milk thistle

LEM is an extract which contains the decomposed substances of artificially prepared solid media catalyzed by the mycellal enzymes and products of autolysis of Lentinus edodes mycelia. It contains 45% carbohydrate, 25% protein, etc.

LEM is manufactured as follows:

The fungus (Lentinus edodes) is cultured on solid media consis of sugar cane baggase and rice bran. Water is added to the above media juist before the formation of fruit bodies, and then heated to complete extraction. The extract is filtered to remove micro organisms, and sterilized. After being concentrated, the extract is dried to give brownish powder.

Development of LEM:

1970: succeeded in extracting LEM from culotured solid media of Lentinus edodes mycelia

1972: licensed as a health food manufacturer
brought ''Shiikin'' and ''Jogen'' (brand names of LEM products) in market

1977: anti plant virus activity of LEM was confirmed

1978: started initiaton of the basic study to examine the effect of LEM to treat hepatitis and cancer

1983: registered as an anti plant virus chemicals

1987: anti HIV effect was confirmed

1989: active substance of LEM is found to be sugar and protein binding to water solubilized lignin

Physiological activity of LEM:

• plant growth hormone like activity
  accelerate of crop growth, increasing yield and accelerate of rooting (cytokinine like substance, peptides, etc.)
• anti plant virus activity
  TMV (tobacco mosaic virus), etc.
• anti cancer activity
  ingibition of the formation of hepatic cancer induced by administration of azo-compounds, inhibition of the formation of colonal tumor, inhibition of the growth of transplanted tumor cells (AH414, AH60c), (ethanol insoluble fraction of LEM and LEM)
• immune enhancing activity
  activation of macrophages (production of IL-1, enhancement of antibody production)
  lymphocyte blastogenesls, protedctive effect from bacterial infection, (LEM and polysaccharide in ethanol insoluble fraction of LEM)
  promotion of growth of bone marrow cells
• activity of protecting hepatic cells
  inhibition of immunologicaly induced hepatic cell injury (polysaccharide in ethanol insoluble fraction of LEM)
• effect of LEM to treat chronic hepatitis due to virus infection
  inhibition of WHV by LEM long-term administration in woodchuck, effective treatment for HBe antigen positive chronic hepatitis, (LEM)
• anti HIV activity
  inhibition of HIV infection
  inhibition of HIV replication
  inhibition of reverse transcriptase (LEM and polysaccharide in ethanol insoluble fraction of LEM)

Hazard evaluation of LEM:

acute toxicity (LD50: mg/Kg) animals administration

mouse p.o. male 19,600 female 17,700
(oral administration, per os)
i.p. male 5,500 female 4,920
(intraperitioneal)
rat p.o. male 16,400 female 15,600
(oral administration, per os)
i.p. male 2,490 female 2,270
(intraperitioneal)

subacute toxicity (oral administration for 90 days)
maximum non-effect level (mg/Kg)
mouse p.o. male 6,740 female 9,100
rat p.o. male 3,840 female>7,980

mutagenicity Rec-assay (-)
Ames test (-)

January, 1995

 

greeting:

1. Belief in Management of the company (NSK)
   It is concluded that 'Belief in management contributes to society through each business'
   My belief is 'Respect for life' and I pray to contribute in health and prevention of epidemics for human beings, animals and plants.
   A passion for achieving it will lead to the welfare of society and make people happy.
   A company should function to cycle by the goodness in the society mutually.
2. A hope for the eternal youth and the longevity
   Every human being wants to live long with eternal youth.
   It is amazing fact that the recent increase of the average longevity in the advanced countries. The Japanese people's longevity increased extraordinally and Japan became the tremendous country for the point in the world. The culture as well as medicine, medical facility and the techniques. Wehope to live long as a being in good health, alongside with work and enjoyment.
   The longevity of human being originally is said to be 120 years old, as the immunity will be 0 when people reach to 120 year old.
3. The ideal food
   The lifestyle which lacks the balance of eating habit damages the life itself. I is important to pay attention to health control in daily. The food plays important position in it. The British Agriclutural scholar, Haward Says, "Healthy products come out only from the soil which contains right organic matter. People and the live stock who eat such products will become healthier. The products grown by the microbic soil is nutritious which prevent desease and there is no problem of remaining agricultural chemicals" This is the ideal food.
4. Healthy food which prevent lowering immunity
   My company is active in the field of bio technology to study and utilize the product which is produced by the mashroom (Shiitake).
   We started to sell health health food 26 years ago to keep and promote health in target for the active middle aged people.
   Protective power of human being decreases against virus and desease germ as the people add ages. This is socalled decrease of immunity.
   The food which prevents lowering of the immunity is the real health food I believe.
5. Admission as agricultural chemicals
   Chemical Department of our company developed anti virus medicine and it was permitted by the inistry of Agriculture as an agricultural chemicals. It is based on mashroom (Shiitake) which is widely known, quite safe and no harmful. It is also applying to register as agricultural chemicals for strengthing the chemicals is poisonous doesn't fit to Lentemin (agricultural chemical products name of registered by MAFF Japan).
6. Malignant tumor and defence of the virus
   Many desease by micro-organism are controllable at present but malignant tumor and virus are threatening the life of human beings.
   The development of vaccination is hastned for virus urgently. On the other hand, we are able to prevent malignant tunor or virus by increasing one's immunity power along with the direct anti power action to the virus which increase the effect of cureless.
7. As a result
   Our company is devoting to the development of the above products such as useful plant and human health as well as medical field toward the future.
   We hope you to pay attention to our activity hereafter.