[Liver protective effect of Lentinula edodes mycelia(LEM)].

The hot-water extracts of Lentinula edodes mycelia(LEM)contain carbohydrates, proteins, phenolic compounds, and lignin digest, which perform various physiological activities. LEM has hepatoprotective activities in animals with acute liver injury induced by concanavalin A or D-galactosamine.Moreover, LEM suppresses liver fibrosis and inflammation in mice with chronic liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride. Vanillic acid and syringic acid contained in LEM also showed hepatoprotective activities in mice with acute and chronic liver injury, and low-molecular-weight lignin maintained the viability of primary cultured hepatocytes treated with carbon tetrachloride. LEM containing anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation activities might be used for alleviating side effects of chemotherapy and preventing the progression of liver cancer for patients with chronic hepatitis.