Research Update | Turkey: Ganoderma polysaccharides accelerate recovery from brain injury

Can you take Lingzhi mushroom when the brain suffers trauma due to external force?

According to a research report published by Dicle University in Turkey in the Korean Journal of Neurotrauma, the answer appears to be yes—reishi mushroom seems to have the potential to accelerate recovery from traumatic brain injury.

The researchers induced brain injury in rats by means of a “high-fall” model. Half of the rats (16 animals) were left untreated (brain-injury group), while the other half received oral administration via gastric tube, starting 30 minutes after injury, of a water extract from Ganoderma lucidum fruiting bodies rich in polysaccharides (brain-injury plus Ganoderma group). The daily dose was 20 mL/kg, with a polysaccharide content of 2 mg/mL, administered continuously for 7 days.

In addition to inflammatory responses, the brain injured by traumatic hemorrhage becomes more susceptible to oxidative damage due to an increase in free radicals and a decrease in antioxidant enzymes, leading to elevated oxidative stress. Moreover, cerebral edema accompanying the hemorrhage can compress brain tissue, exacerbating the severity of brain injury. Furthermore, the compromised blood-brain barrier—the body’s natural protective barrier between blood vessels and the brain that prevents foreign substances from entering the brain—can allow increased infiltration of white blood cells into the brain or trigger brain infections, thereby intensifying the inflammatory response.

The aforementioned conditions are all detrimental to the recovery of brain tissue from injury. However, animal experimental results from Turkey indicate:

Compared with the “brain-injury group” that received no treatment, the “brain injury plus Ganoderma lucidum group” showed less free-radical damage to brain tissue, had higher levels of glutathione peroxidase (GSH)—an enzyme capable of neutralizing free radicals—exhibited milder inflammatory responses in white blood cells, experienced less severe cerebral edema, and displayed blood-brain barrier permeability that was close to normal.

In addition, tissue sections from the cerebral cortex also show that ganoderma polysaccharides can improve vascular dilation and edema, repair nerve cells, and accelerate recovery of the injured brain (as shown in the figure below).

The cerebral cortex refers to the interconnected, wrinkled, sheet-like structure that covers the outer layer of the brain. It is responsible for higher-level emotional and cognitive functions. Therefore, the recovery of this region is of great significance for restoring brain function in patients with brain injuries.

As shown by the experimental data above, the water extract of Ganoderma lucidum fruiting bodies can accelerate recovery from brain injury by means of mechanisms such as reducing oxidative stress and alleviating inflammatory responses. Therefore, researchers believe that timely administration of an appropriate dose of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides as an adjunct therapy following traumatic brain injury could be beneficial.

[Source] Özevren H, et al. Ganoderma lucidum protects rat brain tissue against trauma-induced oxidative stress. Korean J Neurotrauma. 2017;13(2):76-84.

[About the Author / Wu Tingyao]

Having reported firsthand news about Lingzhi since 1999, he continues to do so to this day and is the author of “Lingzhi: Marvelous Beyond Words” (published by People’s Medical Publishing House in April 2017).

★This article is published with the exclusive authorization of the author; all rights are reserved by GanoHerb. ★Without GanoHerb’s authorization, this work may not be reproduced, excerpted, or used in any other way. ★For works that have been authorized for use, please use them within the scope of the authorization and clearly indicate the source: GanoHerb. ★GanoHerb will pursue legal liability against those who violate the above statement.