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The reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) is a beautiful fungus. The mushrooms, reishi extract, and Ganoderma coffee are popular supplements taken for immune system health.

Ganoderma lucidum is a mushroom-forming white rot fungus. Although it isn't edible in the traditional sense (for food) it is grown commercially for use as a medicinal supplement. This species has been a part of traditional Eastern medicine for thousands of years. In China G. lucidum is called lingzhi (or ling chi), and it is known as reishi in Japan.

Biology of Ganoderma lucidum

Ganoderma is a genus of basidiomycete fungus (family Ganodermataceae). Although it can be classified informally as a bracket fungus, the morphology of the mushrooms is variable. Some strains form caps shaped like broad, flat, shelf-like projections on dead wood, while others have short but definite off-center stems supporting kidney-shaped caps. Still others produce fruit bodies that are highly branched, knobby, and antler-like.

The reishi mushroom is a polypore. Spores form and are released from tubes that develop in a layer on the underside of the cap. The caps are spongy when fresh, hardening to a shiny, smooth, woody finish when mature. The color of the caps ranges from brown, to yellowish, with reddish-brown being typical. The pore surface is cream to tan in color and the spores are brown.

Similar species are found on different kinds of wood all over the world, but in North America, G. lucidum has a preference for hardwoods. It is quite common in the U.S. but more rare in Asia, perhaps adding to its historical mystique there. Ganoderma lucidum occasionally attacks the roots of already weakened trees but it is most likely to be found on dead stumps and trunks.

 
Growing Reishi Mushrooms

Just about any method of culturing wood decomposing fungi will work for reishi. Hardwood logs (oak, alder, maple) can be inoculated with mushroom spawn using methods similar to those used for shiitake mushrooms. Inoculated logs can be placed directly on the ground or buried under a shallow layer of soil. In another variation, short logs are inoculated and then one end of the log is partially buried in soil in a container. Such pots can be moved around as needed. The logs must be kept in a shady damp area and it takes 1-2 years to produce mushrooms.

Ganoderma mushrooms are grown in much less time in sawdust/woodchip mixtures in plastic bags or bottles. These methods are preferred for indoor growth under controlled conditions. By controlling the light intensity and the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air (with adjustments in ventilation), the morphology of the mushrooms can be controlled to some extent to favor stemless brackets, stemmed mushrooms, or antler-like growth.

The fungus does best if high humidity conditions are maintained throughout the growing period. A sudden drop in carbon dioxide concentration provides the signal for the fungus to form mushrooms.
Medicinal Properties of the Reishi Mushroom

Ganoderma lucidum is highly regarded in Chinese herbal medicine texts. The American Herbal Pharmacopoeia and Therapeutic Compendium has published a monograph on the species. Reishi contains polysaccharides that are found in many mushrooms that are thought to have beneficial properties. However, the ganoderic acids (sometimes called ganodermic acids) are unique to the genus. Ganoderic acids are members of the diverse class of organic compounds known as terpenes, which are unsaturated hydrocarbons commonly found in plant essential oils and resins (although fungi are not plants!).

* Ganoderiol F, ganodermanontriol, and ganoderic acid B show activity against the HIV virus (causative agent of AIDS).
* Polysaccharides found in G. lucidum stimulate the non-specific immune response and have antitumor activity.
* Reishi extract can have palliative effects in cancer patients, improving their quality of life by reducing sweating and insomnia.
* Australic acid from Ganoderma has antitumor activity.
* Ganoderic acids C and D inhibit histamine release in rats, indicating possible use in treating allergic reactions.
* Ganoderic acids and other Ganoderma triterpenes inhibit cholesterol synthesis, protect against atherosclerosis, and reduce blood clotting by inhibiting platelet aggregation.
* Compounds isolated from reishi mushrooms show positive results in treating type II diabetes.
* Ganoderic acids show anti-inflammatory effects in laboratory assays.
* Ganoderma polysaccharides are effective in clinical studies testing them for treating hepatitis.

Since there are about 400 compounds identified in G. lucidum with medicinal potential, this list could go on at some length. Clearly, there are many reasons to believe in the medicinal properties of the reishi mushroom.

Reishi can be crushed and taken directly in capsules, or pieces of the mushroom can be steeped in hot water to make a tea. Reishi mushroom extract is a concentrated form of the mushroom produced by soaking crushed mushrooms in hot water to put the water soluble fraction in solution. The water is evaporated away to leave the extracted and concentrated solids behind. The extract is then encapsulated for consumption.

Reishi coffee is gaining in popularity as a way of taking a regular dose of reishi. Reishi extract is mixed with coffee and prepared in the same way as regular coffee.