Identifying the "Mushroom of Immortality": Assessing the Ganoderma Species Composition in Commercial Reishi Products.

ABSTRACT: Species of Ganoderma, commonly called reishi (in Japan) or lingzhi (in China), have been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years, and their use has gained interest from pharmaceutical industries in recent years. Globally, the taxonomy of Ganoderma species is chaotic, and the taxon name Ganoderma lucidum has been used for most laccate (shiny) Ganoderma species. However, it is now known that G. lucidum sensu stricto has a limited native distribution in Europe and some parts of China. It is likely that differences in the quality and quantity of medicinally relevant chemicals occur among Ganoderma species. To determine what species are being sold in commercially available products, twenty manufactured products (e.g., pills, tablets, teas, e

SUBMITTER: Loyd AL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6055023 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature