# MGN-3 (rice bran arabinoxylan, BioBran)

Source: https://onco.cc/technologies/mgn-3-rice-bran-arabinoxylan/  
OnCo record `mgn-3-rice-bran-arabinoxylan` (Technology). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

MGN-3 is a rice bran product treated with mushroom enzymes and promoted as an immune booster against cancer. A few small, short studies report immune changes and fewer treatment side effects, which is not enough to say it helps. No side effects or interactions have been reported.

## Summary

MGN-3 is a proprietary product made from rice bran treated with extracts of shiitake, Coriolus versicolor and Schizophyllum commune mushrooms. Memorial Sloan Kettering's About Herbs summary describes laboratory and animal studies suggesting immune activation, apoptosis of leukaemia cells and protection against weight loss from cisplatin and radiation, with chemosensitising effects in some models. Human evidence consists of a few small short-term studies: improvements in irritable bowel symptoms and quality of life in older adults, and, in small studies of people with cancer, higher response and fewer side effects of standard therapy and immune changes, plus preliminary combined use with curcumin in early-stage blood cancers. MSK lists no adverse reactions and no herb-drug interactions. None of the cancer studies is large or controlled enough to support a claim of benefit.

## Fields

- Kind: Technology
- Status: phase-2
- Last checked: 2026-11-04
- Also known as: Rice bran arabinoxylan compound; BioBran
- Tags: complementary; supportive-care; evidence:insufficient
- Principle: Arabinoxylan from rice bran hemicellulose is proposed to activate natural killer cells and other innate immune cells.
- Strengths: No reported side effects or interactions; Some small human studies
- Limitations: Studies small and short; No survival or controlled response data; Proprietary product claims

## Sources

- MSK About Herbs: MGN-3 (page last updated 5 January 2022): https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/mgn-3

## Connected records

- technologies: [Agaricus blazei mushroom](https://onco.cc/technologies/agaricus-blazei/), [AHCC (active hexose correlated compound)](https://onco.cc/technologies/ahcc-shiitake-extract/), [Dietary supplements during cancer treatment: interactions and harms](https://onco.cc/technologies/dietary-supplements-treatment-interactions/), [Evidence-based integrative oncology](https://onco.cc/technologies/integrative-oncology/), [Fucoidan (brown seaweed extract)](https://onco.cc/technologies/fucoidan-seaweed/)
- fronts: [Diet, Exercise & Lifestyle](https://onco.cc/fronts/nutrition-lifestyle/), [Supportive Care & Survivorship](https://onco.cc/fronts/supportive-care/)
- drugs: [Cisplatin](https://onco.cc/drugs/cisplatin/)
- bottlenecks: [Misinformation and unproven therapies](https://onco.cc/bottlenecks/b-misinformation/)

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