What’s the difference between taking lingzhi and undergoing chemotherapy when facing a tumor that’s poised to strike? A study published in August 2018 in “Scientific Reports” by a team from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine might offer us some valuable insights.

The Ganoderma extract used in this study contains both Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) and ... Ganoderma lucidum ) and Zhi Zi ( Ganoderma sinense ) Polysaccharide and triterpene extracts from two species of Ganoderma.

Starting the day after liver cancer cells were implanted in mice, the mice were administered the extract orally for 28 consecutive days. Each mouse received a daily dose of either 11 mg per 10 grams of body weight (low-dose Reishi group), 23 mg per 10 grams of body weight (medium-dose Reishi group), or 46 mg per 10 grams of body weight (high-dose Reishi group). The researchers noted that these doses were calculated based on the equivalent oral intake of Reishi extract by a 60-kg adult, who would consume 7.5 g, 15 g, and 30 g of Reishi extract per day, respectively.

As for the chemotherapy group, mice were injected with cisplatin into their abdominal cavities every other day starting from the day after implantation of liver cancer cells; the injection was administered once every six days at a dose of 6 mg/kg each time. In addition, a control group (healthy mice) and a model group (liver-cancer-bearing mice that received no treatment whatsoever) were established for comparison.

There are 12 mice in each group, and a total of 6 groups, meaning that each experiment involves 72 mice. After nearly a month of experimentation, what precious insights have these little lives—sacrificed and devoted to human research—provided us with?

Ganoderma lucidum inhibits tumors while maintaining body weight.

As shown in Figure 1 and Figure 2, the tumors grown by the chemotherapy group were the smallest. However, the mice in this group also experienced the greatest weight loss. In contrast, although the three Ganoderma lucidum groups showed less inhibition of tumor growth compared to the chemotherapy group, their body weights were comparable to those of the healthy control mice.

Good weight management is crucial for sustaining life and maintaining quality of life. Perhaps the key to successfully fighting cancer lies in preserving one’s vital energy while simultaneously suppressing tumor growth.

Interestingly, in this experiment—during the initial stage when cancer cells first begin to form tumors—the inhibitory effect of Reishi mushroom on tumors doesn't necessarily correlate directly with the dosage consumed. Therefore, determining the optimal dosage may not be as straightforward as simply assuming “the higher the dose, the better.”

Lingzhi has almost no harmful effects on the liver, kidneys, or bone marrow.

Comparing liver and kidney tissue sections from mice in each group, we found that, after 28 days of treatment, the chemotherapy group began to show signs of liver and kidney cell damage (as indicated by the arrows in Figure 3); however, the Ganoderma lucidum group showed no such abnormalities.

Similar results were also observed in serum AST and ALT, which reflect liver function; serum creatinine (Scr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), which reflect kidney function; and bone marrow cells, which reflect hematopoietic function (the production of white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets). In the chemotherapy group, all these indicators showed signs of functional impairment, whereas the Ganoderma lucidum group remained relatively unaffected.

It’s now clear that while reishi mushroom exerts an anti-tumor effect, it doesn’t require the body to pay the price of liver and kidney damage or bone marrow suppression.

Lingzhi helps boost immunity.

As for immunity, which is most directly related to tumor suppression, whether measured by white blood cells, lymphocytes, or natural killer (NK) cells, chemotherapy has been shown to halve the number of immune cells. Moreover, in liver-cancer mice without any supportive treatment (the control group), there was a severe deficiency in naturally occurring NK cells capable of mounting an effective immune response (Figure 4).

In contrast, reishi mushroom helps increase the number of immune cells and even enhances the activity of natural killer cells. It also protects the thymus—the site where T cells involved in pregnancy are developed—and boosts the production of various tumor-fighting cytokines, including IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-9, IL-12, RANTES, and TNF-α.

Lingzhi alters gene expression and signaling pathways in the body.

To gain a deeper understanding of how Ganoderma lucidum, after passing through the gastrointestinal tract and entering the body, exerts its anti-tumor effects by modulating the immune system, the researchers selected three mice each from the medium-dose Ganoderma group and the model group that received no treatment as representative samples. They then used gene chips to analyze the differences in gene expression within these mice and further compared the differences in signaling molecules involved in regulating tumor growth between the two groups.

The results showed that, in mice with liver cancer, the expression of at least 302 genes differed significantly depending on whether or not they were fed Reishi mushroom—specifically, Reishi mushroom enhanced the expression of 178 mRNA molecules while suppressing the expression of 124 mRNA molecules. These differences triggered at least four signaling pathways associated with “inhibiting cancer cell proliferation” (Figure 5).

On the journey to fighting cancer, reishi mushroom can truly give you a helping hand.

The above research findings allow us to see the differences between “fighting tumors by consuming Lingzhi,” “fighting tumors through chemotherapy,” and “relying solely on the body’s own ability to fight tumors.” The purpose of this comparison is not to judge which approach to tumor treatment is superior, nor is it to encourage you to rely exclusively on Lingzhi for cancer prevention (after all, conventional medical treatments from hospitals remain the most important). Rather, by making these comparisons, we aim to help everyone understand exactly what kinds of immune-modulating and tumor-inhibiting effects Lingzhi exerts once it’s ingested.

As science’s magnifying glass allows us to see finer and finer details, the subtle clues about how Ganoderma lucidum regulates immunity and fights tumors are becoming increasingly clear. The more profound a truth is, the better it withstands even the most meticulous scrutiny. The fact that Ganoderma lucidum has been passed down through the ages without losing its potency surely points to its inherent wisdom.

The journey to fight cancer is long and arduous. In addition to conventional treatments, patients need more support to sustain their progress over the long term. "Lingzhi mushrooms that are harmless to the body" should be a reliable complementary approach, as ample scientific evidence has already demonstrated that "Lingzhi truly helps in fighting tumors."

[Source] Zhao R. et al. The effect of Ganoderma lucidum Extract the immunological function and identify its anti-tumor immunostimulatory activity based on the biological network. . Sci Rep. 2018 Aug 23; 8(1): 12680.

[About the Author / Wu Tingyao]
Having reported firsthand on Ganoderma lucidum since 1999, he continues to do so to this day and is the author of “Ganoderma: 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 belong to 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 ★ Anyone who violates the above statement will be held legally responsible by GanoHerb.