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GANODERMA
(Syn. Reishi; lingzhi)
Plant Source: Ganoderma lucidum (Leyss. ex Fr.) Karst. [red
lingzhi] and G. japonicum (Fr.) Lloyd. [purple lingzhi]
(Family Polyporaceae).
Part Used: Fruiting body (mushroom).
Properties: General tonic, benefits qi (energy), improves
memory, benefits complexion, eases joint movement,
strengthens tendons, and bones, calms nerves.
Most Common Traditional Uses: General weakness, cough,
asthma, insomnia, indigestion
Modern/Recent Uses: Nightmares, neurasthenia, heart problems
(coronary heart disease, arrhythmia, hyperlipemia,
hypertension, etc.), lack of appetite, chronic hepatitis,
mushroom poisoning, chronic bronchitis, leukocytopenia.
Ganoderma is known as lingzhi in Chinese and reishi or
mannentake in Japanese. It was the "elixir of life" sought
by emperors and sages during most of China's long history
and has been glorified in Chinese literary classics, with a
reputation as a tonic to prolong life matching that of
ginseng.
Both ganodermas are widely distributed in China, especially
along coastal provinces. Ganoderma lucidum is also found
growing on hardwoods in North America. Until recent years
ganoderma was rather rare and was primarily reserved for the
privileged classes. But since the successful cultivation of
G. lucidum, it is now readily available both from the Far
East and the United States and Canada.
During the past few decades, hundreds of scientific studies
(especially chemical and pharmacological) on ganoderma have
been published, mostly by Japanese and Chinese researchers.
These scientists have found ganoderma to contain many types
of biologically active chemical constituents, including
sterols, triterpenes, polysaccharides, fatty acids, amino
acids, peptides, adenosine, betaine, alkaloids and trace
minerals (high in germanium), among others. Its
pharmacological activities are very broad, including
sedative, analgesic and anticonvulsive, hypertensive and
hypotensive, anti-allergic, liver protectant, hypoglycemic,
antitumor, anticoagulant, hypolipemic and
hypercholesterolemic, anticholinergic, antioxidant,
immunomodulating, smooth muscle relaxant, antitussive,
anti-asthmatic, vasodilative, diuretic, anabolic,
antiinflammatory, anti-fatigue and antibactertial, etc. Even
though these are isolated studies, the sheer quantity of
bioactivity seems to give some justification of ganoderma's
good reputation as a highly valued general tonic. Let's face
it, there is no way one can subject a tonic like ganoderma
(or ginseng) to so called clinical trials (double-blind,
randomized, etc.) and expect to obtain meaningful results.
REFERENCES: JIANGSU; LEUNG AND FOSTER; WANG 2.
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