ​of​ ​studies​ ​that​ ​have​ ​been​ ​conducted​ ​on​ ​Turkey​ ​Tail​ ​and​ ​its​ ​hypothesized
association​ ​with​ ​breast​ ​cancer​ ​patients​ ​and​ ​immune​ ​system​ ​support,​ ​it​ ​has​ ​been​ ​suggested​ ​in​ ​limited​ ​trials
that​ ​there​ ​is​ ​effectiveness​ ​with​ ​cancer​ ​patients​ ​are​ ​taking​ ​turkey​ ​tail​ ​supplementation.​ ​The​ ​dosage​ ​that​ ​was
found​ ​to​ ​be​ ​most​ ​effective​ ​was​ ​in​ ​6​ ​to​ ​9​ ​gram​ ​tablets​ ​per​ ​day.​ ​The​ ​limit​ ​of​ ​9​ ​grams​ ​per​ ​day​ ​demonstrated
to​ ​be​ ​safe​ ​and​ ​tolerable​ ​by​ ​the​ ​participants​ ​of​ ​the​ ​selected​ ​study.

Does​ ​AKBA​ ​act​ ​as​ ​an​ ​anti-inflammatory​ ​for​ ​Cancer​ ​Patients?

ABKA​ ​is​ ​an​ ​abbreviation​ ​for​ ​3-acetyl-11-keto-β-Boswellic​ ​Acid​ ​which​ ​is​ ​extracted​ ​from​ ​a​ ​plant
called​ ​boswellia​ ​serrata.​ ​Boswellia​ ​serrata​ ​produces​ ​Indian​ ​frankincense,​ ​Salai,​ ​referred​ ​to​ ​in​ ​Sanskrit​ ​as
shallaki​ ​and​ ​in​ ​Latin​ ​as​ ​Olibanum​ ​Indicum.​ ​Boswellia​ ​serrata​ ​is​ ​native​ ​to​ ​much​ ​of​ ​India​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Punjab
region​ ​that​ ​extends​ ​into​ ​Pakistan.​ ​It​ ​is​ ​commonly​ ​associated​ ​with​ ​alleviating​ ​osteoarthritis​ ​and​ ​joint
function.
While​ ​there​ ​are​ ​minimal​ ​studies​ ​available​ ​for​ ​the​ ​impact​ ​of​ ​AKBA​ ​on​ ​cancer​ ​patients,​ ​there​ ​have
been​ ​studies​ ​that​ ​suggest​ ​that​ ​AKBA​ ​can​ ​be​ ​an​ ​anti-inflammatory.​ ​Rather​ ​than​ ​consuming​ ​the​ ​product​ ​in
the​ ​form​ ​of​ ​a​ ​supplemental​ ​pill,​ ​it​ ​was​ ​found​ ​to​ ​have​ ​anti-inflammatory​ ​effects​ ​and​ ​anti-arthritis​ ​when
used​ ​in​ ​the​ ​form​ ​of​ ​a​ ​gel.​ ​The​ ​most​ ​active​ ​form​ ​of​ ​AKBA​ ​is​ ​in​ ​the​ ​form​ ​of​ ​nanomicelle​ ​gel.​ ​This​ ​could​ ​be
because​ ​the​ ​AKBA​ ​particles​ ​are​ ​made​ ​into​ ​very​ ​tiny​ ​fragments​ ​that​ ​allow​ ​easier​ ​absorption​ ​into​ ​the​ ​body
through​ ​exterior​ ​pores.
Turkey​ ​Tail

