Gano Life Is Great For Your Health Part 4

Extract from the United Kingdom Cancer Research Institute Ganoderma Lucidum: Ganoderma Lucidum and related species have 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, polysaccharide 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 oxidized 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. This mushroom possesses many different medicinal properties dependent on the stage and environment of its growth (Jong and Birmingham, 1992, Liu, 1999). Traditionally, it has been widely used in the treatment of hepatopathy, chronic hepatitis, nephritis, hypertension, arthritis, neurasthenia, insomnia, bronchitis, asthma and gastric ulcers. Scientific studies have confirmed that substances extracted from the mushroom can reduce blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels as well as inhibit platelet aggregations. Reishi extracts have been highly effective in alleviating altitude sickness and also in treating myotonia dystrophica. Several major biochemicals such as polysaccharides, proteins and triterpenoids with potent immuno-modulating action have been isolated from Ganoderma spp. The major immuno-modulating effects of these active substances include mitogenicity and activation of immune effector cells such as T cells, macrophages and natural killer cells resulting in the production of cytokines, including interleukins, tumor necrosis factor-á and interferons. The therapeutic action of G. lucidum as an anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agent has been associated with its immuno-modulating properties (Wang et al., 1977). While the extensive range of traditional medical treatments with this mushroom have not yet been fully substantiated by modern scientific standards they are being extensively scrutinized in the Far East and the USA (Chang, 1995, 1999, Chen and Miles, 1996). In view of its bitter taste and indigestible structure (often similar to varnished wood in appearance) this is not an edible mushroom but, in hot water extracted form, it is available worldwide in tablet and liquid products (Stamets, 1999). Please contact me for more information about Gano Life Ganoderma at ganoforlifeusa@gmail.com.