Immunomax^®
(Mycelium extract capsules)

• The main active components of Immunomax^®  are oligosaccharides derived from Active Hexose Correlated Compound (AHCC), which is a well-controlled substance obtained by reacting specific enzymatic reaction with basidomycetes mycelia.
• The molecular weight of AHCC is about 5000 and the oligomer of glucose in AHCC has the alpha-1,4-linkage and some hydroxy group are esterized.
• AHCC enhances healthy immune functions.

Usage

• AHCC was discovered to be as a biological response modifier (BRM) and to possess powerful antitumor properties when given at a higher dosage.
• Research has been conducted at Hokkaido University, Kyorin University, and Teikyo University; with clinical tests performed at hospitals in the U.S.A., Japan and China.
• AHCC works by boosting the immune system function including increasing macrophages.
• AHCC also increase NK cells, killer T-cells, and to induce cytokine production; creating a stronger immune response throughout the body.
• AHCC helps to induce levels of interferon-gamma, IL-2, and TNF-alpha etc.
• Effects on survival elongation of the tumor-bearing model in combined with anti-cancer agents.
• Decreasing effects on the side effects caused by anticancer agents.
• Inducing effects on drug-metabolism enzymes in liver.
• Protective effects on liver injury.
• Effects on inhibition of lipid peroxidation.
• In animal studies, it is demonstrated that AHCC prevent streptozotocin (STZ)-induced pancreatic injury in rats by oral administration. AHCC showed a significant activity to prevent rats from STZ-induced diabetes.
• AHCC suppressed several physiological and biochemical disorders such as hepatic injuries, cardiovascular disorders occurred by a long-term administration of EtOH.
• AHCC relieves the toxicity of antitumor agents fluorouracil (5-FU) and cyclophosphamide (CY).

Clinical effectiveness

• Recently, several clinical investigations have proved that AHCC shows several effects. AHCC is usually used as an adjuvant to cancer patients with other antitumor chemotherapeutics or as a preventive agent for the side-effects of chemical therapeutics in cancer treatment.
• In one study, AHCC was administrated for 300 progressive and end-stage cancer patients at doses of 3g/day or 6g/day, cancer disappeared completely in 25 patients and in 28 patients cancer decreased more than 50%. Table 1 shows the results of AHCC effectiveness.
• AHCC is effective on keeping good QOL (quality of life) states such as increasing appetite, feeling good, sleeping well and recovering from fatigue at terminal treatment in cancer patients.
• AHCC is a functional food effective on the hepatocellular carcinoma combined with cirrhosis with ascites.

   

  Table 1. Cancer Cases Change in Their Cancer Size after Using AHCC

  Cancers	Completely Disappear	Decreasing size over 50%	Total Cases
  	Cases
  Tongue	-	1	1
  Lung	1	5	6
  Hepatocellular carcinoma	2	4	6
  Breast	4	6	10
  Gastric	5	-	5
  Colon	3	2	5
  Esophagus	2	-	2
  Testicular Carcinoma	3	-	3
  Ovarian	3	2	5
  Prostatic Cancer	1	5	6
  Renal Cancer	-	2	2
  Thyloid carcinoma	1	1	2
  Total cases	25	28	53

  
  
   

Hematological change after taking AHCC (p.73, 10th International Symposium of AHCC Research Association, 2002)

• There was no clear change in white blood cell (WBC), hemoglobin, hematocrit and thrombocyte number after taking AHCC, even though, they were undergoing radiotherapy or chemotherapy. So this study suggests that AHCC can be used for prevention of bone marrow suppression of chemotherapy.
• Natural killer cells increased about 20% 3-6 months after taking AHCC.
• There was no clear change in the ratio of CD4/CD8 till the first 3 months. It decreased a little after 6 months.
• From the hematoimmunologiacal point of view, AHCC treatment seems to be safe and good for cancer patients.

Other actions (9th and 10th International Symposium of AHCC Research Association, 2002)

• chronic fatigue syndrome.
• hepatitis C or cirrhosis.
• chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
• breast cancer : investigation of 47 cases of breast cancer patients taking AHCC showed AHCC treatment might improve the prognosis of breast cancer patients with stage IV (p.109, 10th International Symposium of AHCC Research Association, 2002).
• AHCC intake can be as a complementary therapy of postoperative hepatocellular carcinoma patients suppressing hepatitis, preventing recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma and prolonging survival rate (p. 116, 10th International Symposium of AHCC Research Association, 2002).
• liver cancer
• AHCC treatment improved chemotherapy induced digestive tract side effects, inhibited chemotherapy induced WBC reduction (p. 119, 2002, 10th International Symposium of AHCC Research Association, 2002).
• Allergic diseases
• In China 97 patients was followed through follow up investigation. The cancers included tongue, esophagus, gastric, stomach, colon, liver. As a result 84% cases showed effectiveness ( p. 93, 9th International Symposium of AHCC Research Association, 2001).

Dosage

One capsule contains 200 mg of mushroom extract containing 160 mg of AHCC.

For normal daily use, keeping good immunity:
1 capsule twice per day

For therapeutic use:
4-8 capsules/time 3 times per day

Package