(Israel 21c)—Some good news for patients with pancreatic cancer is now coming out of a laboratory in northern Israel. Prof. Solomon Wasser of Haifa University, who runs a mushroom research lab, recently patented a medicinal product derived from the cyathus striatus, a fungus found in Israeli forests.

Prof. Wasser , the founder and editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Medicinal mushrooms, reports that in animal trials, the cyathus striatus drug appeared effective against pancreatic cancer. He hopes the findings will “lead to the development of new therapeutic strategies for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.”

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers and sees some 232,000 new cases and 213,000 deaths reported each year around the world. In 2008, university of haifa scientists announced that the lingzhi mushroom, also known as ganoderma lucidum, has medicinal value in treating breast and prostate cancer.

By Viva Sarah Press