Ganoderma lucidum, commonly referred to as Lingzhi or Reishi mushrooms, have long been used in traditional Chinese medicine as an immunity-enhancing tonic and longevity enhancer.

Modern research indicates that G. lucidum contains polysaccharides, triterpenoids, steroids, nucleosides, amino acids and alkaloids with significant pharmaceutical activities. These components have antitumor, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective and hypoglycemic activities which make G. lucidum an ideal candidate for medicinal use.

Benefits

Ganoderma lucidum (reishi) is widely recognized as a medicinal mushroom with numerous health advantages. According to medical research, reishi contains water-soluble proteins, dietary fiber and minerals such as sulfur and phosphorus which have proven themselves beneficial. Reishi mushrooms contain vitamins B1, B2, and B6 and riboflavin that support normal cell functioning, making it an integral component of herbal supplements as well as clinical trials to treat various conditions. Reishi can also provide anti-ageing and skin barrier-repairing properties. As such, it can be found in numerous commercial nutraceuticals products under names such as lingzhi, reishi or ganoderma; its extracts are sometimes combined with cordyceps sinensis and chrysanthemum chinense to form functional foods that have proven their value for both body and mind.

Ganoderma offers numerous promising health benefits, including antioxidant, hypoglycemic, and lipid-reducing properties. These effects are due to triterpenes, polysaccharides and other bioactive molecules found in its makeup; such chemicals help reduce inflammation, oxidative stress, liver damage as well as increase insulin production and glucose tolerance – as well as potential anti-tumor and anti-apoptotic properties.

Numerous in vitro and animal studies have demonstrated the efficacy of G. lucidum as an antioxidant, antihypertensive, hypoglycemic, and cholesteremic agent; however, clinical trials have been inconsistent due to various formulations used and study populations considered. Therefore, further large-scale controlled clinical trials need to take place to assess G. lucidum preparations’ ability in preventing and treating cardiometabolic diseases.

Atrial fibrillation patients were randomly selected for a 90-day, randomised closed-label trial that used consumption of G. lucidum polysaccharide extract three times daily for 90 days as part of a randomised closed-label trial, where consumption reduced systolic blood pressure, heart rate, LDL-C levels, inflammatory markers such as IL-1b/IL-6/hsCRP levels compared with placebo; it also improved markers of cardiovascular and metabolic function and prevented atrial fibrillation development. Further use combined G. lucidum with cordyceps sinensis extracts improved outcome but had less significant results.

Side Effects

Ganoderma lucidum, more commonly known by its Chinese names of Lingzhi or Reishi mushrooms, has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Modern research has demonstrated its antioxidative, antihypertensive, hypoglycaemic, and lipid-lowering effects; however, results of clinical studies may vary depending on formulation used or populations studied; further large controlled clinical studies should be conducted to ascertain potential health benefits associated with G. lucidum preparations standardised according to active components in prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic disorders.

G. lucidum contains polysaccharides, triterpenoids and other bioactive compounds responsible for its positive effects in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). B-glucans have long been recognized as immunomodulators; additionally it contains triterpenoids and other phenolic compounds which have antioxidant, antihypertensive, hypoglycaemic, lipid lowering and cytoprotective activities that have been identified as the source of its beneficial properties.

At an ongoing clinical trial involving 45 patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction, administration of G. lucidum polysaccharide extracts twice daily for 90 days reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels as well as cholesterol, triglycerides, cholesterol levels, IL-1b/IL-6/hsCRP levels (Sargowo et al. 2019).

Another clinical study demonstrated the protective abilities of G. lucidum ethanol extracts and GTs against oxidative stress in hepatocellular cancer cells by inhibiting malondialdehyde accumulation, increasing glutathione and superoxide dismutase contents, and suppressing cancer cell proliferation (Chung et al. 2018). Furthermore, in a murine model of alcohol steatohepatitis, submerged fermentation-derived G. lucidum extract significantly ameliorated symptoms by decreasing levels of inflammatory mediators (Zhao et al. 2019).

