Tinctura Reishi 30ml (Ganoderma lucidum)

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), the lingzhi mushroom or reishi mushroom is a species complex that encompasses several fungal species of the genus Ganoderma, most commonly the closely related species Ganoderma lucidum, Ganoderma tsugae, and Ganoderma lingzhi. G. lingzhi enjoys special veneration in East Asia, where it has been used as a medicinal mushroom in traditional Chinese medicine for more than 2,000 years, making it one of the oldest mushrooms known to have been used medicinally.

Conk-like or kindey-like in shape, this woody-textured mushroom, 5-20 cm in diameter, has a shiny surface that appears lacquered when moist. The cap can be a dull red ro reddish brown, and sometimes nearly black in color. Reishi 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. Ganoderma lucidum, and its close relative Ganoderma tsugae, grow in the northern Eastern Hemlock forests. These two species of bracket fungus have a worldwide distribution in both tropical and temperate geographical regions, growing as a parasite or saprotroph on a wide variety of trees. Similar species of Ganoderma have been found growing in the Amazon.

 

Ganoderma lucidum is a potent immuno-modulaor, promising anti-cancer agent, and stress reducer. This mushroom is frequently used in traditional Chinese medicine.

 

In Chinese, the name "lingzhi" represents a combination of spiritual potency and essence of immortality, and is regarded as the “herb of spiritual potency,” symbolizing success, well-being, divine power, and longevity. Among cultivated mushrooms, G. lucidum is unique in that its pharmaceutical rather than nutritional value is paramount. A variety of commercial G. lucidum products are available in various forms, such as powders, dietary supplements, and tea. These are produced from different parts of the mushroom, including mycelia, spores, and fruit body. The specific applications and attributed health benefits of lingzhi include control of blood glucose levels, modulation of the immune system, hepatoprotection, bacteriostasis, and more. The various beliefs regarding the health benefits of G. lucidum are based largely on anecdotal evidence, traditional use, and cultural mores. However, recent reports provide scientific support to some of the ancient claims of the health benefits of lingzhi.

 

Reishi and historical use as medicinal maushroom

 

Reishi has been recognized as a medicinal mushroom for over 2000 years, and its powerful effects have been documented in ancient scripts. The proliferation of G. lucidum images in art began in 1400 AD, and they are associated with Taoism. However, G. lucidum images extended beyond religion and appeared in paintings, carvings, furniture, and even women’s accessories (Wasser 2005). The first book wholly devoted to the description of herbs and their medicinal value was Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing, written in the Eastern Han dynasty of China (25-220 AD). This book is also known as “Classic of the Materia Medica” or “Shen-nong’s Herbal Classics.” It describes botanical, zoological, and mineral substances, and was composed in the second century under the pseudonym of Shen-nong (“the holy farmer”; Zhu, 1998). The book, which has been continually updated and extended, describes the beneficial effects of several mushrooms with a reference to the medicinal mushroom G. lucidum (Zhu, 1998; Upton 2000; Sanodiya et al. 2009). In the Supplement to Classic of Materia Medica (502-536 AD) and the Ben Cao Gang Mu by Li Shin-Zhen, which is considered to be the first pharmacopoeia in China (1590 AD; Ming dynasty), the mushroom was attributed with therapeutic properties, such as tonifying effects, enhancing vital energy, strengthening cardiac function, increasing memory, and antiaging effects. According to the State Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China (2000), G. lucidum acts to replenish Qi, ease the mind, and relieve cough and asthma, and it is recommended for dizziness, insomnia, palpitation, and shortness of breath.

 

Medicinal properties of Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) and its preparations, specially mother tincture (Tinctura reishi) are well known for numerous  beneficial properties for human body and mind; 

• Boost immune system (Immuno-modulator)
• Promote anti-cancer effects
• Adaptogen
• Reduce fatigue
• Strengthen heart function
• Increase memory
• Detoxify the body

 

Health benefits of reishi mushrrom (Tinctura reishi)

 

Polysaccharides represent structurally diverse biological macromolecules with wide-ranging physiochemical properties (Zhou et al. 2007). Various polysaccharides have been extracted from the fruit body, spores, and mycelia of reishi; they are produced by fungal mycelia cultured in fermenters and can differ in their sugar and peptide compositions and molecular weight (e.g., ganoderans A, B, and C). G. lucidum polysaccharides (GL-PSs) are reported to exhibit a broad range of bioactivities, including anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, antiulcer, antitumorigenic, and immunostimulating effects (Miyazaki and Nishijima 1981; Hikino et al. 1985; Tomoda et al. 1986; Bao et al. 2001; Wachtel-Galor, Buswell et al. 2004).

The mushroom also consists of a matrix of the polysaccharide chitin, which is largely indigestible by the human body and is partly responsible for the physical hardness of the mushroom (Upton 2000). Numerous refined polysaccharide preparations extracted from G. lucidum are now marketed as over-the-counter treatment for chronic diseases, including cancer and liver disease (Gao et al. 2005).

Terpenes are a class of naturally occurring compounds whose carbon skeletons are composed of one or more isoprene C5 units. Examples of terpenes are menthol (monoterpene) and β-carotene (tetraterpene). Many are alkenes, although some contain other functional groups, and many are cyclic. These compounds are widely distributed throughout the plant world and are found in prokaryotes as well as eukaryotes. Terpenes have also been found to have anti-inflammatory, antitumorigenic, and hypolipidemic activity. Terpenes in Ginkgo biloba, rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis), and ginseng (Panax ginseng) are reported to contribute to the health-promoting effects of these herbs (Mahato and Sen 1997; Mashour, Lin, and Frishman 1998; Haralampidis, Trojanowska, and Osbourn 2002).

Triterpenes are a subclass of terpenes and have a basic skeleton of C30. In general, triterpenoids have molecular weights ranging from 400 to 600 kDa and their chemical structure is complex and highly oxidized (Mahato and Sen 1997; Zhou et al. 2007). Many plant species synthesize triterpenes as part of their normal program of growth and development. Some plants contain large quantities of triterpenes in their latex and resins, and these are believed to contribute to disease resistance. Although hundreds of triterpenes have been isolated from various plants and terpenes as a class have been shown to have many potentially beneficial effects, there is only limited application of triterpenes as successful therapeutic agents to date. In general, very little is known about the enzymes and biochemical pathways involved in their biosynthesis.