Lucid ganoderma tea Ling zhi slice
LATIN NAME: GANODERMA LUCIDUM
COMMON NAME: Reishi, Ling Zhi
The Ganoderma lucidum, or reishi, is one of the most famous and widely used of the medicinal fungi, and its glossy, kidney-shaped, reddish-brown fruiting bodies which grow on the dead hardwood and its long history of use in the traditional medicine have made it a subject of the research and the health-food industry across the world. It grows as a parasitic or saprophytic fungus of the ganoderma family, with the fungal mycelium growing in the wood of the dead or dying hardwood trees, and bearing, when the conditions are right, the glossy, kidney-shaped, reddish-brown, woody fruiting bodies with the distinctive, lacquered appearance and the white, pore-bearing underside. It is a species of the fungus, found in the warm, humid forests of the East Asia and the other regions, while it has been used in the traditions for thousands of years and is now widely cultivated, and it is known as the reishi or the ling zhi.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The reishi has a real and distinguished place in research. It has been studied in the chemistry and the natural-products science, since the Ganoderma lucidum contains a range of compounds including the triterpenes and the polysaccharides, and the researchers have examined the fruiting bodies, the mycelium, their constituents and their composition, while the study of the medicinal fungi has drawn attention in the international natural-products press, and the fungus is best appreciated as a subject of study and a traditional material rather than a casual remedy. The fungus has also been studied in the biology and the ecology, since the reishi is a wood-decay fungus of the warm, humid forests, and the researchers have examined its life cycle, its ecology and its role in the forest ecosystems, while the study of the wood-decay fungi has been of continuing interest. The species has also been studied in the biotechnology, since the wild reishi is rare and the cultivated forms are widely available, and the researchers have developed the cultivation methods for the mycelium and the fruiting bodies, while the glossy, kidney-shaped fruiting bodies of the reishi have been of interest to the mycologists and the biotechnologists. For a fungus of such fame, the Ganoderma lucidum has a rich and distinguished record of research.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
To cultivate the Reishi, the reishi is a wood-decay fungus of the warm, humid forests, bearing the glossy, kidney-shaped, reddish-brown fruiting bodies on the dead hardwood. Its role in the forest ecosystems helps to decompose the dead wood and recycle the nutrients, and its glossy, distinctive fruiting bodies give a fine presence in the forest and the medicinal garden. Its economic value is real: the reishi is prized as a medicinal fungus and a traditional material, and its value has drawn attention in the international natural-products and biotechnological press, while the glossy fruiting bodies and the wide cultivation have made it a favourite of the medicinal mushroom industry and the health-food industry, and the fungus is a useful product for the nutritional supplements and the traditional medicine. To cultivate the reishi, grow the fungus on a suitable hardwood log or sawdust substrate in a clean, warm, humid, dark place, keep the substrate gently moist, and harvest the fruiting bodies when mature.
grow the fungus on a suitable hardwood log or sawdust substrate in a clean, warm, humid, dark place, keep the substrate gently moist, and harvest the fruiting bodies when mature.
Description Lingzhi is a polypore mushroom that is soft (when fresh), corky, and flat, with a conspicuous red-varnished, kidney-shaped cap and, depending on specimen age, white to dull brown pores underneath.It lacks gills on its underside and releases its spores through fine pores, leading to its morphological classification as a polypore Current usage Lingzhi can be found for sale in many Asian markets as well as Western health shops. Extracts of 'lingzhi,' which may also be called 'reishi' are also available. In general, a hot water extract is best at concentrating the polysaccharides in lingzhi and alcohol extracts are best at concentrating the triterpenoids in lingzhi but an extract can also be made with a blend of both extracts Medicinal uses Lingzhi may possess some anti-tumor, immunomodulatory and immunotherapeutic activities, supported by some studies on polysaccharides, terpenes, and other bioactive compounds isolated from fruiting bodies and mycelia of this fungus (reviewed by R. R. Paterson). However, the efficacy of these compounds in the treatment of cancer has not yet been shown in clinical trials. Moreover, as with any herb, variation between preparations and potential negative side effects cannot be ruled out. It is understood as adaptogenic, anti-allergenic and anti-hypertensive due to the presence of triterpenes. Apart from these properties, lingzhi has been found to be anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anti-parasitic, anti-fungal, antidiabetic, anti- hypotensive, and protective of the liver. It has also been found to inhibit platelet aggregation, and to lower blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. Because of these properties, lingzhi has been regarded as blood pressure stabilizer, antioxidant, analgesic, a kidney and nerve tonic. It has been used in bronchitis prevention and in cardiovascular treatment, and in the treatment of high triglycerides, high blood pressure, hepatitis, allergies, chemotherapy support, HIV support, and even for fatigue and altitude sickness. Some peer-reviewed studies indicate that ganoderic acid has some protective effects against liver injury by viruses and other toxic agents in mice, suggesting a potential benefit of this compound in the treatment of liver diseases in humans. Although the experiences in fighting cancer are more inconsistent, the extract has been claimed to be effective in regressing tumors. The results depend on the type of cancer and the severity of the condition. It is usually recommended that it be used in combination with other prescribed medical treatments and as part of a fu zheng formula with a variety of supporting herbs. The Ganoderma extract has been employed to help substantially reduce or eliminate the side-effects of radio- and chemotherapies if it is taken before, during and after the treatments. It has been found clinically to reduce side-effects like hair loss, nausea, vomiting, stomatitis, sore throat, loss of appetite and insomnia.