As a well known herb, Ganoderma lucidum is regarded as safe and is listed in the safest drug class in the American Herbal Products Association Botanical Safety Handbook with no reported herb-drug interactions. Recent human clinical trials with Ganoderma lucidum have included laboratory safety parameters such as hepatic, renal, and hematological biomarkers and no pathological abnormality or serious adverse event [...]
Inflammation is a physiological response to harmful stimuli that are physical, chemical, or biological in nature. A number of inflammatory markers, such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1, and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, have been shown to be associated with obesity, metabolic syndrome, and an elevated risk of chronic diseases. Elevated circulating levels of [...]
Hypoglycaemic activity of Ganoderma polysaccharides Hypoglycaemic effects of polysaccharides from Ganoderma lucidum have been exhibited in several in vitro and in vivo studies. Ganoderma polysaccharides showed a protective effect against alloxan-induced damage to pancreatic islets in vitro. Pre-treatment with intragastric Ganoderma polysaccharides (50-200mg/kg) for 10days produced hypoglycaemic effects via its scavenging ability to protect the pancreatic β-cells from alloxan-induced necrosis. Ganoderma polysaccharides (25-100mg/kg) given by single intraperitoneal injections to normal fasted mice reduced [...]
Dyslipidaemia which is characterised by decreased levels of HDL-C and accompanied with increased levels of TG, apo B, and small dense LDL particles, is an important modifiable risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis and CVD. Guidelines for the treatment of lipid disorders recommend initiating treatment with the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors or statins. In [...]
Hypoglycaemic activity of Ganoderma triterpenoids A series of in vitro studies have showed that Ganoderma lucidum (fruiting bodies) extract, including reishi spore oil and reishi spore powder, has a strong inhibitory effect on human aldose reductase activity. Ganoderic acid Df, a lanostane-type triterpenoid, exhibited potent aldose reductase inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 22.8µM. It was subsequently demonstrated that ganoderol B, which was isolated [...]
The latest guidelines for the hypertension(high pressure) management recommend initiating antihypertensive drug therapy in most patients with a combination of two different drugs from the classes of thiazide diuretics, calcium channel blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARBs). Ganoderma lucidum triterpenes and proteins have been demonstrated to possess potent ACE-inhibitory properties in vitro. It showed that the protein [...]
The hypoglycaemic effects of various extracts from Ganoderma lucidum have been studied in different animal models of diabetes and in in vitro experiments to identify mechanisms. The main in vitro, animal and clinical studies investigating the hypoglycaemic effects of Ganoderma lucidum are summarised in , respectively. In vitro studies on the hypoglycaemic effects of Ganoderma lucidum 1. Polysaccharides from the fruiting body of Ganoderma lucidum showed [...]
Free radicals are highly reactive and unstable molecules that are produced in the body naturally as a byproduct of metabolism. Free radicals are beneficial to the cell signalling and immune system, as well as maintenance of normal body functioning. However, excessive formation or insufficient removal of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) may [...]
Ganoderma lucidum(also called G. lucidum, reishi, lingzhi) has numerous different biologically active constituents, the main ones include various triterpenes, polysaccharides, and proteins. The pharmacologically active compounds are present in different amounts in various parts of G. lucidum such as the fruiting bodies, mycelium, and spores. Triterpenes Terpenes are a large and diverse group of naturally occurring [...]
Various parts of sea buckthorn are characterized by a unique composition of bioactive compounds: phenolic compounds, vitamins (especially vitamin C), unsaturated fatty acids, and phytosterols such as beta-sitosterol. Sea buckthorn berries, together with the juices, jams, and oils, have a range of beneficial antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects. It has anti-proliferation properties and can induce apoptosis [...]