Ganoderma lucidum tea provides an easy and accessible way to experience all the health benefits associated with this medicinal mushroom, also known as lingzhi in Chinese. Lingzhi contains polysaccharides which boost immune functions and lower blood pressure.

G. lucidum extracts have proven effective at lowering fasting glucose and HbA1c levels both in diabetic animal models and T2DM patients alike, including the latter’s use to ligate carotid arteries; moreover, daily oral dosage of Ganoderma ethanol extract prevented neointimal formation following carotid-artery-ligation studies (Wachtel-Galor et al. 2004b).

Antioxidant

Ganoderma lucidum, commonly referred to as Lingzhi or Reishi in traditional Chinese medicine for over 2000 years, has long been utilized as part of an overall wellness regimen to promote general health, well-being, and longevity. Studies have proven its anti-ageing capabilities as well as its powerful antioxidant qualities – it contains beta glucans which store water within cells while fighting off oxidative stress while polysaccharides may promote skin elasticity and reduce wrinkles while protecting liver health and blocking cancer growth.

Studies conducted both in vitro and in vivo have demonstrated the benefits of G. lucidum extracts on cardioprotection from G. lucidum are many. Antihypertensive, hypoglycaemic, and lipid-reducing activities have been demonstrated (Upton 2000; Wachtel-Galor et al 2004b). Ganoderma’s cardioprotective benefits may be attributable to its triterpenoids and polysaccharides which exhibit anti-inflammatory, antitumor, immunomodulatory, neuroprotective activities as well.

G. lucidum contains numerous antioxidants, with the most prominent ones being rutin and -glucans. These compounds can be found in its spores, fruiting bodies and mycelia; extraction can be performed using methanol, ethanol, chloroform, ether or acetone and purification using normal and reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

These compounds have been demonstrated to have numerous biological functions, including reducing cholesterol, regulating blood pressure and increasing immunity. Studies on their cardioprotective effects have also revealed they can inhibit malignant cell proliferation while decreasing oxidative damage and improving cell differentiation (Wachtel-Galor et al. 2009).

Ganoderma contains another beneficial compound called lentinan, which has been shown to significantly decrease cholesterol production in human hepatocytes and decrease cholesterol production overall. Studies involving in vivo and ex vivo studies on hamsters and minipigs confirm this cholesterol-reducing effect; similar results were achieved following carotid artery ligation where daily oral administration of G. lucidum-derived beta glucans significantly reduced neointimal formation two weeks post ligation.

Kombucha is an antioxidant-rich beverage produced by fermenting Camelia sinensis leaves (CS) with an inoculum of bacteria and yeast, known as the symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. In this study, different formulations and fermentation times were investigated on Ganoderma Lucidum (GL) substrates to ascertain their impact. Results demonstrated that an increase in both concentration of GL as well as shorter fermentation time are linked with greater antioxidant activity.

Antihypertensive

Ganoderma lucidum, commonly referred to as Reishi, has long been revered for its various healing properties and is recognized as an essential functional food. Reishi boasts anti-aging, energizing and immunity boosting benefits while being antihypertensive (can lower cholesterol levels), blood sugar regulation and improved circulation benefits; additionally it has antioxidants which combat free radicals – these qualities make Reishi an invaluable addition to modern diets with sources such as Tofu, Tempeh Kimchi or Taegu (anchovy). It can be found in foods such as Tofu Tempeh Kimchi or Taegu (anchovy).

Ganoderma lucidum tea offers anti-inflammatory and blood pressure-reducing effects, and may help boost immunity while protecting from oxidative damage caused by stress. Furthermore, this tea contains both antimicrobial and antifungal properties to combat infections caused by mold or mildew growth; its medicinal uses extend far beyond just herbal remedy formulations.

Ganoderma lucidum’s antihypertensive properties may be related to its lipid-lowering, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory activities, as well as its cardiovascular health-promoting qualities and liver lipid accumulation reduction capabilities. A randomized placebo-controlled trial with 62 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients found that taking G. lucidum dried extract dietary supplements decreased fasting and postprandial plasma glucose levels as well as HbA1c more effectively than the placebo group; however there was no significant reduction of either triglyceride or HDL levels among either groups.

Another study conducted with water extract of G. lucidum on normal and genetically obese/diabetic (+db/+db) mice discovered that it helped reduce serum glucose levels through suppressing PEPCK gene expression as well as increasing adipose and skeletal muscle glucose disposal.

