Anti-Tumor - The present study was to ascertain the immunomodulating and anti‐tumor effects of Ganoderma (G.) lucidum. Polysaccharides (PS) from fresh fruiting bodies of G. lucidum (PS‐G) were isolated and used to potentiate cytokine production by human monocytes‐macrophages and T lymphocytes.

Since untreated macrophages and T lymphocytes produced little or no cytokine, and normal MNC‐CM did not suppress leukemic cell growth, it was suggestive that the anti‐tumor activity of PSG‐MNC‐CM was derived from the elevated levels of cytokines. Antibody‐neutralization studies further revealed that the anti‐tumor cytokines in the PSG‐MNC‐CM were mainly of TNF‐α and IFN‐γ, and these 2 cytokines acted synergistically on the inhibition of leukemic‐cell growth.

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Preclinical studies have established that the Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide (GLPS) fractions have potent anti‐tumor activity, which has been associated with the immuno‐stimulating effects of GLPS.

The present study indicates that Ganopoly^® enhanced the immune responses in patients with advanced‐stage cancer. Clinical evaluations of response and toxicity are ongoing.

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Recent studies also showed that the alcohol extract or the triterpene fraction of G lucidum possessed anti-tumor effect, which seemed to be related to the cytotoxic activity against tumor cells directly. Preliminary study indicated that antiangiogenic effect may be involved antitumor activity of G lucidum.

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This paper examines the potential role of G. lucidum polysaccharide (GLPS) in tumor therapy and the possible mechanisms involved. Both in vitro and in vivo studies suggested that the anti-tumor activities of GLPS are mediated by its immunomodulatory, anti-angiogenic, and cytotoxic effects.

However, many questions still need to be answered before both G. lucidum and GLPS can be widely accepted and used as anti-tumor agents.

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Anti-Inflammatory - The fruiting bodies of the fungus Ganoderma lucidum, were examined for their inhibitory effects on the induction of Epstein–Barr virus early antigen (EBV‐EA) by 12‐O‐tetradecanoylphorbol‐13‐acetate (TPA) in Raji cells, a known primary screening test for anti‐tumor promoters.

Further, 20‐hydroxylucidenic acid N (18) exhibited inhibitory effects on skin‐tumor promotion in an in vivo two‐stage mouse‐skin carcinogenesis test based on 7,12‐dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) as initiator, and with TPA as promoter.

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Results have demonstrated induction of apoptosis, anti‐inflammatory action and differential cytokine expression during induced inflammation in the human colonic carcinoma cell line, HT‐29. LZE caused no cytotoxicity in HT‐29 cells at doses less than 10 000 µg/ml.

These results suggest that LZE has pro‐apoptotic and anti‐inflammatory functions, as well as inhibitory effects on cytokine expre