Lingzhi (Ganoderma lucidum) is an extremely popular medicinal mushroom in Eastern cultures and listed in the Compendium of Materia Medica due to its proven ability to prolong lifespan and improve vitality.

Ganoderma spore oil was shown to significantly decrease both systolic blood pressure and atrial fibrillation among atherosclerosis patients, while oral administration of G. lucidum polysaccharide extract improved learning and memory among sleep deprived mice.

Antioxidant

Ganoderma lucidum, commonly referred to in China and Japan as Lingzhi and Reishi respectively, has long been utilized as a medicinal mushroom with several pharmacological effects including antitumor, hepatoprotective and immunoenhancing benefits. Antihypertensive, hypoglycaemic and anti-ageing benefits have also been noted from its consumption, as can its antioxidant activity attributed to polysaccharides and triterpenoids found in its composition. G. lucidum contains monosaccharides such as a- or b-D-glucans and hetero-polysaccharides as its primary secondary metabolites, with over 200 triterpenoids isolated from mycelia and fruiting bodies of this fungus. Furthermore, methyl aspartate and Ganoderma mannitol have been demonstrated to exhibit anti-ageing properties by inhibiting MMP-1 expression, increasing procollagen expression, scavenging free radicals and reactive oxygen species.

Ganoderma consists of over 120 edible and medicinal species of mushrooms that fall under its umbrella, comprising basidiomycete fungi with polypore pores. Most species can be identified using their fruiting bodies which typically range from spherical to kidney-shaped and are found throughout subtropical and temperate climate regions.

G. lucidum contains many pharmacologically active chemicals, such as polysaccharides, triterpenoids, nucleosides, alkaloids, fatty acids lactones and lectins that have been identified through in vitro and in vivo studies as possessing antioxidative, antitumor, hepatoprotective, immune enhancing and anti-aging properties.

Further studies are necessary to ascertain the efficacy of G. lucidum preparations in cardiometabolic disorders; however, preliminary animal studies indicate its potential effectiveness by normalising ejection fraction, correcting shortening, reducing left ventricular hypertrophy in transverse aortic constriction-induced heart failure models and inhibiting circular RNA (circ-Foxo3) expression – all factors which suggest potential use as prevention or treatment strategies against cardiovascular diseases.

Anti-inflammatory

Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi or Reishi) is an herbaceous medicinal mushroom traditionally used in China and Japan for its anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and hepatoprotective effects. Although traditionally harvested from logs in nature for cultivation purposes, Ganoderma lucidum has now mostly been produced under controlled environments to meet global demand. Ganoderma lucidum stands out among medicinal mushrooms with a diverse bioactive compounds profile including polysaccharides, oxygenated triterpenoids, phenolic acids and alkaloids among others – providing versatile bioactive properties that range across multiple medicinal applications including immunoregulatory, anti-tumor and neuroprotective activities pharmacological effects as well as various pharmacological activities and neuroprotective properties.

Studies both in vitro and in vivo have demonstrated the cardiometabolic benefits of G. lucidum extracts, such as hypoglycaemic and antihypertensive properties. Unfortunately, clinical trial results on humans vary, possibly due to different formulations used within each trial as well as differing populations studied.

Ganoderma lucidum shows its potential as an effective treatment to prevent cardiovascular disease through oral administration of Ganoderma spore oil in mice with pressure overload-induced heart failure, by restoring ventricular dysfunction and improving ejection fraction. This cardioprotective effect was caused by suppressing circular RNA expression of circ-Foxo3 circular RNA. Thus demonstrating Ganoderma’s capacity as a preventative medicine against heart disease.

Studies have revealed the neuroprotective qualities of Lucid Ganoderma extracts. They have shown to decrease progression of Alzheimer’s disease and improve cognitive performance by inhibiting tau hyperphosphorylation, regulating activation of microglia, and modulating acetylcholinesterase activity. Other mechanisms include modulating the NF-kB signalling pathway, antiapoptotic activity and protection against oxidative stress.

Anti-tumor

Ganoderma lucidum, better known by its Chinese and Japanese names of Lingzhi or Reishi respectively, has been used for over 2000 years as traditional Chinese medicine. Its key active compounds include polysaccharides and triterpenoids which help improve immunity while exerting anti-ageing effects. Furthermore, this fungus boasts immunostimulatory and anticancer properties as well as being proven effective against chronic fatigue syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis treatments; although only limited clinical trials have been conducted thus far.

