Background of Ganoderma Lucidum (Reshi) Mushroom
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Usually known as Reishi or Ling zhi, Ganoderma Lucidum is one of the highest ranked medicines in Chinese medicine and has extended to usage in Japanese and Korean medicine as well as having some prevalence in the West.
Its mechanisms are diverse, but are usually localized around moderating the immune system (reducing its activity when overstimulated, increasing its effects when deficient) and proliferating the immune system at the same time, increasing the amount of active cells and thus the potential for their effects.
Ganoderma also possesses anti-oxidative effects, and can act on a few other systems such as aldose reductase (which can help with diabetic symptoms) and 5-alpha redutase (which can help with prostate cancer risk). Due to these effects paired with the modulation of the immune system, Ganoderma Lucidum shows promise in being therapeutic for insulin resistance, prostate cancer risk, and a variety of conditions correlated with metabolic syndrome.
It is also well known and touted for its anti-cancer effects, which are secondary to both potentiating the immune system (usually through activation of natural killer cells, and increasing tumor necrosis factor-alpha) and also some other mechanisms that allow Ganoderma to be synergistic within itself in reducing tumor growth and reducing the chance of metastasis.
Although it awaits replication in more trials, it shows promise in a wide variety of cancer-related and therapeutic goals; Reishi has demonstrated efficacy as an adjunct therapy (taken alongside other medications) for breast cancer, hepatitis, fatigue syndrome and prostate cancer in human trials so far.
RESEARCH: Derived from the cap and stem of the mushroom, reishi mushroom is used as an immunestimulant by patients with HIV and cancer. The active constituents are thought to include both beta-glucan polysaccharides and triterpenes54. Extracts of reishi can stimulate macrophages, alter the levels of TNF and interleukins55,56, inhibit platelet aggregation57.
Clinical studies indicate that Reishi extracts improve lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in men58,59, exert mild antidiabetic effects and may improve dyslipidaemia60.
In vitro and animal studies indicate that reishi has chemopreventive effects61, alleviates chemotherapy-induced nausea62, enhances the efficacy of radiotherapy63, and increases the sensitivity of ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin64. It was also effective in preventing cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity65.
In small clinical studies, reishi increased plasma antioxidant capacity66, and enhanced immune responses in advance-stage cancer patients67. Remission of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been reported in a few cases68.