1. Zaidman,​ ​B.,​ ​Yassin,​ ​M.,​ ​Mahajna,​ ​J.,​ ​&​ ​Wasser,​ ​S.​ ​(2005).​ ​Medicinal​ ​mushroom​ ​modulators​ ​of
molecular​ ​targets​ ​as​ ​cancer​ ​therapeutics.​ ​Applied​ ​Microbiology​ ​and​ ​Biotechnology,​ ​67​(4),
453-468.
https://link-springer-com.libproxy.csun.edu/article/10.1007/s00253-004-1787-z
❖ Mushroom-extracted​ ​compounds​ ​are​ ​commonly​ ​used​ ​as​ ​immunomodulators​ ​or​ ​as​ ​biological
response​ ​modifiers​ ​(BRM).​ ​The​ ​basic​ ​strategy​ ​underlying​ ​immunomodulation​ ​is​ ​to​ ​identify
aspects​ ​of​ ​the​ ​host​ ​response​ ​that​ ​can​ ​be​ ​enhanced​ ​or​ ​suppressed​ ​in​ ​such​ ​a​ ​way​ ​as​ ​to​ ​augment​ ​or
complement​ ​a​ ​desired​ ​immune​ ​response.
❖ Whether​ ​certain​ ​compounds​ ​enhance​ ​or​ ​suppress​ ​immune​ ​responses​ ​depends​ ​on​ ​a​ ​number​ ​of
factors,​ ​including​ ​dose,​ ​route​ ​of​ ​administration,​ ​timing​ ​of​ ​administration​ ​of​ ​the​ ​compound,
mechanism​ ​of​ ​action,​ ​and​ ​site​ ​of​ ​activity.

2. Amy​ ​Putiri,​ ​Leanna​ ​J.​ ​Standish,​ ​Juliette​ ​Gay,​ ​Cynthia​ ​A.​ ​Wenner,​ ​Masa​ ​Sasagawa,​ ​Erin​ ​Sweet,​ ​.​ ​.
.​ ​Carolyn​ ​J.​ ​Torkelson.​ ​(2012).​ ​Phase​ ​1​ ​Clinical​ ​Trial​ ​of​ ​Trametes​ ​versicolor​ ​in​ ​Women​ ​with
Breast​ ​Cancer.​ ​ISRN​ ​Oncology,2012​,​ ​251632-251632.
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn/2012/251632/
❖ Orally​ ​administered​ ​preparations​ ​from​ ​the​ ​Trametes​ ​versicolor​ ​(Tv)​ ​mushroom​ ​have​ ​been
hypothesized​ ​to​ ​improve​ ​immune​ ​response​ ​in​ ​women​ ​with​ ​breast​ ​cancer​ ​after​ ​standard
chemotherapy​ ​and​ ​radiotherapy.
❖ Eleven​ ​participants​ ​were​ ​recruited​ ​and​ ​nine​ ​women​ ​completed​ ​the​ ​study.​ ​Each​ ​cohort​ ​was
comprised​ ​of​ ​three​ ​participants​ ​given​ ​one​ ​of​ ​three​ ​doses​ ​of​ ​Tv​ ​(3,​ ​6,​ ​or​ ​9 grams).
❖ Immune​ ​data​ ​was​ ​collected​ ​pre-​ ​and​ ​post​ ​radiation,​ ​at​ ​3​ ​on-treatment​ ​time​ ​points​ ​and​ ​after​ ​a
3-week​ ​washout
❖ Nine​ ​adverse​ ​events​ ​were​ ​reported​ ​(7​ ​mild,​ ​1​ ​moderate,​ ​and​ ​1​ ​severe),​ ​suggesting​ ​that​ ​Tv​ ​was
well​ ​tolerated.​ ​Immunological​ ​results​ ​indicated​ ​trends​ ​in​ ​(1)​ ​increased​ ​lymphocyte​ ​counts​ ​at​ ​6​ ​and
9 grams/day;​ ​(2)​ ​increased​ ​natural​ ​killer​ ​cell​ ​functional​ ​activity​ ​at​ ​6 grams/day;​ ​(3)​ ​dose-related
increases​ ​in​ ​CD8+​ ​T​ ​cells​ ​and​ ​CD19+​ ​B​ ​cells​ ​,​ ​but​ ​not​ ​CD4+​ ​T​ ​cells​ ​or​ ​CD16+56+​ ​NK​ ​cells.
❖ These​ ​findings​ ​show​ ​that​ ​up​ ​to​ ​9 grams/day​ ​of​ ​a​ ​Tv​ ​preparation​ ​is​ ​safe​ ​and​ ​tolerable​ ​in​ ​women
with​ ​breast​ ​cancer​ ​in​ ​the​ ​postprimary​ ​treatment​ ​setting.​ ​This​ ​Tv​ ​preparation​ ​may​ ​improve
immune​ ​status​ ​in​ ​immunocompromised​ ​breast​ ​cancer​ ​patients​ ​following​ ​standard​ ​primary
oncologic​ ​treatment.

