Reishi is the Japanese name for the fruiting body of Ganoderma lucidum, one of the most well-known herbal remedies in traditional Chinese medicine. Reishi is Japanese for “Mushroom of Immortality”, and commonly known as Ling Zhi, or "God's Herb" in Chinese. Ganoderma lucidum is a mushroom known to have numerous scientifically proven health benefits. Ganoderma lucidum has been used in Japan and China for over 2,000 years, thus making it the oldest mushroom known to have been used as medicine. Since ancient times, the Reishi mushroom was reserved for emperors and royalties. It has been revered as nature’s rarest and most beneficial herb. TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) ranks Ganoderma lucidum as the number one herb, ahead of ginseng, because of the following qualities: It is non-toxic and can be taken daily without producing any side effects. Immune modulator - regulates and fine tunes the immune system. When it is taken regularly, it can restore the body to its natural state, enabling all organs to function normally. A number of countries are now researching the medical applications of Ganoderma lucidum more extensively. Of particular interest to researchers is the exceptional concentration of polysaccharides – which have been linked to aiding cancer remission, normalizing blood-sugar levels, and strengthening the immune system. 
Ganoderma lucidum is primarily composed of complex carbohydrates called water-soluble polysaccharides, triterpeniods, proteins and amino acids. Researchers have identified that the water-soluble polysaccharides are the most active element found in Ganoderma that have anti-tumor, immune modulating and blood pressure lowering effects.
Another major active ingredient found in Ganoderma lucidum is triterpenes, called ganoderic acids. Preliminary studies indicated that ganoderic acids help alleviate common allergies by inhibiting histamine release, improve oxygen utilization and improve liver functions. Triterpenes are bitter in taste and the level of the triterpene content contained in a product can be determined by the bitterness. Regular consumption of Ganoderma lucidum can enhance our body's immune system and improve blood circulation, thus promoting optimum health conditions. Generally, Ganoderma lucidum is recommended as an adaptogen, immune modulator, and a general tonic. Ganoderma lucidum is also used to help treat anxiety, high blood pressure, hepatitis, bronchitis, insomnia, and asthma. The role of Ganoderma lucidum in maintaining a healthy lifestyle can best be explained through the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) point of view because none of the known active components taken alone is more effective than the consumption of the whole mushroom itself. Whereas Western medicine focuses on the “cure” after the disease has already occurred, TCM, established through more than 2,000 years of human observation, focuses on disease prevention by sustaining the right balance within the body through proper nutrition, exercise, and meditation. Ganoderma is an important adaptogenic herb in TCM in helping the body maintain this balance and also restore the balance when one is sick. Is there any evidence? For scientific studies conducted on Reishi and links to more information please see the links page Pharmacological effects of whole Reishi extracts in vivo and in vitro (for references see Hobbs, 1995) Analgesic Anti-allergic activity Bronchitis-preventative effect, inducing regeneration of bronchial epithelium Anti-inflammatory Antibacterial, against Staphylococci, Streptococci, and Bacillus pneumoniae (perhaps due to increased immune system activity) Antioxidant, by eliminating hydroxyl free radicals Antitumor activity Antiviral effect, by inducing interferon production Lowers blood pressure Enhances bone marrow nucleated cell proliferation Cardiotonic action, lowering serum cholesterol levels with no effect on triglycerides, enhancing myocardial metabolism of hypoxic animals, and improving coronary artery hemodynamics Central depressant and peripheral anti-cholinergic actions on the autonomic nervous system reduce the effects of caffeine and relax muscles Enhanced natural killer cell (NK) activity in vitro in mice Expectorant General immunopotentiation Anti-HIV activity in vitro and in vivo Improved adrenocortical function Increased production of Interleukin-1 by murine peritoneal macrophages in vitro Increased production of Interleukin-2 by murine splenocytes in vitro Key active constituents Beta and hetero-Beta-glucans (antitumour, immunostimulating ) Ling Zhi-8 protein (anti-allergenic, immuno-modulating) Ganodermic acids – triterpenes (anti-allergenic agents, cholesterol and blood pressure reducing) 
| 
