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Ganoderma lucidum (reishi), a Chinese medicinal mushroom: biomarker responses in a controlled human supplementation study. Br J Nutr. 2004 Feb;91(2):263-9. Lingzhi (Ganoderma lucidum, reishi) is a woody mushroom highly regarded in traditional medicine and is widely consumed in the belief that it promotes health and longevity, lowers the risk of cancer and heart disease and boosts the immune system. However, objective scientific validation of the putative health benefits of reishi in human subjects is lacking, and issues of possible toxicity must be addressed. The present double-blinded, placebo-controlled, cross-over intervention study investigated the effects of 4 weeks reishi supplementation on a range of biomarkers for antioxidant status, CHD risk, DNA damage, immune status, and inflammation, as well as markers of liver and renal toxicity. It was performed as a follow-up to a study that showed that antioxidant power in plasma increased after reishi ingestion, and that 10 d supplementation was associated with a trend towards an improved CHD biomarker profile. In the present study, fasting blood and urine from healthy, consenting adults (n 18; aged 22-52 years) was collected before and after 4 weeks supplementation with a commercially available encapsulated reishi preparation (1.44 g reishi/d; equivalent to 13.2 g fresh mushroom/d) or placebo. No significant change in any of the variables was found, although a slight trend toward lower lipids was again seen, and antioxidant capacity in urine increased. The results showed no evidence of liver, renal or DNA toxicity with reishi intake, and this is reassuring. The present study of the effects in healthy, well-nourished subjects provides useful, new scientific data that will support controlled intervention trials using at-risk subjects in order to assess the therapeutic effect of reishi in the promotion of healthy ageing. Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi) in cancer treatment. Integr Cancer Ther. 2003 Dec;2(4):358-64. The popular edible mushroom Reishi has been widely used for the general promotion of health and longevity in Asian countries. The dried powder of reishi was popular as a cancer chemotherapy agent in ancient China. The authors recently demonstrated that reishi inhibits constitutively active transcription factors nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) and AP-1, which resulted in the inhibition of expression of urokinasetype plasminogen activator and its receptor uPAR. Reishi also suppressed cell adhesion and cell migration of highly invasive breast and prostate cancer cells, suggesting its potency to reduce tumor invasiveness. Thus, reishi clearly demonstrates anticancer activity in experiments with cancer cells and has possible therapeutic potential as a dietary supplement for an alternative therapy for breast and prostate cancer. However, because of the availability of reishi from different sources, it is advisable to test its biologic activity. Effects of ganopoly (a Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide extract) on the immune functions in advanced-stage cancer patients. Immunol Invest. 2003 Aug;32(3):201-15. Preclinical studies have established that the Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide (reishi) fractions have potent anti-tumor activity, which has been associated with the immuno-stimulating effects of reishi. However, it is unclear whether reishi has immuno-modulating effects in humans in vivo. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Ganopoly, the polysaccharides fractions extracted from reishi, on the immune function of advanced-stage cancer patients. Thirty-four advance-stage cancer patients were entered onto this study, and treated with 1800 mg Ganopoly (reishi), three times daily orally before meals for 12 weeks. Immune parameters (cytokines, T cell subsets, and natural killer activity) were compared between baseline and after 12-week treatment. Thirty patients are assessable for their immune functions. Treatment of reishi for 12 weeks resulted in a significant increase in the mean plasma concentrations of interleukin (IL-2), IL-6, and interferon (IFN)- gamma, whereas the levels of IL-1 and tumor necrosis factor TNF-alpha) were significantly decreased. A marked variability among patients with advanced-stage cancer was observed in the numbers of each lymphocyte subset at baseline. The mean absolute number of CD56+ cells was significantly increased after 12-week treatment of reishi, whereas the numbers of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ were just marginally increased compared to baseline levels, with the CD4:CD8 T cell ratios unchanged. In addition, reishi treatment resulted in a significant increase in the mean NK activity compared to baselines. The present study indicates that Ganopoly enhanced the immune responses in patients with advanced-stage cancer. Clinical evaluations of response and toxicity are ongoing. Mechanism of the antiulcerogenic effect of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (reishi) on indomethacin-induced lesions in the rat. Life Sci. 2002 Dec 27;72(6):731-45. Many cytokines, in particular tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha have been known to play an important role in the pathogenesis of gastric mucosal lesions caused by various factors such as drugs and Helicobacter pylori infection. Our previous studies have shown that the polysaccharide fractions isolated from the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma lucidum (reishi) prevented indomethacin- and acetic acid-induced gastric mucosal lesions in the rat. However, the mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether reishi had a direct mucosal healing effect in the indomethacin-treated rat, and to explore the possible mechanisms by determining the gastric mucosal mRNA and protein levels of TNF-alpha and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity. These findings indicated that reishi produced a mucosal healing effect in the rat model, perhaps due partly to the suppression of TNF-alpha. Please contact me for more information about Gano Life Ganoderma at ganoforlifeusa@gmail.com.