3. Stamets,​ ​P.​ ​(2012).​ ​Trametes​ ​versicolor​ ​(Turkey​ ​Tail​ ​Mushrooms)​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Treatment​ ​of​ ​Breast
Cancer.​ ​Global​ ​Advances​ ​in​ ​Health​ ​and​ ​Medicine,​ ​1​(5),​ ​20.
https://csun-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=TN_sagej10.7453_gahmj.2
012.1.5.007&context=PC&vid=01CALS_UNO&lang=en_US&search_scope=EVERYTHING&adaptor=
primo_central_multiple_fe&tab=everything&query=any,contains,turkey%20tail%20cancer&sortby=rank
&offset=0
❖ 83​ ​yo​ ​woman​ ​diagnosed​ ​with​ ​metastatic​ ​inflammatory​ ​breast​ ​cancer
❖ Chemotherapy​ ​was​ ​initiated​ ​with​ ​Taxol​ ​and​ ​Herceptin,​ ​and​ ​consumption​ ​of
capsules​ ​of​ ​turkey​ ​tail​ ​mushroom​ ​daily.
❖ The​ ​dose​ ​was​ ​4​ ​g​ ​twice​ ​daily​ ​(“Host​ ​Defense​ ​Turkey​ ​Tail”​ ​capsules,​ ​Fungi​ ​Perfecti
Laboratories,​ ​Kamilche​ ​Point,​ ​Washington).
 ❖ Capsules​ ​consist​ ​of​ ​activated,​ ​freeze-dried,​ ​organic​ ​mushroom​ ​mycelium,​ ​containing
polysaccharides​ ​(beta-glucans,​ ​arabinoxylane,​ ​glucose,​ ​xylose,​ ​galactose,​ ​mannose,
glycoproteins,​ ​ergosterols,​ ​triterpenoids,​ ​and​ ​other​ ​myconutrients).
❖ Once​ ​chemotherapy​ ​ended​ ​and​ ​Herceptin​ ​was​ ​initiated,​ ​Turkey​ ​Tail​ ​supplementation​ ​was​ ​still
being​ ​practiced
❖ Results:​ ​The​ ​most​ ​intriguing​ ​part​ ​of​ ​this​ ​study​ ​was​ ​the​ ​finding​ ​that​ ​6​ ​g​ ​of​ ​T​ ​versicolor​ ​appeared​ ​to
lead​ ​to​ ​faster​ ​immune​ ​recovery​ ​after​ ​radiotherapy.​ ​This​ ​should​ ​be​ ​studied​ ​in​ ​additional​ ​clinical
trials​ ​on​ ​the​ ​potential​ ​primary​ ​and​ ​secondary​ ​effects​ ​of​ ​mushroom​ ​therapy​ ​in​ ​patients​ ​with​ ​cancer
and,​ ​more​ ​specifically,​ ​cancers​ ​with​ ​altered​ ​CR3​ ​membrane​ ​receptors

AKBA​ ​(3-acetyl-11-keto-β-Boswellic​ ​Acid)

1. Goel,​ ​Amit,​ ​Ahmad,​ ​Farhan​ ​Jalees,​ ​Singh,​ ​Raman​ ​Mohan,​ ​&​ ​Singh,​ ​Gyanendra​ ​Nath.​ ​(2010).
3-Acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic​ ​acid​ ​loaded-polymeric​ ​nanomicelles​ ​for​ ​topical​ ​anti-inflammatory
and​ ​anti-arthritic​ ​activity.​ ​Journal​ ​of​ ​Pharmacy​ ​and​ ​Pharmacology,​ ​62​(2),​ ​273-278.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.libproxy.csun.edu/doi/10.1211/jpp.62.02.0016/full
❖ This​ ​study​ ​found​ ​different​ ​ways​ ​to​ ​synthesize​ ​AKBA​ ​and​ ​found​ ​that​ ​creation​ ​by​ ​means​ ​of
transmission​ ​electron​ ​microscopy​ ​and​ ​dynamic​ ​light​ ​scattering​ ​were​ ​most​ ​successful​ ​in​ ​creating
an​ ​AKBA​ ​product​ ​that​ ​acts​ ​primarily​ ​as​ ​an​ ​anti-inflammatory​ ​substance.
❖ This​ ​study​ ​suggested​ ​that​ ​AKBA​ ​polymeric​ ​nanomicelle​ ​gel​ ​significantly​ ​enhanced​ ​skin
permeability,​ ​and​ ​anti-inflammatory​ ​and​ ​anti-arthritic​ ​activity​.

