Lucidum Mushroom Research Articles

High Processing Tolerances of Immunomodulatory Proteins in Enoki and Reishi Mushrooms

This study investigated the processing tolerances of two mushroom proteins with immunomodulatory activities, including FVE from Enoki ( Flammulia velutipes ) and LZ8 from Reishi ( Ganoderma lucidum ) mushrooms, under food processing treatments such as heating, sterilization, frozen storage, extraction in acid/alkaline conditions, and dehydration. Results showed that the capability of these two proteins to induce IFN-gamma secretion by murine splenocytes remained after 100 degrees C heating for 30 min, 121 degrees C autoclaving for 15 min, and -80 degrees C freezing. The retained activities of both proteins on cell proliferation and IFN-gamma production did not decrease at 0.6 M hydrochloric acid (at pH 2) but strikingly dropped at 5 M sodium hydrate (at pH 13). After vacuum dehydration, FVE and LZ8 retained most of their activities on cell proliferation; nevertheless, the IFN-gamma secretion decreased to about half of the initial values. These findings suggest that these two mushroom proteins have a good thermal/freezing resistance, acid tolerance, and dehydration stability and are candidates for processing in food and nutraceutical utilization.

Chinese Medicine and Biomodulation in Cancer Patients—Part Two

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is a whole system containing therapeutic interventions that individually induce biomodulation at the physiologic, chemical, and molecular levels. The theory of TCM proposes a synergy between specific interventions selected as part of a care plan based on TCM diagnostic theory. Combining TCM with the modern practice of oncology seems, in conjunction with biomedical interventions (surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and pharmaceuticals), to have potential advantages through the synergy of biomodulation. Biomodulation approaches are broadly categorized as modification of tumour response and reduction of adverse effects; modulation of immunity; prevention of cancer progression; and enhancement of symptom control. Although the database of preclinical studies is rapidly expanding, good-quality clinical trials are notably scarce. Laboratory studies suggest that some herbs increase the effectiveness of conventional chemotherapy without increasing toxicity. A healthy immune system is necessary for control of malignant disease, and the immune suppression associated with cancer contributes to its progression. Many Chinese herbs contain glycoproteins and polysaccharides (among them, constituents of Coriolus versicolor, Ganoderma lucidum, Grifola frondosa, Astragalus membranaceus, Panax ginseng, and various other medicinal mushrooms) that can modulate metastatic potential and the innate immune system. Phytochemicals such as specific polysaccharides have been shown to boost the innate immune system, especially through interaction with Toll-like receptors in mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue. This intervention can potentially improve the effectiveness of new anticancer vaccines. An increase in virus-associated cancers presents a major public health problem that requires novel therapeutic strategies. A number of herbal therapies have both antiviral activity and the ability to promote immunity, possibly inhibiting the initiation and promotion of virus-associated cancers. The mechanisms learned from basic science should be applied to clinical trials both of specific interventions and of whole-system care plans that safely combine the TCM approach with the conventional biomedical model. In Western medicine, the combination of TCM herbs with drug therapies is controversial, given lack of knowledge concerning whether a drug is favourably enhanced or whether adverse effects occur. Using initial data from the preclinical studies, future clinical research needs to evaluate the combinations, some of which are showing favourable synergy.

Effects of aqueous extract of Ganoderma lucidum on blood glucose levels of normoglycemic and alloxan-induced diabetic wistar rats

Ganoderma lucidum mushroom has long been used as a potent medicinal plant in the far East, but its ethnomedicinal importance in Nigeria is yet to be fully realized. The effects of the aqueous extract on blood glucose levels of alloxan induced and normal Wistar rats have been investigated. Three doses of the extract (250, 500 and 1000 mg/Kg) were administered intraperitoneally. The dose of 250 mg/Kg of the extract did not significantly alter the blood glucose levels of both normal and alloxan induced diabetic Wistar rats. However, the doses of 500 and 1000 mg/Kg of the extract did significantly (p<0.05) decrease the blood glucose levels of alloxan diabetic Wistar rats at 4, 8 and 24 h. In normal rats, the dose of 1000 mg/Kg of the extract significantly (p<0.05) decrease the blood glucose levels at 8 and 24 h only. In conclusion, the dose of 1000 mg/Kg of the extract has shown both significant (p<0.05) hypoglycemic and anti-hyperglycemic effects in Wistar rats.

Influence of the extracts isolated from Ganoderma lucidum mushroom on some microorganisms

Ganoderma lucidum (Leyss.: Fr) Karst, a mushroom-like fungus is one of the most famous traditional Chinese medicinal herbs. It received wide popularity as a healthy food and medicine in the Far East for more than 2000 years because of its high medicinal value. One of very interesting aspects of G. lucidum's performance is antimicrobial effect due to the extracts derived from this mushroom, which contain bacteriolitic enzyme, lysozyme and acid protease. The effects of these extracts depend on their composition extraction mode and refining. Bioactive components isolated from several G. lucidum's strains showed different effects on the investigated microorganisms. In some cases, the influence was very intensive, with inhibitory or stimulating effect, while some of them did not show any influence on the investigated microorganisms.

Purification and characterization of a novel fungi Se-containing protein from Se-enriched Ganoderma Lucidum mushroom and its Se-dependent radical scavenging activity

Our previous studies have established that Ganoderma lucidum (GL) can biotransform inorganic selenium into organic selenium, which was stored preferentially in its water-soluble protein component. In the present study, a novel water-soluble fungi Se-containing protein, named as Se–GL–P, has been purified for the first time from the Se-enriched GL to establish the relationship between the antioxidant activity of protein and its Se content. This protein was isolated and purified to homogeneity using ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by two consecutive anion exchange chromatography and size exclusion chromatography. This protein in its native state was identified as a monomer of 36,600 Da estimated by 19.8% weight carbohydrate. The protein is acidic (pI=4.0) and rich in Asp, Glu, Gly, and Ala. The N-terminal shows a sequence of DINGGGATLPQKLYLTPDVL, suggesting that this protein belongs to a family of D I N G protein. The Se-content of this protein (4.87 mg Se/g protein) is ∼3-fold larger than that of the water-soluble protein extract (1.91 mg Se per protein). Perfectly consistent with its higher Se-content, the protein exhibits approximately three times stronger activity of scavenging superoxide and hydroxyl radicals as compared to the water-soluble protein extract, a finding demonstrating that the increasing antioxidant property of this protein depends quantitatively on its Se content.

Phase I study of a methanol extract of Ganoderma lucidum, edible and medicinal mushroom, in men with mild symptoms of bladder outlet obstruction

A methanol extract of G lucidum shows the strongest 5α-reductase inhibitory activity among the extracts of 19 edible and medicinal mushrooms (J Wood Sci. 51:189–192, 2005). A phase I clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the extract of G lucidum in men with mild symptoms of bladder outlet obstruction (BOO).

A Study on the Effect of Ganoderma lucidum (W.Curt.: Fr.) Lloyd in Indian HIV Carriers

Over the past decade, substantial progress has been made in defining strategies for treatment of disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), in which natural products can serve as a source of structurally novel chemicals that are worth investigating as specific inhibitors of HIV as well as its essential enzymes, protease (PR), and reverse transcriptase (RT). Therefore, it is necessary to identify and develop new anti-HIV agents without adverse side effects and viral resistance. Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi), belonging to the higher Basidiomycetes, appears to be very safe because oral administration of the extract did not display any toxicity. A literature survey revealed that the medicinal effect of G. lucidum was not investigated in India, and, hence, the present study was carried out to investigate the effect of supplementation of G. lucidum in Indian HIV carriers.Ganoderma lucidum is one of the valuable crude drugs, which has been used in China and Japan as a traditional Chinese medicine or folk medicine for the treatment of various diseases. In the present study, 25 confirmed HIV-1 human subjects were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria and administered with fruit body of G. lucidum for 90 days. Prior to and after 90 days of supplementation with G. lucidum, the level of HIV viral load, lymphocyte enumeration (percentage of CD3, CD4, CD8, and absolute CD4, CD8 counts), total leukocyte count, WBC differential count, and IgA, IgG, IgM, and liver function tests were estimated. Estimation of HIV viral load revealed that viral load was not increased in HIV carriers after supplementation of G. lucidum, which indicates that the replication of the human immunodeficiency virus was inhibited in HIV carriers. But there was no significant decrease of HIV viral load. It was observed that the mean percentage of CD3 and CD8 were not changed significantly after supplementation, but the percentage of CD4 was significantly increased from 18.77 ± 3.25 to 23.89 ± 4.04. However, the increase was statistically significant (p < 0.01). Similarly, mean absolute CD8 count was not altered, but mean absolute CD4 count also increased from 211.60 ± 56.97 (cells/mL) to 355.60 ± 90.73 (cells/mL). This increase was statistically significant (p < 0.01). Total leukocyte count, WBC differential count, and IgA, IgM, and IgG levels were not altered significantly in HIV carriers. The results of liver function tests obtained also indicated that the supplementation of G. lucidum was harmless because they did not show any toxic effects in HIV carriers. It is concluded that the supplementation of G. lucidum mushroom may reduce the risk of developing AIDS in Indian HIV carriers.

Effects of Ganoderma lucidum Extract on Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting in a Rat Model

Chemotherapy is highly cytotoxic, causing a number of severe adverse effects such as nausea and vomiting. Herbal medicines, which can often be used on a daily basis for prolonged treatment, may be clinically beneficial. Ganoderma lucidum or Lingzhi mushroom has been recognized as a remedy in treating a number of medical conditions, including balancing immunity and decreasing drug-induced side effects. It has been shown that rats react to emetic stimuli, like the chemotherapy agent cisplatin, by increased consumption of kaolin, known as pica; and this rat model has been utilized to evaluate novel anti-emetic compounds. In this study, we evaluated the effects of a G. lucidum extract (SunRecome, the most commonly used Lingzhi mushroom extract in China) in attenuating cisplatin-induced nausea and vomiting in the rat pica model. We observed that intraperitoneal cisplatin injection caused a significant increase in kaolin intake at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours, reflecting cisplatin's nausea and vomiting action. This cisplatin-induced kaolin intake dose-dependently decreased after 1, 3 and 10 mg/kg G. lucidum extract injection (p < 0.01). In addition, there was a significant reduction of food intake after cisplatin. The cisplatin-induced food intake reduction improved significantly after G. lucidum extract administrations in a dose-related manner (p < 0.01), suggesting a supportive effect of the extract on general body condition. Future controlled clinical trials are needed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of this herbal medication.

Clinical Studies and Immunomodulating Effects of Ganoderma Lucidum Mushroom on HIV and AIDS Patients in Thailand

Clinical Studies and Immunomodulating Effects of Ganoderma Lucidum Mushroom on HIV and AIDS Patients in Thailand

Dietary effect of Ganoderma lucidum mushroom on blood pressure and lipid levels in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).

Dietary effect of Ganoderma lucidum mushroom on blood pressure and lipid levels in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).