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Derived from the cap and stem of the mushroom. The active constituent is thought to be a beta-glucan polysaccharide. The whole mushroom is used primarily as a dietary element, but extracts and supplements are sold as immune stimulants for patients with HIV or cancer. While no adverse effects have been reported, some studies reveal a hypoglycemic effect following administration of maitake extract (9) (12). Maitake was shown to enhance bone marrow colony formation, reduce doxorubicin toxicity in vitro (11), and to inhibit tumor metastasis