Ganoderma lucidum ethanol extract can also protect the heart against adriamycin-induced toxicity by inhibiting lipid peroxidation and restoring activity of antioxidant enzymes glutathione-S-transferase, GSH-protease and superoxide dismutase. Furthermore, this can improve vascular integrity while simultaneously decreasing neointimal thickening using a carotid artery-ligation model in mice.

Ganoderma lucidum can be taken safely when taken according to directions, with only mild herbal sensitivities reported; these typically go away after discontinuing treatment. One report of hepatotoxicity was made, however this is believed to be caused by its excipient ingredients and not any actual adverse side effects from taking this product.

Hypoglycaemic

Many individuals living with diabetes are aware of the beneficial properties of Ganoderma Lucidum; however, few clinical trials have been conducted in this field. Studies with diabetic rodents and vitro analysis of Ganoderma Lucidum polysaccharides and extracts have demonstrated improved blood glucose levels, higher serum insulin production, protecting pancreatic islets from damage as well as inhibiting phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and protein tyrosine phosphatase activity which suggests Ganoderma may serve as an adjunct therapy in helping prevent T2DM progression to DM-2 with serious cardiovascular and renal consequences (Kim et al. 2007).

Polysaccharides and triterpenoids have been proven to display powerful antioxidant properties, such as reducing power, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity and superoxide scavenging activity. Furthermore, they have also demonstrated blood lipid reduction as well as decreased blood pressure levels in animal studies; furthermore lucidenic acid and luciferin have shown to exhibit antihypertensive, lipid reducing, antiacetylcholinesterase activities that could benefit people suffering from high blood pressure;

Ganoderma lucidum can not only help improve glycaemia and lipid metabolism, but can also be used to support the immune system. Lucidenic acid found in this plant has been demonstrated to inhibit tumor cell proliferation while simultaneously stimulating immunity and modulating expression of key proteins involved in immune response processes such as NF-kappaB and AP-1 expression.

Lucidenic acid has also been demonstrated to possess hepatoprotective activity and hinder progression of hepatocellular carcinoma in mice. Additionally, a clinical trial demonstrated that Ganoderma Lucidum could significantly increase production of nitric oxide from bone marrow-derived macrophages and increase activation of natural killer (NK) cells among type 2 diabetic patients.

Ganoderma lucidum also offers another hepatoprotective benefit by helping individuals with borderline hyperlipidemia lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels, in an evidence-based therapeutic approach known as Lingzhi product therapy. Participants treated with this product saw significant decreases in total, LDL, triglycerides (but not HDL cholesterol) levels as compared with baseline. These preliminary results are promising but more research must be conducted on this approach to assess its benefits; one such measure used as evidence-based measure was an SF-36 health-related quality of life survey to gauge treatment efficacy as this survey provides client-centred perspective of treatment success.

Cardioprotective

Ganoderma lucidum has been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for over 2000 years as a remedy against various conditions, such as hyperglycaemia and cardiovascular disease risk factors. It contains secondary metabolites including polysaccharides (such as b-glucan and mannitol), alkaloids, triterpenes and triterpenes; notable active compounds include ganoderic acid and luciferins which have demonstrated hypoglycaemic properties through several in vitro animal studies but clinical trials remain limited.

One study demonstrated how G. lucidum’s ethanol extract could significantly lower blood sugar levels in diabetic mice by its ability to inhibit activation of glucose transporters, reduce cell uptake of glucose and increase insulin secretion. Additionally, its antioxidant effects reduced lipid peroxidation while increasing activities of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutases. Lastly, its effect was discovered as inhibiting glycogen synthase kinase-3b as well as phosphorylation of AMPK; further inhibiting inflammation through NF-kB and TNF- while inducing cancer cell apoptosis and initiating cancer cell apoptosis.

Another study demonstrated that methanol extract of G. lucidum could prevent the formation of neointima in a carotid-artery ligation model due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and hypertensive properties. Ganoderma also prevented cholesterol and triglyceride synthesis in rats’ livers due to its triterpenoids and polysaccharides which provided both hepatoprotective and cardioprotective benefits.

Studies have confirmed ganoderma lucidum’s efficacy for treating cardiovascular disease, thanks to its antioxidant, hepatoprotective, and cardioprotective properties attributed to its abundant content of phenolic compounds which may directly inhibit fatty acid oxidation and cholesterol synthesis.

Ganoderma lucidum’s chemical composition varies considerably by species and harvest sites, making its bioactivity hard to compare across studies. Furthermore, many commercial products derived from G. lucidum lack standardisation processes that would allow researchers to easily compare results across experiments conducted using identical products; hence developing methods for the identification and characterization of these compounds becomes essential.