Protective Effect of Ganoderma (a Mushroom with Medicinal Properties) Against Various Liver Injuries

Abstract

Medicinal plants represent one approach in the management of liver injuries due to various factors such as infection, toxification, and immune damage in Oriental society. One of these plants, Ganoderma (Ling Zhi, Reishi mushroom; Aphyllophoromycetideae), has been widely used for the treatment of hepatopathy of various etiologies. This article highlights the hepatoprotective activity of Ganoderma mushroom, with an emphasis on the possible biochemical mechanisms. Preclinical studies demonstrated that Ganoderma extracts, which mainly contain polysaccharides or triterpenoids, protected the liver against injury caused by exposure to toxic chemicals (e.g., CCl₄) or Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) plus lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Interestingly, Ganoderma extracts showed antihepatitis B virus (HBV) in a duckling model. A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial by our group showed that treatment with Ganoderma polysaccharides for 12 weeks significantly decreased hepatitis B e antigen (HbeAg) and HBV DNA levels in 25% (13/52) patients with HB. The underlying mechanisms for the hepatoprotective effects of Ganoderma are largely unclear, but several potential biochemical pathways have been implicated. For example, the hepatoprotective effect of Ganoderma has been ascribed to its antioxidant and radical-scavenging activity, inhibition of β-glucuronidase, modulation of nitric oxide production, modulation of hepatic phase I and II enzymes, antifibrotic and antiviral activity, maintenance of hepatocellular calcium homeostasis, and immunomodulating effect. Given that Ganoderma has shown promising efficacy and was well tolerated for the management of various hepatic injuries, further studies are needed to explore the kinetics and mechanisms of action of Ganoderma constituents with hepatoprotective activity.

Keywords:

• Ganoderma
• Polysaccharide
• Triterpenoid
• Liver
• Antioxidative

Acknowledgment

The authors appreciate the support of Encore International Co., New Zealand, and the National University of Singapore Academic Research Funds.