Reishi

Ganoderma lucidum

Monograph

1. Plant Family:
• Ganodermataceae, or the Lingzi mushroom family ^[1]
2. Habitat & Cultivation:
• Ganoderma lucidum grows in the northern Eastern Hemlock forests. This species of bracket fungus has a worldwide distribution in both tropical and temperate geographical regions, growing as a parasite or saprotroph on a wide variety of trees. Similar species of Ganoderma have been found growing in the Amazon. In nature, Lingzi mushrooms grow at the base and stumps of deciduous trees, especially maple. Only two or three out of 10,000 such aged trees will have Lingzi growth, and therefore its wild form is extremely rare. Today, these mushrooms are effectively cultivated on hardwood logs or sawdust/woodchips. ^[1]
3. Parts Used:
• Fruiting body ^[2]
4. Herbal Actions:
• Immunostimulating
• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti-allergenic
• Antidepressant
• Immunomodulating
• Anti-hypertensive
• Adaptogen
• Analgesic
• Nervine
• Histamine inhibitor
• Antioxidant
• Cardiotonic
• Anticarcinogenic ^[1]
5. Indications:
• Viral infection
• Flu
• Asthma
• Bronchitis
• Heart disease
• Hypertension
• High cholesterol
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
• Cancer ^[2]
6. Plant Constituents:
• Triterpenes (ganoderic acids - molecular structure similar to steroid hormones), polysaccharides (beta-glucan), coumarin, mannitol, alkaloids, sterols (ganoderol, ganoderenic acid, ganoderiol, ganodermanontriol, lucidadiol, ganodermadiol), fungal immunomodulatory proteins (FIPs - bioactive ingredients within genera Ganoderma that have immune building properties). ^[1]
7. System Affinities:
• Cardiovascular, immune, respiratory, renal, hepatic ^[3]  
8. Energetics:
• Sweet, bitter, stabilizing, warm ^[1]
9. Safety:
• No contraindications known. ^[1]
10. Interactions:
• None known. ^[2]

Personal Experience

1. Organoleptics:
• The dried Reishi is brown; it almost looks like bark. It was very hard to chop up because it was so tough! I couldn’t determine a specific scent.
2. Preparation Method:
• Decoction: 2 – 15 g chopped or powdered mushroom in 2 L of water, boil and let water reduce to 2/3.  Take 375 ml 2x/day.
• Capsules: 6 – 12 g/day or 500 – 1000 mg 3x/day.
• Tincture: (1:5 in 40%) 10 ml 3x/day.
• Rice Wine Extract: 90 g of chopped or powdered mushroom in 500 ml of rice wine for 10 days. Take 30 ml 2x/day. ^[1]
3. Usage Notes:
• For not having a smell, the reishi tea I made certainly has a strong taste! It’s incredibly bitter in my mouth, tongue, and especially in the back of my throat. Did not like it at all. While I do feel like the tea has warming and moistening properties, this wouldn’t be palatable on its own. It needs to be mixed with other herbs, or if I was going to recommend it to a client, I’d advise powder capsules instead.

Sources:

1. Zollinger, R. & Riccio, L. (2018). Week 7 Study Questions. Bastyr University: SP-18_MW5123-A Botanicals 3: Pregnancy.
2. Hoffmann, D. (2003). Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press.
3. Frawley, D. & Lad, V. (2001). The Yoga of Herbs. Twin Lakes, Wisconsin: Lotus Press.