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Reishi |
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Mushroom |
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Ganoderma lucidum |
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An immunostimulating Chinese tonic used to support
those with cancer, HIV & age-related degeneration; popular for tumor
prevention. |
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| Reishi is the Japanese
name for the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma lucidum, a fungus known
to infect hardwood trees, particularly oak and (in Japan) old plum
trees. The Chinese name for this mushroom is Ling-zhi, which means
"spirit plant". The genus name, Ganoderma, comes from the Greek
‘ganos’ for shining, and ‘derma’ for skin. The species name ‘lucidum’
comes from Latin and also means "shining or brilliant". Reishi mushrooms
are reddish-orange to blackish in color with a stalk which attaches from
the side to the cap. In traditional Chinese medicine, it is thought that
there are six different kinds of reishi, classified by color, with red
being the most potent. They have been used in China and Japan for over
4,000 years as a traditional medicine for treating hepatitis,
hypertension, arthritis, asthma, bronchitis, and ulcers, as well as to
increase longevity and prevent cancer and age-related degenerative
diseases. Prior to recent success in reishi cultivation, reishi was
quite rare in the wild and very expensive to obtain. The chemistry of
reishi is quite complex and includes a vast array of constituents
including immunostimulatory polysaccharides, reducing sugars,
glycoproteins, amino acids, steroids, many triterpenoids including
ganoderic acids, ganoderenic acids, ganolucidic acids, and lucidenic
acids, proteins, polypeptides, choline, betaine, lipids, sterols,
including ergosterol and b-sitosterol,
lactones, and alkaloids. These diverse components likewise have many
interesting pharmacological activities. Many of the polysaccharides
isolated have been shown to possess antitumor and immunostimulating
properties, including the ability to increase macrophage production of
tumor necrosis factor (TNF-a)
and various interleukins, as well as increasing both RNA and DNA
synthesis of bone marrow cells, increasing DNA synthesis of spleen
cells, and enhancing natural killer cell (NK) activity in vitro
in mice. The glycans, ganoderans A & B showed hypoglycemic activity in
mice, whereas the many triterpenoids, which contribute to reishi’s
bitter taste, have been shown to lower blood pressure levels and to have
adaptogenic actions. Others have been shown to possess anti-inflammatory
and anti-allergenic effects, inhibiting histamine release, thus
preventing inflammation and allergic hypersensitivity. Reishi has also
been reported to provide hormone precursors due to its sterol content
and has also been shown to inhibit blood platelet aggregation due to ots
adenosine content. Research has shown reishi extracts to exhibit
antibacterial, antiviral (including anti-HIV and anti-hepatitis B
activity), and antioxidant activities. It is also known to have a tonic
effect on the heart and circulatory system, lowering blood cholesterol
levels and improving coronary blood flow. Other studies have shown
reishi to have antitussive and expectorant properties, improving coughs
and respiratory ailments. Another potential benefit that reishi mushroom
extract offers is its liver-protective and detoxifying effects, which
have been utilized by many as protection against radiation and
chemotherapy, both before and after exposure. The clinical effectiveness
of reishi is still not fully substantiated by scientific standards, but
has shown a long history of safe usage for a wide range of conditions
and has been used extensively throughout Asia and around the world
without any known toxic effects. Due to its inhibitory effects on
platelet aggregation, it is not advised to use reishi in combination
with other anticoagulant drugs. |
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