G. lucidum has been found to possess anti-carcinogenic, hepatoprotective, and neuroprotective properties in multiple in vitro and animal studies. A clinical trial using G. lucidum polysaccharides mixed with Cordyceps sinensis–another herb used in TCM–reduced colon cancer incidence by 50% among mice (Wachtel-Galor et al. 2014). Furthermore, it acted as an in vivo tumor inhibitor against hepatoma cells- inhibiting tumor growth while inhibiting migration/invasion/invasion; finally suppressed carcinogenic metabolites development in experimental animals (Klupp et al. 2016).

Ingredients

Ganoderma lucidum, better known by its other names reishi or lingzhi is an iconic medicinal mushroom used in Chinese medicine for millennia. Medical mushrooms and herbs often use cordyceps in combination with one or more medicinal mushrooms and herbs to treat various conditions, such as cancer, high blood pressure, hepatitis and nervous disorders. Natural and holistic medicine practices frequently utilize its antitumor, antiviral and antibacterial properties. Reishi mushroom has also been found to help improve immunity and decrease cholesterol, acting as a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agent. Furthermore, it has been touted for improving sleep quality as well as being used as a tonic to increase resistance strength – being sold under various herbal supplement and nutraceutical product names such as Lingzhi Tea Extract Ganopoly among others.

Ganoderma contains many active ingredients, including polysaccharides, triterpenoids, alkaloids, nucleosides, fatty acids and steroids. Polysaccharides are responsible for Ganoderma’s therapeutic benefits such as strengthening immunity and stimulating cell regeneration; while triterpenoids provide its bitter flavor as well as potential antihypertensive, antiinflammatory and antiacetylcholinesterase activities.

Reishi has been demonstrated in clinical studies to exhibit antioxidative, antihypertensive, lipid-lowering and hypoglycemic activities; however, its benefits remain inconclusive; more randomized controlled clinical trials need to be completed to confirm these benefits.

Reishi mushrooms are double-walled basidiomycete fungi with an extensive history in traditional Asian culture, where it has long been considered sacred for its spiritual potency. Chinese medicine utilizes them as tonics for strengthening body resistance, invigorating spleen function, replenishing Qi energy reserves and replenishing reserves; plus they also contain health promoting compounds which may help prevent disease.

But it should be noted that many commercial reishi products and GYO kits do not contain true Ganoderma lucidum; one study revealed through DNA analysis that 93% of manufactured reishi products and half of GYO kits tested actually contained Ganoderma sichuanense instead.

Dosage

Ganoderma lucidum, commonly referred to as hongo reishi in East Asian cultures such as China, Japan and Korea, plays a vital role in traditional medicine systems of those countries. It has long been recognized as an adaptogen, used to relieve stress and boost immunity; furthermore it contains bioactive components including triterpenoides, polysaccharides amino acids steroids nucleosides fatty acids and inorganic elements which make up its composition.

Studies and experiments conducted both in vivo and in vitro have demonstrated the beneficial properties of G. lucidum in terms of antihypertensive, hypoglycaemic, lipid-lowering, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects; however, large controlled clinical trials are producing mixed results, possibly due to differences between formulations of the herb or different study populations being utilized.

Studies have also demonstrated that G. lucidum extracts contain phenolic compounds with powerful 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and flavonol-reducing activities. Studies suggest lucidenic acid F, D-glucan and 12-acetyl ganoderic acid F are believed to be responsible for their high antioxidant activity.

G. lucidum has also been found to possess skin-whitening properties in addition to its pharmaceutical uses, with several GTs isolated from its mycelia and fruiting bodies such as -D-glucans, lucidenic acid F, D-glucosidase and D-mannitol being effective at inhibiting melanogenesis, decreasing surface pigmentation and strengthening skin barrier function.

Ganoderma lucidum showed significant results in a placebo-controlled clinical trial to significantly decrease both systolic blood pressure and total cholesterol in patients with atrial fibrillation, as well as improving mood and health-related quality of life in fibromyalgia patients. More research must be conducted into its efficacy for treating cardiovascular diseases or other inflammatory conditions.