Reishi Mushroom Extract

Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum), also called Lingzhi mushroom, is a woody fungus that is widely cultivated in southern China and has thousands of years of historical use for liver and immune support. Major components include triterpenes and ganoderic acid. The mushrooms are sorted by hand, washed, sun-dried, and chopped. An extract is produced from the dried material in a process that removes essential oils.

Health Benefits

Reishi mushroom has been traditionally consumed for overall health and longevity as well as boosting immune function and protecting liver.1,2 Several human studies showed beneficial effects of Reishi mushroom treatment against infections caused oral human papillomavirus (HPV), herpes zosterv virus, and herpes simplex virus as well as urinary tract infections.3-7 It also showed analgesic effect by reducing pain in patients with shingles and rheumatoid arthritis.4,8 Hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of Reishi Mushroom have been shown in preclinical studies by reducing chemical or alcohol induced liver damage while increasing antioxidant enzyme levels.9-10 Reishi mushroom also showed cardioprotective effects by improving blood lipid profile (increasing good cholesterol (HDL-c) and reducting total cholesterol, bad cholesterol (LDL-c), and triglycerides) and antioxidant effect.11

References

  1. Wachtel-Galor S, Szeto YT, Tomlinson B, Benzie IF. Ganoderma lucidum (‘Lingzhi’); acute and short-term biomarker response to supplementation. Int J Food Sci Nutr. 2004 Feb;55(1):75-83. PubMed PMID: 14630595.
  2. Wachtel-Galor S, Tomlinson B, Benzie IF. Ganoderma lucidum (“Lingzhi”), a Chinese medicinal mushroom: biomarker responses in a controlled human supplementation study. Br J Nutr. 2004 Feb;91(2):263-9. PubMed PMID: 14756912.
  3. Donatini B. Control of oral human papillomavirus (HPV) by medicinal mushrooms,Trametes versicolor and Ganoderma lucidum: a preliminary clinical trial. Int J Med Mushrooms. 2014;16(5):497-8. PubMed PMID: 25271984.
  4. Hijikata Y, Yasuhara A, Sahashi Y. Effect of an herbal formula containing Ganoderma lucidum on reduction of herpes zoster pain: a pilot clinical trial. Am J Chin Med. 2005;33(4):517-23. PubMed PMID: 16173526.
  5. Hijikata Y, Yamada S, Yasuhara A. Herbal mixtures containing the mushroom Ganoderma lucidum improve recovery time in patients with herpes genitalis and J Altern Complement Med. 2007 Nov;13(9):985-7. PubMed PMID: 18047445.
  6. Noguchi M, Kakuma T, Tomiyasu K, Kurita Y, Kukihara H, Konishi F, Kumamoto S,Shimizu K, Kondo R, Matsuoka K. Effect of an extract of Ganoderma lucidum in men with lower urinary tract symptoms: a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized and dose-ranging study. Asian J Androl. 2008 Jul;10(4):651-8. Epub 2007 Dec 20. PubMed PMID: 18097503.
  7. Noguchi M, Kakuma T, Tomiyasu K, Yamada A, Itoh K, Konishi F, Kumamoto S, Shimizu K, Kondo R, Matsuoka K. Randomized clinical trial of an ethanol extract of Ganoderma lucidum in men with lower urinary tract symptoms. Asian J Androl. 2008 Sep;10(5):777-85. Epub 2007 Dec 20. PubMed PMID: 18097505.
  8. Li EK, Tam LS, Wong CK, Li WC, Lam CW, Wachtel-Galor S, Benzie IF, Bao YX, Leung PC, Tomlinson B. Safety and efficacy of Ganoderma lucidum (lingzhi) and San Miao San supplementation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled pilot trial. Arthritis Rheum. 2007 Oct 15;57(7):1143-50. PubMed PMID: 17907228.
  9. Jang SH, Cho SW, Yoon HM, Jang KJ, Song CH, Kim CH. Hepatoprotective Evaluation of Ganoderma lucidum Pharmacopuncture: In vivo Studies of Ethanol-induced Acute Liver Injury. J Pharmacopuncture. 2014 Sep;17(3):16-24. doi: 10.3831/KPI.2014.17.022. PubMed PMID: 25780705; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4332019.
  10. Wu X, Zeng J, Hu J, Liao Q, Zhou R, Zhang P, Chen Z. Hepatoprotective effects of aqueous extract from Lingzhi or Reishi medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (higher basidiomycetes) on α-amanitin-induced liver injury in mice. Int J Med Mushrooms. 2013;15(4):383-91. PubMed PMID: 23796220.
  11. Chang SS, Zhou D, Meng GL, Wu F, Wang S, Chen X, Xu JL. [Effect of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides on oxidative stress of hyperlipidemic fatty liver in rats]. Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2012 Oct;37(20):3102-6. Chinese. PubMed PMID: 23311162.