Ganoderma lucidum preparations standardised with known active components may offer numerous potential health benefits; however, clinical data on its preventive or curative properties remains mixed.

Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum; Lingzhi) and green tea have long been used in traditional medicine to promote general health and longevity, with recent scientific studies supporting their immunomodulatory and antiviral properties.

Medicinal Properties of Ganoderma Lucidum

Ganoderma lucidum contains numerous bioactive compounds with medicinal uses, particularly polysaccharides and triterpenes. Studies on polysaccharides from this mushroom have shown them to possess antioxidant, hepatoprotective, antitumor, and immunomodulatory properties. Many compounds have been isolated from the fruiting bodies of this mushroom, including Lucidenic acid F and 12-acetyl Ganoderic Acid which have shown significant biological activity. Ganoderma extracts have been reported to possess potency 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and chelating effects that are attributable to polysaccharides, polypeptides and amino acids found in them. Furthermore, G. lucidum’s phenolic compounds may reduce cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels in blood by possibly inhibiting its synthesis.

Hepatoprotective effects of mushroom can be attributed to its polysaccharides, which have been demonstrated to protect hepatic cells by increasing expression of glutathione peroxidase and decreasing content of malondialdehyde peroxidation products. Furthermore, polysaccharides also exhibit antitumor and immunomodulatory activities, including decreasing tumor growth while activating macrophages and T-cells.

Additionally, animal and human studies have demonstrated the mushroom’s effectiveness at counteracting hyperglycemic, hypocholesterolemic, and antisenescent effects. It has been suggested that these benefits could be attributable to its ability to regulate specific gut flora as well as improving total, HDL/vLDL-cholesterol and triglycerides while simultaneously decreasing triglycerides; however the clinical evidence supporting such claims remains limited due to varied formulations of G. lucidum used and results have not consistently reproduced results over time.

Another significant attribute of mushroom fruiting bodies is their antiviral capabilities. Terpenoids found within them have been discovered to successfully restrict COVID-19 spread, inhibit protease activity, and increase production of phagocytic cells that can inactivate it.

These mushroom formulations have been made available in herbal supplements or nutraceutical products to harness its medicinal properties, often sold under the names “Lingzhi” or “Reishi.” Common uses for these mushrooms include green tea and hot cacao beverages as well as capsules, liquid extracts and tablets that can be found for sale on health product stores shelves.

Triterpenes

Ganoderma lucidum is widely known for its polysaccharides and triterpenes that possess powerful antitumor, antiinflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, and immunomodulatory activities. Ganoderma can be used in the treatment of coronary heart diseases, arteriosclerosis, hepatitis, arthritis, nephritis, asthma, hypertension, cancer and gastric ulcers; additionally it exhibits anti-aging effects. Ganoderma lucidum can help combat oxidative stress by increasing levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase; its active ingredients may be responsible for this. Polysaccharides such as b-D-glucans and galactomannans possessing hepatoprotective activity have also demonstrated antihypertensive and hypocholesterolemic benefits. Triterpenes possess antioxidant properties and can bind with estrogen receptors on breast and prostate cancer cells to reduce motility of highly invasive cells, increase radiosensitivity of cancer cells to radiation therapy or chemotherapy treatments and slow progression of precancerous lesions.

Ganoderma lucidum, commonly referred to as Reishi or Ling Zhi, has proven useful for treating hepatocellular carcinoma. Additionally, Ganoderma lucidum was shown to prevent N,N’-dimethylhydrazine-induced colon tumors in mice as well as having strong chemopreventive properties against human cancer cells in vitro growth inhibition; its sporoderm-broken germinating spores also proved successful against treating nephroblastoma cells as well as neuroblastomas or osteosarcoma cells.

Recently, it was found that GlbHLH5 transcription factor may serve as a candidate in Ganoderma lucidum for metabolic regulation of triterpenoids. GlbHLH5 was shown to be activated by MeJA and differential expression was noted for the genes of Ganoderma biosynthetic pathways such as HMGR, SQS, LS and LC in silenced GlbHLH5 lines; silencing this transcription factor resulted in decreased production of Ganoderma triterpenoids.