2. Meka,​ ​Ravada,​ ​Murali​ ​Krishna​ ​Kumar,​ ​Purna​ ​Nagasree,​ ​&​ ​Golakoti.​ ​(2017).​ ​Synthesis​ ​of​ ​new
analogs​ ​of​ ​AKBA​ ​and​ ​evaluation​ ​of​ ​their​ ​anti-inflammatory​ ​activities.​ ​Bioorganic​ ​&​ ​Medicinal
Chemistry,​ ​25​(4),​ ​1374-1388.
https://www-sciencedirect-com.libproxy.csun.edu/science/article/pii/S0968089616310756
❖ A​ ​new​ ​series​ ​of​ ​11-keto-β-boswellic​ ​acid​ ​and​ ​3-O-acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic​ ​acid​ ​analogs​ ​(5,​ ​7,
8,​ ​10,​ ​13,​ ​18a-d,​ ​27a-c,​ ​28a-d)​ ​were​ ​synthesized​ ​by​ ​modification​ ​of​ ​hydroxyl​ ​and​ ​acid​ ​functional
moieties​ ​of​ ​boswellic​ ​acids.
❖ The​ ​structures​ ​of​ ​these​ ​analogs​ ​were​ ​confirmed​ ​by​ ​spectral​ ​data​ ​analysis​ ​(1H,​ ​13C​ ​NMR​ ​and
mass).​ ​Compounds​ ​18b,​ ​27a​ ​and​ ​8​ ​showed​ ​potent​ ​5-lipoxygenase​ ​enzyme​ ​inhibitory​ ​activity.
❖ The​ ​computational​ ​studies​ ​revealed​ ​that​ ​selectivity​ ​of​ ​AKBA​ ​is​ ​due​ ​to​ ​its​ ​fitment​ ​into​ ​the​ ​5-LOX
receptor,​ ​which​ ​is​ ​missing​ ​for​ ​the​ ​other​ ​enzymes​ ​like​ ​12-LOX,​ ​COX-1​ ​and​ ​COX-2.
❖ This​ ​study​ ​found​ ​potentiating​ ​effects​ ​of​ ​2-formyl​ ​and​ ​3-keto​ ​substituents​ ​in​ ​reviving​ ​inactive
AKBA​ ​analogues​ ​possessing​ ​essential​ ​COOH​ ​group​ ​at​ ​4th​ ​position.
❖ The​ ​anti-inflammatory​ ​potential​ ​of​ ​the​ ​synthesized​ ​compounds​ ​was​ ​further​ ​evaluated​ ​by​ ​the
docking​ ​studies​ ​with​ ​crystal​ ​structure​ ​of​ ​5-LOX,​ ​the​ ​dock​ ​score​ ​and​ ​dock​ ​pose​ ​were​ ​analyzed​ ​for
clear​ ​understanding​ ​of​ ​probable​ ​interactions​ ​of​ ​synthesized​ ​compounds​ ​with​ ​the​ ​enzyme.​ ​The
dock​ ​scores​ ​obtained​ ​are​ ​in​ ​good​ ​correlation​ ​with​ ​the​ ​bioactivity​ ​results.​ ​All​ ​the​ ​bioactive
compounds​ ​showed​ ​strong​ ​interactions​ ​with​ ​the​ ​active​ ​site​ ​amino​ ​acids​ ​His​ ​367​ ​and​ ​His​ ​372.