Evidence supporting the use of: Lentinan
For the health condition: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

Links: Go back one page, Tool main page, Ingredients list, Health conditions list, Body systems list

Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2

Lentinan is a polysaccharide isolated from the shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes). Its use in the context of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has a basis in scientific inquiry, primarily in the late 1980s and 1990s, though the overall evidence is limited and inconclusive. Several small clinical studies and in vitro experiments investigated lentinan's immunomodulatory properties, as it has demonstrated the ability to stimulate various components of the immune system, such as macrophages, natural killer (NK) cells, and cytokine production. The rationale for its use in AIDS was to potentially strengthen the impaired immune response seen in HIV-infected individuals.

A notable phase I/II clinical trial (Gordon et al., 1998) assessed lentinan as an adjunct to zidovudine in HIV-positive patients. The results showed some immunological benefit (e.g., stabilization of CD4 counts in a subset of patients), but the sample size was small and there were concerns about side effects, including fever and malaise. Other studies from Japan also explored lentinan in HIV and AIDS, but these trials were similarly limited in scale and methodological rigor.

To date, lentinan is not included in mainstream HIV/AIDS treatment guidelines, and more robust, high-quality evidence is lacking. While there is some scientific validation for its immunomodulatory effects, the evidence supporting its clinical efficacy in AIDS remains weak, and its use is not widely endorsed. Rating: 2/5.

More about Lentinan
More about Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

Products containing Lentinan

We currently have no products on Vitabase that contain this ingredient.