Immunity & Infection

·

Study

Shiitake Protein Strongly Blocks COVID Omicron in Lab Tests

Shiitake Protein Strongly Blocks COVID Omicron in Lab Tests

Shiitake

What they found

A shiitake lectin called Shictin blocked Omicron infection with 87 nM potency in lab tests.

A shiitake lectin called Shictin blocked Omicron infection with 87 nM potency in lab tests.

The number

87 nM potency

How solid is it?

Lab dish

Lab dish

In vitro (lab dish)

In vitro (lab dish)

Evidence ladder: Lab dish → Animal → Early human → Strong human. Reviews summarize earlier research.

At a glance

Latin name

Lentinula edodes

Lentinula edodes

Compound

Shictin

Shictin

Published in

Viruses

Viruses

Covered in Shroom Scan

Section

HEALTH & WELLNESS

HEALTH & WELLNESS

As it ran in Shroom Scan

Omicron Defense

Omicron Defense

Scientists screening 15 vegetable and mushroom extracts discovered a powerful new antiviral protein (Shictin) in shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes) vesicles that strongly blocks COVID-19 Omicron variant infection with 87 nM potency. The research, using both lab-grown cells and virus samples, found this mushroom lectin binds to viral surface sugars with increasing effectiveness against newer variants - from weak activity against the original strain to strong blocking of Omicron, suggesting mushroom-derived compounds could provide a natural source of antivirals against emerging variants.

Scientists screening 15 vegetable and mushroom extracts discovered a powerful new antiviral protein (Shictin) in shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes) vesicles that strongly blocks COVID-19 Omicron variant infection with 87 nM potency. The research, using both lab-grown cells and virus samples, found this mushroom lectin binds to viral surface sugars with increasing effectiveness against newer variants - from weak activity against the original strain to strong blocking of Omicron, suggesting mushroom-derived compounds could provide a natural source of antivirals against emerging variants.

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