Take Back Your Health: Ganoderma In The Treatment Of Cancer

Ganoderma is known among Chinese people as a "magic Herb" that can cure hundred kinds of diseases, and it is also applied for longevity.

With selected and high quality of Ganoderma pulverized as raw material, Ganoderma Coffee is produced by modern technical process in a hygienic manner that assures each batch meets high standards of quality and purity.

The nutrient ingredients and biological activity ingredients are easy to be absorbed by human body, which can improve the immunity, help in combating against tumor, confront irradiation as well as improve circulation and lower the blood lipid.

In Malaysia, Ganoderma was initially cultivated in the 1980's. More recently, hybrid cultures of Ganoderma. lucidum were used for mass production which only required 40 to 45 days of incubation. The basidiocarps are sliced and brewed as a tonic or as Ganoderma coffee and tea.

They may also be powdered or extracted with solvent to yield the finished product which is then made into capsules. Ganoderma nutriceuticals are used as a remedy to treat more than 20 different illnesses which include migraine and headache, hypertension, arthritis, bronchitis, asthma, anorexia, gastritis, haemorrhoids, hypercholesterolaemia, nephritis, dysmenorrhoea, constipation, hepatitis, leukopenia, cardiovascular problems and cancer including leukemia.

Active ingredients, which include polysaccharides, organic germanium, triterpenoids, adenosine, LZ-8, and an array of amino acids besides numerous mineral types.

Effect on Hepatitis B
Ganoderma lucidum has been shown to be effective in the treatment of Hepatitis B resulting in the lowering of SGPT and SCOT levels to normal, and the sero-conversion of HBs antigen to HE, antibody3). Extract of Ganoderma lucidum when administered concurrently with glutathione against liver damage by carbon tetrachloride, proved to be beneficial against hepatic necrosis and hepatitis). It was also discovered that extract of Ganoderma lucidum could probably augment the rate of toxin transformation and subsequent bile excretion, thereby acting as a liver detoxicant and protectant).

Effect on Diabetes
Extract of Ganoderma lucidum has also been found to be effective in reducing the blood glucose level after two months of treatments). Ganoderan B was considered to enhance glucose utilization because it increased the plasma insulin level in normal and glucose loaded mice, but did not affect the insulin binding to isolated adipocytes). The hypoglycemic activity of Ganoderma lucidum is thus due to an increase of the plasma insulin level and an acceleration of glucose metabolism occurring not only in the peripheral tissues but also in the liver.

Effect on Hypertension
Ganoderma lucidum is also effective in lowering hypertensive blood pressure. This is due to the presence of lanostane derivatives especially ganoderic acids B, D, F, H, K, S and Y which exert their hypotensive activities

Effect on Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia

Acute myeloblastic leukemic patients were treated with high doses of Ganoderma lucidum (6 capsules 3 times a day) prior to chemotherapy and continued for a period of three months. The chemotherapy regimen consisting of cytarabine and daunorubicin was given on a monthly basis in order to induce remission. CNS prophylactics was given with cranial irradiation. All the patients had a subjective response when Ganoderma lucidum was included in their treatment regimen. Changes in their NBC, hemoglobin and platelet counts were either significant or very significant after 3 months of treatment. Despite the remission for the past 3 years, the long term prognosis seems encouraging.

Effect on Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Five patients with stage III nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) were given 6 capsules of Ganoderma lucidum 3 times a day for 1 week before radio-and chemotherapy and continued for a course of 8 months while they were given a complete course of irradiation lasting for 6 weeks. The chemotherapy regimen consisting of cyclophosphomide, lomustine, dannorubicin and vincristine was administered every month for a period of 4 months. Objective response occurred in all the NPC patients with very significant tumor shrinkage after 40 days of treatment with Ganoderma lucidum in concurrence with radio-and chemotherapy.

The tumors were completely regressed after 90 days of combined treatment and were in remission for the last three and a half years. It is conceivable that Ganoderma lucidum plays an important role in combination with radio- and chemotherapy, thereby rendering the complete regression of the tumors. Since both polysaccharides' and organic germanium derived from Ganoderma lucidum are not cytotoxic to tumor cells, the anti tumor effect is attributable to induced immunopotentiation.

As an immunopotentiator, Ganoderma lucidum accelerates the production of interlukin from helper T cells and potentates the induction of different types of anti-tumor cells, such as NK cells and cytotoxic macrophages, in addition to the induction of interferon production. The patients felt more energetic, and had a better appetite and slept better. Nausea and vomiting were mild whereas stomatitis and sore throat were transient. Their pain was alleviated, and no other side effects were observed.

Effect on Wound Healing

Three patients with diabetic wounds were healed between 15 to 22 days. This might be due to the glucan from the cell walls of Ganoderma lucidum that could activate the fibroblast migration in order to achieve wound healing and tissue proliferation. Considering all these effective findings, further research on Ganoderma lucidum as a potential nutriceutical for similar illnesses or other ailments seems warranted.

Ganoderma also adjusts the immune system to prevent viral diseases and to prevent and fight tumor, protects and detoxifies the liver, prevents and cures heart diseases, slows the aging process, has a positive effect on insomnia, is a cure for high blood pressure and to treat diabetes, is a treatment for chronic bronchitis and asthma, has effect on hyper susceptibility and is used as a beauty care medicine for the skin.
The spore capsules are the traditional "Emperor's medicine" against cancer.

References

1. Teow, S. S. l986. Cultivation of Ganoderma lucidum and its medicinal value. In extended Abstract. 9th Malaysian Microbiology Symposium, 79-82.

2. Teow, S. S. 1994. Ganoderma lucidum in 40 days. In Abstract. '94 International Symposium on Ganoderma Research. P 21.

3. Teow, S .S. 1997. The effective application of Ganoderma nutriceuticals. In B.K. Kim, C.K. Moon, and T.S. Kim (Eds), Recent Progress in Ganoderma lucidum Research (pp. 21-39) Seoul, Korea. The Pharmaceutical Society of Korea.

4. Byun, S. H. & Rim I.H. 1987. Studies on the concur rent administration of Ganoderma lucidum extract and glutathione on liver damage induced by carbon tetrachloride in rats. J. Pharm.. Boo. Korea, 31:133-139.

5. Liu, G. Ban, T., Niu, X., Li, S. & Sung, Z.1979. Some pharmacological actions of the spores of Ganoderma lucidum and the mycelium of Ganoderma capense cultivated by submerged fermentation. Chinese Med. J. 92:496-600.

6. Hikino, H. Ishiyama, M., Suzuki, Y. & Kono, C. 1989. Mechanism of hypoglycemic activity of Ganoderma B: A glycan of Ganoderma lucidum fruit bodies. Plants Medica, 55:423-428.

7. Morigiwa, A.) Kitabatake, K., Fujimoto, Y. & Ikekawa 1986. Angiotensin converting enzyme-inhibiting triterpenes from Ganoderma lucidum. Chem. Phar. Bull. 34:3025-8028.