Study finds wild mushrooms are expected to develop into antineoplastic drugs

As far as Singapore Joint morning post reported that seemingly ordinary fungi, which is widespread parasitic on the trunk, the original wild mushrooms may also be developed as antibacterial, even the anti-cancer drugs.

Nanyang Polytechnic chemistry and life sciences four lecturers and their students that study group, in the past two years to more than 400 species of native wild mushroom classification and study found two varieties contain anti-cancer, 30 varieties contain antibacterial ingredients.

Currently, they have successfully identified one anticancer qualities of the chemical structure of wild mushrooms, and confirmed their chemical structure to effectively make the liver tumor, breast cancer, cervical cancer, cancer cells have 7 types of programmed cell death (programmed cell death, hereinafter referred to as PCD), also known as apoptosis (apoptosis). In other words, researchers in the future is expected to be in Bukit Timah nature reserve, the local wild mushroom development of anti-cancer drugs.

Nanyang Polytechnic chemical and life science research group, the past two years to more than 400 species of native wild mushrooms for classification and research, and found two varieties contain anti-cancer, 30 varieties contain antibacterial ingredients. Chemical and Life Sciences Department, Dr. Lee Kin said yesterday, the Institute will be in the next few weeks for this new application for a patent is found. The Department since its inception in 2001, has two scientific research was patented.

The research team from February 2005 to expand research activities. They are in the approval of the National Park, to Bukit Timah nature reserve, the largest park in collecting a large number of specimens of wild mushrooms, and categorize them, and then the cultivation in the lab. The collected 400 varieties, 45% growth for the lab, therefore became a research group focusing on research and development of drugs.

Li Wen-Jian, said: "we have just completed the first phase of the study is so amazing discovery, this means that we no longer have to look at places like Amazon or Tibet to the search of pharmaceutical raw materials. Local idealism many yet to be discovered, a new biological species. We have our own local ecological environment have more awareness and understanding. ”

For this new discovery, Dr Lee Kin felt quite proud. He said: "it was generally believed that only like A * STAR (Singapore Technology Research Council) of the scientific research centre to make good research, but we should not overlook the Polytechnic in the capacity of research work. This discovery is only a start, we hope to be able to work from this research in multiple patents. ”