Ganoderma lucidum (Curt.: Fr.) P. Karst. (Aphyllophoromycetideae)-A Mushrooming Medicinal Mushroom

Abstract

The medicinal properties of Ganoderma lucidum (Curt.: Fr.) P. Karst. have been recognized for many centuries in China and other parts of Asia. During the last two decades, there has been a sharp increase in the level of commercial interest in G. lucidum products, not only in Asian countries but also in North America and Europe. Latest available estimates put the annual value of G. lucidum products worldwide at more than US $1.6 billion. This increased demand has stimulated improvements in artificial cultivation methods, of which currently the most widely adopted are the wood log, short wood segment, tree stump, sawdust bag, and bottle procedures. The application of modern analytical techniques has revealed the mushroom to contain numerous bioactive compounds including polysaccharides, triterpenes, and immunomodulatory proteins. Many of these compounds have anticancer and antitumor properties that appear to be based on an enhancement of the host immune system rather than on a direct cytocidal effect. Further expansion of the market for G. lucidum products will require the introduction of more reproducible protocols for mushroom production and downstream processing to improve quality control and ensure enduring public trust.