The safety and immune potential function of Fucoidan from Cladosiphon okamuranus mixed with mushroom extracts from Grifola frondosa, Phellinus linteus and Cordyceps sinensis were evaluated. Five cancer patients and five elderly people in their 70s ingested the mixed extract for a period of 4 weeks. Results showed significant LDL-C decrease and Th1/2 increase. Moreover, Quality of Life(QOL) related to facialand extremity skin, anxiety, fatigue, cold tolerance and appetite improved significantly. Finally, the clinical test supported the safety of this mixed extracts.

Hot water extract of adlay (Coix lachryma-jobi L. var. ma-yuen Stapf) seed, commonly called Yokuinin, has been used as herbal medicine for treating verruca vulgaris, et al. Although there have been a number of studies on the usefulness of Yokuinin, the pharmacological assessment of its husk, pellicle, and astringent skin remains unclear. In this line, we evaluated the effect of methanol extract from all parts of adlay grain (seed, husk, pellicle, astringent skin) on cancer cells and identified its useful chemical components. Results revealed that a fraction of the extract have weak growth-suppressing activity on human cervical cancer cell line (HeLa cell). In particular, 5,7-dihydroxychromone and coixol were isolated and identified from the active fraction. This indicates the possible cancer chemopreventive efficacy of methanol extract from adlay. Moreover, further tests are needed to determine the role of 5,7-dihydroxychromone.