Reishi Mushroom Health Article

Description

Reishi mushrooms are some of the most widely used medicinal mushrooms in the world. Their scientific name is Ganoderma lucidum. In Chinese medicine, reishi mushrooms are known as ling zhi, which means spiritual plant as the Chinese believe the herb is healing for the spirit. Some Asians make good luck charms from the mushrooms in addition to using them as medicine.

The Latin name Ganoderma means shiny skin, which describes the reddish brown caps of the mushrooms. Reishi mushrooms are kidney-shaped and grow to 8 in (20 cm) or more in diameter. They grow in moist and temperate forest areas of Asia, Europe, South America, and the United States. Reishi mushrooms typically attach themselves to trees, particularly oak and plum trees.

Reishi mushrooms have a long history. They have been used in China and Japan for nearly 4,000 years as a health tonic and as folk medicine for liver problems, heart conditions, asthma, cancer, high blood pressure, and arthritis. In Traditional Chinese medicine, reishi mushrooms are classified in a group of herbs known as Fu Zheng, which Chinese herbalists believe are the most powerful herbs for all-around strength, health, and longevity. Other Fu Zheng herbs include Korean ginseng and astragalus. Reishi mushrooms have been rare and expensive for most of their history because they are difficult to cultivate and find in the wild. In the 1980s, a Japanese man named Shigeaki Mori developed an intricate and effective method of cultivating them, which has made them widely available and affordable.

Reishi mushrooms have been well researched and tested, mostly in China and Japan. Scientists have isolated several chemicals in them that have pharmacological (medicinal) effects on the body. Reishi mushrooms contain compounds called polysaccharides, which have been shown to help the body fight cancerous tumors and also stimulate the immune system to combat infections and viruses. In studies on mice, reishi mushrooms have shown very strong results against cancerous tumors. One Japanese study suggests that reishi mushrooms may serve as a chemopreventive against colon cancer.

Other substances called triterpenes have been found in reishi mushrooms and shown to lower blood pressure and improve circulation. Reishi mushrooms also contain sterols, which may influence the hormonal system; and natural antihistamines, which reduce allergic reactions and inflammation in the body. More recently, reishi mushrooms have been identified as a source of antioxidants, which are enzymes or other organic compounds that counteract the damaging effects of oxidation on human tissue.

In Asia, numerous clinical studies with humans have documented reishi mushrooms' healing properties. They have shown significant results in treating hepatitis, chronic bronchitis, asthma, and heart disease. Reishi mushrooms have also been shown to lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, increase white blood cell count, reduce allergic reactions, and have a calming effect on the central nervous system when given to humans in observed studies.