Boston: An Oriental medicinal mushroom, the Phellinus linteus, has been found to boost the potency of a drug used in the treatment of prostate cancer.

The mushroom, used in Oriental medicine is called “Song gen” in China, “Sang-hwang” in Korea and “Mesimakobu” in Japan was studied by researchers at the University of Boston School of Medicine.

They discovered that combined with the chemotherapy treatment drug doxorubicin, it increased the number of cancer cells killed.

The findings, published in the British Journal of Cancer, mean that the effectiveness of treatment could be boosted at the same time as using lower drug doses.

The mushroom has previously been proven to have anti carcinogenic effects by boosting the human immune system. In previous clinical tests it has been shown to be effective in the treatment and preventive treatment of liver cancer, stomach cancer, lung cancer, and other cancers, as well as AIDS, diabetes, high blood pressure and loss of energy.