Polysaccharide-Krestin (PSK) and Polysaccharopeptide (PSP) are prominent fungal polysaccharide–protein complexes derived from Coriolus versicolor mycelia, known for their therapeutic value. These compounds have been utilized in the treatment of infectious diseases and cancer.
PSK, also called Krestin, is a unique protein-bound polysaccharide that has served as a chemoimmunotherapy agent in cancer treatment across Asia for over 30 years. Both PSK and PSP are protein-bound polysaccharides derived from the CM-101 and COV-1 strains of the Coriolus versicolor fungus by Japanese and Chinese researchers, respectively.
While both have demonstrated anticancer activity in laboratory, animal, and clinical studies, PSK, having undergone more extended research, exhibits potential as an adjuvant cancer therapy agent. Numerous clinical trials support the positive outcomes of PSK in the adjuvant treatment of gastric, oesophageal, colorectal, breast, and lung cancers. These compounds, discovered for their strong immunological values, present no known side effects in cancer treatment.