Reishi
Japanese name of Ganoderma lucidum or Ling Zhi
Reishi has the longest historical usage for medicinal purposes, dating back at least four millennia (Zhao and Zeuny, 1994). In Japan it is called Reishi or Mannetake (10,000 year mushroom) and in China and Korea it is variously called Ling Chu, Ling Chih and Ling Zhi (Mushroom of Immortality). It is the mushroom most depicted in ancient Japanese, Korean and Chinese Art and has been extensively depicted in Chinese royal tapestries. Reishi is also widely used in the Orient as a talisman to protect a person or home against evil. The fungus grows in many parts of the world and in Japan is to be found mainly on old plum trees. Originally, rare and expensive it can now be artificially cultivated, which makes it more accessible and affordable. The mushroom and mycelium contain steroids, lactones, alkaloids,polyssacharides and triterpenes. Pharmacologically, a number of the water-soluble polysaccharides have demonstrated antitumour and immunostimulating activities. At least 100 different alcohol-soluble triterpenes have been identified including highly oxidised lanostane-type triterpenoids such as ganoderic, ganoderenic, lucidenic, and ganolucidic acids. These triterpenoids have been shown to possess adaptogenic and antihypertensive as well as anti-allergic properties.
(Cancer Research UK)
Reishi has the longest historical usage for medicinal purposes, dating back at least four millennia (Zhao and Zeuny, 1994). In Japan it is called Reishi or Mannetake (10,000 year mushroom) and in China and Korea it is variously called Ling Chu, Ling Chih and Ling Zhi (Mushroom of Immortality). It is the mushroom most depicted in ancient Japanese, Korean and Chinese Art and has been extensively depicted in Chinese royal tapestries. Reishi is also widely used in the Orient as a talisman to protect a person or home against evil. The fungus grows in many parts of the world and in Japan is to be found mainly on old plum trees. Originally, rare and expensive it can now be artificially cultivated, which makes it more accessible and affordable. The mushroom and mycelium contain steroids, lactones, alkaloids,polyssacharides and triterpenes. Pharmacologically, a number of the water-soluble polysaccharides have demonstrated antitumour and immunostimulating activities. At least 100 different alcohol-soluble triterpenes have been identified including highly oxidised lanostane-type triterpenoids such as ganoderic, ganoderenic, lucidenic, and ganolucidic acids. These triterpenoids have been shown to possess adaptogenic and antihypertensive as well as anti-allergic properties.
(Cancer Research UK)
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