Synonyms of Ganoderma, or rather, of Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis) P. Karst (or Carso), I'm Reishi (Japan) e Ling Zhi (China).
Generality
THE Ganoderma or Reishi are two species of mushrooms (Ganoderma or Reishi Red and Ganoderma or Reishi Black) which are said to have miraculous properties.
Description
Red: from the structural point of view, the red Ganoderma or Reishi is distinguished by the circular red cap with a light edge, tending to shiny yellow if young and opaque if mature, which can reach 15 centimeters (cm) in diameter. vertical or oblique, maximum 30cm long, knotty and shiny. The pulp is elastic and leathery, with a pleasantly tannic smell and a woody taste.
Black: the black Ganoderma or Reishi is more widespread in China, macroscopically it is smaller (hat about 6cm in diameter and never more than 10cm), has a brown color and has a more irregular hat shape than the Red Ganoderma or Reishi.
Hints of cultivation
Today, Ganoderma or Reishi is widely cultivated both in Asia (mainly in China and Japan) and in America, but the Japanese population was undoubtedly the first to undertake the extensive cultivation of Ganoderma or Reishi (early 1970s). .
As anticipated, Ganoderma or Reishi is a saprophyte of chestnut and oak, therefore its cultivation requires the presence of partially decomposed wood substrates; the production techniques of Ganoderma or Reishi are two:
- In the bottle, by inoculation of the spores in the appropriate wood pulp (not very productive - small mushrooms)
- Canned, by inoculation of the spores on pieces of log placed in containers of the same material (medium yield - medium sized mushrooms)
"Miraculous" components of Ganoderma or Reishi
Ganoderma or Reishi is a medicinal mushroom used in various traditional oriental medical techniques; the active ingredients of Ganoderma or Reishi are:
- Polysaccharides β-glucans and hetero-β-glucans, known anti-tumor and immunostimulating molecules
- Ling Zhi-8 (LZ-8) proteins, anti-allergic, hypocholesterolemic and hypotensive peptides
- Ganoderic acids (triterpenes), sterols able to reduce allergic reactions by limiting the production of histamine, optimizing cellular respiration and promoting liver function.
Ganoderma or Reishi is not the only mushroom with beneficial properties; it is also known Shitake, the Maitake and the Cordyceps, which while boasting a very similar chemical composition, does not contain the ganoderic acids (with a bitter taste), they are less effective.
NB. Between Ganoderma or Reishi Red and Black, the former seems to be more effective thanks to the greater concentration of pharmacological principles.
Ganoderma or Reishi can be consumed in food form or as an extract.
Desired effects of supplementation with Ganoderma or Reishi
Ganoderma or Reishi has been tested in the treatment of numerous pathologies and clinical conditions; to the great amazement of scientists, Ganoderma or Reishi has proved very useful for its adaptogenic potential, but CONCRETELY its effectiveness is not comparable to that of specific drugs.
In light of the above, it is advisable not to overestimate the documented beneficial effects and to interpret them as a valid trace of the studies conducted on Ganoderma or Reishi (Institute Cancer Research UK).
Beneficial properties of Ganoderma or Reishi: analgesic, antiallergic, preventive from bronchitis, anti inflammatory, stimulating the immune cells Natural Killer (NK), antibacterial due to immunostimulation, antiviral for increasing the production of interferon, antioxidant, antitumor, hypotensive, cholesterol lowering, cardio tonic, antidepressant and relaxant, mucolytic, hinders the HIV virus (both in vitro and in vivo), improves cortico-adrenal function, increases the production of interleukin 1 and 2 produced by macrophages and splenocytes.
Take Ganoderma or Reishi
Despite being recommended as an adjunct to very complex therapies, Ganoderma or Reishi is a food supplement and not a drug, therefore it is suitable for consumption at any age and physio-pathological state; be clear, any intake SHOULD be evaluated and recommended by the general practitioner who, on the other hand, sometimes does not know its composition or specific effects.
The only caveat refers to the chemical interaction between the molecules of Ganoderma or Reishi and the immune system of IMMUNOSUPPRESSED and / or organ transplant patients; in this case, perhaps the intake of Ganoderma or Reishi would not be advisable.
NB. There are no known side effects in pregnancy or breastfeeding, but that doesn't mean it should be considered totally harmless.
Ganoderma or Reishi should be taken daily, preferably if: in the morning, on an empty stomach, combined with ascorbic acid supplements (vitamin C favors the digestion of fungal carbohydrates) and with good quantities of water to promote renal filtration.
The advantages of Ganoderma or Reishi are variable and depend on physiological interactions; in principle, if the organism is placed in optimal conditions (lifestyle and diet), through the daily integration of Ganoderma or Reishi it should show the first improvements within 10-14 days from the beginning of the food supplement.
Side effects
Both in traditional Chinese medicine and on the basis of contemporary herbal institutes, Ganoderma or Reishi is considered a SUPERIOR and 1st QUALITY GRASS ", that is an absolutely harmless product (also clinically observed and tested) that can be consumed for long periods in the absence of side effects.
However, few reactions may be observed in the initial period in some individuals; for example: digestive disorders, dizziness, bone pain and skin rashes. Some relate them to a sort of sudden "detoxification", but it is not excluded that they may conceal forms of hypersensitivity, allergies or, more generally, food intolerances.
Ganoderma or Reishi supplements: qualities and forms
The quality of supplements based on Ganoderma or Reishi depends on the cultivation (method, quality of the mushroom, quality of the wood, climate and environment, etc.) and on the extraction of the active ingredient (method). "cultured and prepared" in the production of supplements based on Ganoderma or Reishi is the Japanese one (natural cultivation method); furthermore, given the unpredictability of the market (especially on-line), it is advisable 1) To look for duly labeled brands 2) To avoid purchases of dubious origin.
Ganoderma Reishi can also be consumed in food form. To favor the conservation of the mushroom it is necessary, after harvesting, to cut and dry it; at the time of consumption, the cooking methods to be preferred for consumption are boiling (for soups) and infusion (for drinks).
The difference between the supplements based on Ganoderma or Reishi and the food / drink consists in the concentration of the active ingredients, certainly greater in the supplements than in the dried mushroom; however, if it is true that the HIGHEST quality supplements are marketed in the form of pure concentrate in active ingredients, the poorest ones come from the simple pulverization of the dried fungal pulp and contain exponentially lower levels of active ingredients.
