Also called reishi or ling zhi, Ganoderma lucidum has been used for 2,000 years or more in traditional Chinese medicine to treat fatigue, insomnia, coughs and asthma. Today, ganoderma is still sometimes used for healing and treating infections, as well as a variety of other medicinal purposes. Before you take ganoderma for any reason, consult your doctor to discuss the potential side effects, drug interactions and other health risks.
Identification
Ganoderma lucidum is a species of mushroom that grows on dead or decomposing tree stumps and logs in coastal areas of China, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Ganoderma is also cultivated in Japan, Taiwan and North America. Ganoderma, or reishi mushroom, is also known as ling chi, lin zi and the "mushroom of immortality," notes the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. The medicinal parts used are the mushroom's stem and cap. Ganoderma is related to other medicinal fungi like shiitake mushrooms, maitake and Coriolus versicolor, says the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Function
Ganoderma contains a wide variety of active constituents, including the polysaccharide beta-D-glucan, the sterol ergosterol, lipids, alkaloids, glucosides, ganderic acids, coumarins, amino acids, fungal lysozyme, riboflavin and ascorbic acid, according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. The beta-D-glucan and ganoderic acids are thought to give reishi its immune system-stimulating and blood-thinning properties. The ganoderic acids might act to lower blood pressure and LDL, or "bad cholesterol," levels, notes the University of Michigan Health System. Additionally, ganoderma is considered an "adaptogen," meaning that it increases your body's ability to adapt to stress, says the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Effects
Ganoderma lucidum is most commonly used in traditional medicine to modulate the immune system and improve the body's resistance to stress, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Ganderma appears to strengthen your immune system function when needed or suppress an overactive immune system. In this way, reishi mushroom may help to fight various infections, including viral infections and related conditions like hepatitis, says the University of Michigan Health System.
Potential
Ganoderma might have the potential to help treat high cholesterol, hypertension and fatigue, according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. The mushroom could provide some health benefits if you have HIV/AIDS and may increase your physical strength and stamina. You could also take ganoderma to help treat altitude sickness, certain autoimmune diseases, insomnia, multiple sclerosis, stomach ulcers or diabetes, says the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Reishi may even have possible benefits for reducing your risks for cancer or supporting its treatment, supposedly by the remedy's effects on the immune system. No widely-accepted medical research supports the use of ganoderma to treat or prevent any health problem, however.
Warning
The most common side effects associated with taking ganoderma are dry nose and throat, nausea and vomiting, itching, and stomach upset, says the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Dizziness, nosebleeds and adverse reactions in pregnant or breastfeeding women are also potential side effects of reishi mushroom, warns the University of Michigan Health System. Ganoderma may interfere with certain medications, increasing the effects of drugs for high blood pressure and blood-thinners like Coumadin. Because reishi can stimulate your immune-system response, the remedy could also inhibit the effects of immunosuppressant medications.
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