Studies have also demonstrated that Ganoderma lucidum triterpenes can improve immune functions, decrease fatigue and delay central fatigue caused by 5-FU. They can suppress activation of proinflammatory cytokines like IL-6 and iNOS in brain tissue as well as decreasing cancer cell proliferation. Furthermore, these triterpenes increase tissue antioxidant levels to protect them against the damage done by mutagens as well as reduce inflammation responses.

Polysaccharides

Ganoderma lucidum has long been used as an energy-enhancing tonic, known as Lingzhi or Reishi in China or Japan respectively. Packed full of polysaccharides, triterpenes and other beneficial bioactive compounds known to aid health, this medicinal mushroom offers many health advantages.

Mycelia and fruiting bodies of mushrooms contain numerous polysaccharides, which are oligosaccharides with three or more sugar units. While some polysaccharides may be monosaccharides, others are branched. Together these complex systems of carbohydrates perform numerous functions that range from energy production and immunity enhancement to cell growth and proper pH levels in blood and digestive tract as well as water retention prevention.

Polysaccharides are an integral component of the lingzhi mushroom and play an essential role in its anti-carcinogenic properties. These natural substances can inhibit tumor formation, reduce cancer cell invasive potential and stimulate immunity to fight it while acting as antioxidants to prevent oxidative damage and optimize energy use by cells.

Polysaccharides may help regulate blood sugar and reduce cholesterol levels. Furthermore, polysaccharides may aid diabetics by decreasing oxidative stress levels, increasing insulin secretion rates and improving liver glucose metabolism.

Studies have demonstrated that mycelia and fruiting bodies of fungi contain polysaccharides with various health-promoting benefits for human beings. Such polysaccharides have been demonstrated to boost immune function by activating macrophages, T cells and B cells to produce cytokines; additionally they may suppress proliferation and induce apoptosis of cancerous cells.

Triterpenes, commonly found in mycelia and fruiting bodies of fungus, have been shown to possess powerful antitumor and anti-metastatic activity. Triterpenes have also been demonstrated to block N,N’-dimethylhydrazine-induced colon tumor formation in rats while simultaneously showing antiviral properties.

Since 1973, polysaccharides, triterpenes and other biologically active compounds found in Lingzhi have been developed into a commercial drug known as Ji 731 injection in China. This pharmaceutical preparation contains extracts from mycelia, spores and fruiting bodies of the fungus and has been approved for clinical use there. Available forms of Ji 731 injection are capsules/tablets, powdered forms for added to foods/beverages as well as tinctures.

Phytochemicals

Ganoderma lucidum has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat various conditions. Also referred to as immortality or spirit mushrooms, its numerous health-promoting properties make it an excellent source of natural antioxidants. Due to these properties and the attention generated from research conducted worldwide on Ganoderma lucidum’s multiple benefits, numerous researchers are conducting extensive phytochemical and pharmacological analyses on this multifunctional mushroom.

Mushrooms have long been recognized for their antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties; in addition to being potent inhibitors of tumor cell growth. Recent reports also indicate they can have positive impacts on cardiovascular disease (CVD), such as lowering blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes levels while helping prevent blood clots forming and decreasing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.

Studies have demonstrated the synergistic effects of green tea and Ganoderma lucidum extracts on human breast cancer cells, in particular suppressing metastasis by suppressing secretion of uPA; an effect which leads to reduced invasion, migration, and invasion in breast cancer cells.

Furthermore, G. lucidum contains several phenolics such as lucidenic acid and 12-acetyl ganoderic acid F that have been shown to increase the potency of its extract. Unfortunately, however, these findings were not replicated by other investigations, possibly due to differences in extraction process, drying process or concentrations of polysaccharides/triterpenes present.

Fungus has also been shown to exhibit multiple pharmacological activities, including antitumor, immunomodulatory and neuroprotective properties. These effects are caused by its spores which contain polysaccharides as well as various metabolites – these act as natural prebiotics and have been reported to increase gut bacteria populations.

Mushrooms have also been shown to help manage blood sugar levels in people living with diabetes, thanks to their polysaccharide content and antioxidant activity, which reduces glucose in the blood. Furthermore, this research trial’s promising results should be replicated across other clinical trials for confirmation.