β-Glucans, Triterpenes and Nucleoside Analogs of Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms as Complementary Treatment in Diabetes and Cancer—A Review of Evidence from Clinical Trials

There is a growing interest in preventive and complementary therapies to support health, increase the effectiveness of conventional medical treatments, and improve quality of life (QoL). This review summarizes the effects of β-glucans, triterpenes and nucleoside analogs of edible and/or medicinal mushrooms with results of clinical trials that investigated these effects in diabetes, breast-, prostate-, lung- and colorectal cancer patients. The results support that these components effectively alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life of these patients. Higher than 3 g of mushrooms, or equivalent extracts, per day are able to diminish metabolic parameters associated with diabetes, i.e., hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and inflammation. The found survival benefit of mushrooms in breast cancer patients was subgroup- or marker-specific. Additionally, their immunomodulatory effects were more complex—different immunological parameters could be either activated or suppressed by different amounts. Data are limited for prostate cancer patients to date, but lentinan intake may increase the survival time of these patients. The survival of lung cancer patients is significantly improved with the use of beta-glucan as complementary therapy. However, its immunomodulatory role was not confirmed. The application of these mushroom components in patients with colorectal cancer may improve QoL. However, survival benefits are inconsistent across different clinical trials of these patients. In summary, although further randomized clinical trials are still required to evaluate optimal dosage and long-term mechanisms of actions in humans, edible and medicinal mushrooms may serve as valuable tools in preventive or in complementary therapies beside the conventional medical treatments of diabetes and cancer.