Ancient Beliefs About Ganoderma

Ancient Beliefs about Ganoderma

Numerous legends provide a rich and extensive account about Ganoderma lucidum. It was said that in the early days in China, Ganoderma is very rare and hard to obtain. People during the time of the emperors considered it as a treasure greater than any jewel because they believe it provides an incredible source of energy and youthfulness. Furthermore, it was also mentioned that 1. It is the favourite food supplement of the Chinese Royal Family 2. Taoist revered it as "Elixir of Immortality," 3. The Emperors of the Great Chinese dynasties, including Japanese royalties, drank tea and concoctions of mushrooms for vitality and long life. 4. In the first Chinese Herbal Text (Shennong Pharmacopeia) written about 2,400 years ago, Reishi is classified as a “superior herb,” which was defined as one that “promotes radiant health and long life because of its normalizing action, and (it is also believed) to cause no side effects even when use(d) continuously.” Reishi is traditionally called as “the mushroom of immortality.” 5. The late Hiroshi Hikino, recognized as the world’s authority on the chemistry of Oriental medicinal plants, called Reishi as one of “the most important elixir(s) in the orient.” 6. It also increases intellectual capacity and banishes forgetfulness. 7. Presently in Asia, it ranks parallel to Ginseng in terms of potency.

Ganoderma lucidum is a basidiomycete, lamellaless fungus that belongs to the family of polyporaceae. It is also known as Ling Zhi (Chinese), Reishi (Japanese), King of Herbs or God’s Herb. It grows in densely wooded mountains of high humidity and dim lighting. The Polypores (or those of the polyporaceae family), commonly known as brackets or shelf fungi, are prominent mushrooms that grow off the sides of trees. “Mushroom” is the fruit body of a mycelial tree and has a high-reproductive structure of higher order fungus organism. On the other hand, a mycelium is a network of the threadlike filaments that originate from spores.One of the characteristics of a pure Reishi is that it has an intensely bitter taste. In modern times, Reishi has been the object of intensive scientific studies to determine its many health benefits from a modern perspective, as it is believed that it has several other major effects in the human body. In fact, continuing researches on the wonders of Ganoderma are not only confined in the Orient – specifically in China, Korea and Japan – but in other Western countries as well. Its application has been utilized further not only as a supplement but it is also being applied for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and beverages