G. lucidum extracts and purified compounds have been discovered to possess antitumor activity, such as ganoderic acids, lucidenic acids, lucidenins, eugenol, and tanshinones (Wachtel-Galor et al. 2011). Lucidenic acids in particular have shown to significantly curb cancer cells’ growth while simultaneously decreasing radiotherapy sensitivity; additionally they decrease tau protein phosphorylation rates causing cell death; they have even shown effects against proliferation and migration of hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Ganoderma mycelial extract also displayed significant antifungal activity against Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium oxysporum, and Physalospora piricola; it stopped their mycelial growth and increased production of sporulation proteins. Furthermore, Ganoderma lucidum extracts inhibited tertbutyl hydrogen peroxide damage to hepatocellular carcinoma cells as well as decreased proinflammatory mediator expression levels.

Studies on patients with type 2 diabetes and hyperglycaemia treated with Ganoderma lucidum demonstrated its hepatoprotective properties due to polysaccharides and triterpenoids found in its tea. Large controlled clinical trials are required in order to accurately determine its health benefits in these patient populations; different formulations of Lucid Ganoderma may contain different active ingredients, making comparing results across trials difficult.

Hepatoprotective

Ganoderma lucidum, commonly referred to in Asia as Reishi mushroom, has long been utilized as an ancient medicinal herb. Historically used to combat anti-fibrosis issues and improve liver function. Ganoderma lucidum’s anti-fibrosis qualities may be attributable to its total triterpenoids content (particularly Lucidenic Acid (GL).

GL has been found to possess multiple biological functions, including antibacterial, antiviral, antitumor, and antiosteoclastic differentiation activity. Furthermore, it has been reported to help improve hepatic fibrosis as well as reduce metabolic perturbations within the liver as well as decrease oxidative stress by blocking lipid peroxidation and inflammation mediators resulting in its protective benefits being seen through its use as a hepatoprotective substance.

In another study, GL was shown to provide hepatoprotective effects by significantly reducing liver damage in rats given CCI4. Furthermore, its administration reduced hepatic cellular degeneration and cell infiltration into central and portal areas of liver as well as sinusoidal dilatation and congestion in liver sinusoids; additionally it significantly inhibited hepatocellular degeneration as well as production of COX-2 by significantly inhibiting its production.

Ganoderma polysaccharides have been extracted by various means, including microdiffusion and microwave extraction. These polysaccharides contain various combinations of glucose, mannose, galactose, fucose and xylose that may form glycosidic bonds to proteins or peptides for easy attachment through glycosidic bonds. Many of these compounds have been investigated for their bioactive properties, such as antitumor and immunoregulatory activities. Recent research indicates that polysaccharides found in Ganoderma may help regulate the activity of two key pathways involved in glycemic response – phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and protein tyrosine phosphatase, to be specific. These results indicate the potential use of Ganoderma polysaccharides as potential treatments for treating diabetes mellitus by decreasing blood sugar levels.

Neuroprotective

Ganoderma lucidum, also known by its Chinese name Lingzhi or Reishi, has long been recognized for its therapeutic benefits in East Asian traditional medicine practices. Citations found within Shen Nong’s Herbal Classic attesting to this claim of effectiveness include improving overall health and extending lifespan.

G. lucidum polysaccharides and triterpenoids have been demonstrated to possess antitumor, immunoregulatory, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, chemopreventive activities that include inducing cell cycle arrest and autophagy in cancer cells; inhibit hepatocellular carcinogenesis; limit osteoclastic differentiation and increase cell apoptosis – among many other beneficial activities.

G. lucidum extracts offer many potential applications as functional foods and drugs, though their clinical trials remain inconsistent. Potential effects include hypoglycaemic, antihypertensive, and lipid-lowering benefits; furthermore studies have also demonstrated their ability to enhance learning and memory in rats that were sleep deprived.

G. lucidum’s spores not only possess antioxidant effects, but they can also inhibit tumor growth and metastasis by suppressing expression of MMP-1, IL-6, NF-kappaB, MAP kinases and TGF b1 in vitro. Furthermore, its ganoderma spores possess antimicrobial and antifungal properties; specifically their 15 KD protein called Ganodermin which has been shown to block mycelial growth of Botrytis cinerealis, Fusarium Oxsporum and Physalospora piricola.

Studies of patients with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome showed that treating with a combination of G. lucidum and Cordyceps sinensis improved hepatic function and HbA1c in 84 of them; however, additional research needs to be conducted in order to ascertain its effectiveness at treating T2DM and improving cardiovascular risk factors; moreover the protective properties of Lucid Ganoderma Tea should also be explored through more clinical trials.