Medicinal Benefits of Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi) in Cancer Treatment: A review of current evidence and future directions

In the ancient practice of Asian medicine, Ganoderma lucidum popularly known as Reishi or Lingzhi, has assumed enormous respect for its potential health benefits. In the past years, however, more studies have focused on its anticancer effects specifically due to its bioactive components including triterpenes, polysaccharides, and proteins. This article reviews the properties and mechanisms of various active compounds in G. lucidum against cancer. Strong anticancer effects typical of triterpenes are gained by promoting cell apoptosis and suppressing tumor metastasis by ganoderic acids. Most polysaccharides enhance immune response and possess anti-tumor activity while proteins such as Ling Zhi-8 have immuno-modulatory effects. Out of the nature of research and some clinical data, most researches to date include small samples and short durations. Efforts geared towards the assessment show the need to carry out more precise thorough clinical studies in order to establish the various benefits and risks of G. lucidum as a cancer treatment method. At this time, it is likely that G. lucidum will be used to augment such treatment however there should be more fundamental evidence to support this claim towards improvement or even substitution of such therapy without compromising efficacy and safety measures of G. lucidum.