PhytoChi TM Ingredient

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, hypoglycaemic, anti-tumour, anticoagulant, hypolipemic and hypercholesterolemic, anti-cholinergic, antioxidant, immunomodulating, smooth muscle relaxant, antitussive, anti-asthmatic, vasodilative, diuretic, anabolic, anti-inflammatory, anti-fatigue and antibacterial, 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.