Triterpenoids of Ganoderma lucidum are mainly in the peripheral part of the fruiting body, and the content increases with the maturity of the fruiting body. Triterpenoids are somewhat bitter, some have no bitter taste, and their content varies depending on the variety, culture conditions and different growth stages. Ganoderma lucidum with bitter taste is generally higher in triterpenoids.
Physiological and biochemical research
Studies on the physiological and biochemical processes of Ganoderma lucidum have shown that triterpenoids belong to the secondary metabolites of Ganoderma lucidum.
In the study of the physiological ecology and life history of Ganoderma lucidum, it was found that the fruiting bodies are produced after the primary hyphae, the secondary and the three hyphae. During the mycelium, when enough pre-structural substances of the triterpenoids are accumulated, the mushrooms can be produced (ie, from asexual reproduction to sexual reproduction), and the fruiting bodies are produced. In the process of maturity of the fruiting bodies, the triterpenoids are biochemically integrated and become physiologically active triterpenoids. So Ganoderma lucidum triterpenoids are the first and second metabolites of Ganoderma lucidum mycelium.
Therefore, all products made from the fermentation of Ganoderma lucidum mycelium have little or very little triterpenoid content due to the late maturity of the fruiting bodies. At the same time, the content of triterpenoids in immature fruiting bodies is not much, only the mature fruiting bodies that grow for 1 to 2 months, the content of triterpenoids is high. This is the reason why the products or preparations of different Ganoderma lucidum are different in price, quality and efficacy.
Due to the particularity of Ganoderma lucidum triterpenoids and their extensive physiological functions, The content of Ganoderma lucidum triterpenoids is an important indicator for judging the quality of Ganoderma lucidum products.
Pharmacological research
With further science research on Ganoderma lucidum, more than 350 chemical components have been isolated, many of which have the effects of anti-tumor, liver-protecting, hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, and enhancing mononuclear phagocytic cell lines and NK cells, enhancement of humoral immune function, anti-radiation, analgesia, sedation and anti-aging. Among them, there are more than 170 kinds of triterpenoids.
The scientists of the Nanjing Institute of Chinese Academy of Sciences and the molecular laboratory of the French Academy of Medical Sciences led by the academician Amu Therwath have explored the secrets of Ganoderma lucidum triterpenoids. After several years of research and a large number of experiments, it is proved that not all Ganoderma lucidum triterpenoids have anti-cancer effects, and tetracyclic triterpene and pentacyclic triterpenoids in Ganoderma lucidum spores can directly or indirectly kill tumor cells. Academician Amu Therwath took the lanostane type of tetracyclic triterpenes as an example, indicating that its structural characteristics are: A/B, B/C, and C/D rings are all trans; C10 and C13 have β- CH3; the C17 position is a β-side chain; the C14 position has an α-CH3; and the C20 position is an R configuration.
The lanosterene-type tetracyclic triterpenoid of Ganoderma lucidum extract showed inhibition of hepatic malignant cells in the study, but had no inhibitory effect on normal hepatocytes, and the mechanism was to rapidly decrease the activity of cell growth regulatory proteins PKC and p38 MAP kinase, and delay the activation of JNK. They are mostly highly oxidized derivatives of lanostere. They have three skeletons, C30, C27 and C24. For example, lucidenic acid A belongs to the lanosterane type of C27 skeleton.
Above all, tetracyclic triterpenes and pentacyclic triterpenes from Ganoderma lucidum have strong inhibiting and poisoning effects on malignant tumors.
Leave A Comment