Ganoderma – Miraculous King of Herb

For  thousands of years Ganoderma has been considered by the Chinese to be a high quality herbal medicine.  Among many types of mushroom, only Ganoderma mushroom was highly praised for more than 2000 years. The so-called ‘A-one Medicine’ is the best medicine which does not have any side effects, even after using for long time. It can improve one’s constitution, increase the body’s healing ability,  help maintain a healthy body and prolonged life.

Ganoderma mushroom is from the Mycetes kingdom. These are generally short and tiny fungi unable to produce their own nutrient through photosynthesis like green plants.

They can either Earth breed or lead a parasitic life by surviving on nutrients of other plants and animals.

Within the Mycetes kingdom, Basidiomycetes such as Ganoderma Lucidum and mushroom are the superior grade. Many are edible and have excellent healing properties. These fungi naturally become the more precious medicinal herb in the Basidiomycetes kingdom.

“The Outline of Herbal Medicine”, written by a very famous Chinese pharmacologist Dr. Li Shin-Chen, classifies Ganodermas by color into six categories. They are Black Ganoderma, Purple Ganoderma, Blue Ganoderma, White Ganoderma, Yellow Ganoderma,  Red Ganoderma.

The Ganoderma History

For over 2000 years, the Chinese have given Ganoderma, or what they call Lingzhi, the highest ranking in Traditional Medical Theory. Lingzhi is the Chinese name for Ganoderma Lucidum. It means the “Spiritual Herb that Energizes the Chi or Life force.”

Ganoderma Lucidum, seems to be one of the oldest medicinal herbs known to man. According to the survey the annals of history, references to Ganoderma Lucidum in the classical Chinese texts go back to the era before the birth of Christ.  It is learned that discovery of Ganoderma Lucidum was the result of the efforts of Chinese emperors to achieve longevity of youth through herbal medicines. The first Chinese Emperor Chin Shi Huang Ti even called it the “Herb of Deathlessness“.

The Emperors of the ancient period respected the mushroom so much that they have given it names like “The Elixir of Immortality“, “Herb of Spiritual Potency” and “Soup of the Emperor with a Thousand Mistresses“.

Ganoderma Lucidum has been mentioned as one of the secrets behind the long life and health of Peng Zu , a legendary figure who lived nearly 900 years in the times of the Shang Dynasty (16th century-11th century B.C.) and married around 100 women.

During the reign of Emperor Han Wu Di (156-87 BC), one of the greatest emperors of China,  this herb were found growing all over the palace, an emblem of the prosperous China of that period.  Officials attributed this unusual sights to the merits and virtues of the Emperor. It is said that he had touched Heaven and Earth to grant the growth of this auspicious herb in the palace grounds.

In fact, it did not exist in China as medicine only but also as symbol of prosperity, immortality and energy carved on various parts of the imperial palaces.

Mushroom of Immortality

After Emperor Han Wu Di, Taoism renewed the legend of Lingzhi. Taoism focused more on life and promotes immortality. Taoist believed that with practice and frequent consumption of this herb, one would attain immortality. Ganoderma held a significant position among the many herbs taken by the Taoism followers.

And as it’s also known as celestial herb, it became a symbol of immortality. However it was rare and difficult to find.

“Mushroom of Immortality” may not be a literally accurate nickname since nobody has ever been known to live forever. But Ganoderma extract has for a fact been revered and utilized for its healing and life-extending properties since before the birth of Christ.

Successful Cultivation

Wild Ganoderma is very rare and is difficult to collect. Even if someone finds it by chance, its effects are always lost because of aging,. It becomes hard like leather. They may also be toxic. Since they are haphazardly collected, quality control is impossible.

In 1970, a technician of Kyoto University Foodstuff Scientific Research Institute, Mr. Yukio Naoi, used ‘Spore Separation Cultivation Method’ to successfully cultivate Ganodermas. This method was introduced in the Republic of China in 1975. Since the climate and soil conditions are ideal, this technique has been widely adopted.

DXN’s Ganoderma Cultivation

The Magic Effects of Ganoderma

Ganoderma has always been shrouded with a mysterious curtain for more than a thousand years. People only know ‘Ganodermas can keep one young than give one a long life taken continuously’, but no one had ever scientifically investigated why it so effective.

Under the attentive research done by both Chinese and foreign scholars in recent years, and the cooperative analysis and clinical experiments done by hospitals, colleges and pharmaceutical manufacturers, its extensive efficacy has finally discovered. It is a hemocatharsis, detoxicant, diuretic, liver protector, intensive regulator, cardiotonic, blood pressure adjustor, a cold tonic, antitussive and expectorant, a tranquilizer, an anti-tumor drug.